Thomas Cooley vs. Nova Southeastern

[xferlawstudent]

To the OP:  obviously a T4 is not the best choice to align yourself for a federal clerkship, but I'm sure you know that. 

To the questions "Cooley v. Nova" its definitely Nova.  Yes it is a T4, yes I'm sure it has its problems.  However, it does have a good rep in South Florida and I think its a much much better choice than Cooley.

[SWATJester]

Unquestionably NOVA.  Even though they are both 4th Tiers Nova actually has a very solid reputation in Florida.  Cooley is pretty much a joke to most people.

It will be hard to get a clerkship for either but I think you would have an outside chance clerking for a Federal Court in Miami after school if you have top grades and law review.

Nova has a good reputation in florida. One of my fellow clerks at the firm I was with this summer did an judicial clerkship in Miami, but for the life of me I can't remember what judge and court it was.

Yes Nova, is ridiculously expensive. It's also highly regarded beyond what a 4th tier should be (certainly not UF or FSU, or even Stetson regarded, but significantly better than Florida Gulf Coast)

[loki13]

Cooley's library square footage pwns Nova!

http://www.cooley.edu/rankings/intro_8th_general.htm#factors

Cooley- the hidden t14 school. Lawyers may not know it, judges may not know it, those who hire may not know it, and your mother may not know it, and anyone not currently in a jacket in which you can hug yourself all day long and in a room that you can bounce off the walls might not know it...

But Cooley knows it. And no fancy Nova degree can compete with that.  Or their library seating capacity.

[juliemccoy]

1 - in 1999 and 2004 Nova had to repay the federal government 4.2 million dollars for billing errors and when an investigation was being conducted, Nova was said to be uncooperative.  This has to do with programs that they administer for Medicaid and medicare (our tax dollars).

2 - The Broward County Commissioners are proposing to slash their funding for the dual use library by 515,920 because of lack of accountability on public usage.  The County Attorney said they destroyed documents that would have supported public usage (again, misuse of our tax dollars).

3 - Nova has taken out bonds to fund all of the new construction that has happened on the campus, these bonds are tax-exempt.  There is ceertain criteria you have for these bonds and because Nova has failed to meet certain criteria they had to place a first mortgage on the new Business building. (lack of accountability)

4 - Nova has been subpoenaed by the New York AG and is being investigated by the Florida AG in regards to the student loan scandal.

I could go on and on but the fact remains that Nova Southeastern University has a terrible reputation in South Florida and it is going to get worse.  Why would and undergrad attend a school that is 4th tier at the price that NSU charges?  Why would a law student attend their law school when it is considered 4th tier and only 48% passed the bar last year?  Why wouls someone attend their Business school when it's accredidation is sub-par? 

I have been doing research on this school and have documentation to support all of these claims and would be happy to provide it to anyone interested, especially if you are thinking of attending this school.  I do not want to see students getting ripped off by this university when they do not give a d**mn about the students and improving the quality of education that they provide.  All that they care about is expansion.

Again, cite sources.

I am not saying Nova is an amazing school, but everyone I know who went there for law school is doing quite well for themselves -- money and careerwise-- in South Florida. It is a good law program if you want to live and work in S Florida. It's great that you have decided not to go to their law school, but it is a good choice for a lot of people I know, both for law school and for undergrad. Nova grads do go on to have happy, successful and financially rewarding lives. I know this comes as a shock, but my Nova friends are living in nice houses, driving nice cars, have money in the bank and are enjoying their careers and their lives. And that's all that matters.

[sjminflorida]

 I know this comes as a shock, but my Nova friends are living in nice houses, driving nice cars, have money in the bank and are enjoying their careers and their lives. And that's all that matters.
[/quote]


That is not all that matters!!  This school has made money off of student loans, at the expense of the students, has taken advantage of taxpayers dollars, both federal and county, has failed to try to improve the quality of education it provides, it cares more about expansion rather than spending money on providing the students an education that they pay for.

I cannot fathom why someone could waste their money going to a school that, by their actions, doesn't care about anything but making money.  But I guess that is all that is important as you state in your post.

It's not all about"me", you need to care about all the people this school takes advantage of.

[Blunderbuss]

Is Nova for profit?

[sjminflorida]

Is Nova for profit?

non-profit university, but where there is a will, there is a way.

[HRoark81]

Did everyone read that Cooley link about their ranking system?  I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!

[Blunderbuss]

Did everyone read that Cooley link about their ranking system?  I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!

Basically, who's got the largest law school. 

[SWATJester]

Is Nova for profit?

non-profit university, but where there is a will, there is a way.

Riiiight. Sounds like your mind has been made up with preconceived biases.