Dickinson

[melbel08]

Dickinson is extremely disorganized and they treat their students like garbage. There is a major disconnect between the two campuses which really puts a damper on the education the students are receiving. They have inexperienced professors there who in most circumstances are Dickinson Law alum... umm... inbreeding? Go to Pit, Temple, Villanova or somewhere else in PA. You have been warned.

[UnbiasedObserver]

Dickinson is not a bad school if you are set on living in central PA, and you don't have to pay the full fare.  Otherwise, I'd look at other schools. 

[DCLabor25]

I am also at PSU-DSL now and I can't say that I agree with Melbel.  Different people are of course entitled to different opinions, but I liked my professors for the most part -- especially my Civ Pro and Torts professors.  I don't think students are treated like garbage -- and some professors are inexperienced, but many others are not.  In any event, I think at any law school you'll have some new professors mixed in with veterans. 

That all being said -- I don't think there are major differences between Dickinson, Pitt, Villanova, and Temple.  I think the biggest variables should be 1.) where do you want to work/live  and 2.) what type of financial situation are you in?  None of those schools are worth paying significantly more than the others, since, when you really look at their employment stats, they are all roughly the same. 

[DCLabor25]

One other thing just to clarify some disinformation -- they are not closing either campus or moving the school. 

Dickinson was -- for a very long time -- an independent law school in Carlisle, PA.  They merged with Penn State in the late 90s and a few years ago Penn State expressed interest in moving the school to the main campus in State College, PA.  Alumni and others however were not happy with that idea and so they reached a compromise whereby they would open a brand-spanking new campus in State College and also maintain the traditional campus in Carlisle with a vastly renovated building.  They are dumping $50 million into each location.  The new State College location opened a few days ago and the new Carlisle building will open around this time next year.

My own experience is that the two campuses tend to attract somewhat different types of students -- if you want the big campus feel, go to State College.  If you want a small-town feel with fewer distractions, go to Carlisle.  If it's an issue, Carlisle is very close to Harrisburg -- I know when we made the move, my wife needed to find a job and that was much easier in Harrisburg than it would have been in State College.

[UnbiasedObserver]

One other thing just to clarify some disinformation -- they are not closing either campus or moving the school. 

Dickinson was -- for a very long time -- an independent law school in Carlisle, PA.  They merged with Penn State in the late 90s and a few years ago Penn State expressed interest in moving the school to the main campus in State College, PA.  Alumni and others however were not happy with that idea and so they reached a compromise whereby they would open a brand-spanking new campus in State College and also maintain the traditional campus in Carlisle with a vastly renovated building.  They are dumping $50 million into each location.  The new State College location opened a few days ago and the new Carlisle building will open around this time next year.

My own experience is that the two campuses tend to attract somewhat different types of students -- if you want the big campus feel, go to State College.  If you want a small-town feel with fewer distractions, go to Carlisle.  If it's an issue, Carlisle is very close to Harrisburg -- I know when we made the move, my wife needed to find a job and that was much easier in Harrisburg than it would have been in State College.

I sent you a pm, DC. 

[lou]

Dickinson is private so that is why it is the same tuition for in-state and out of state. I've heard rumors that the Carlisle campus is being phased out, so perhaps eventually there will be a price drop for in-state. PSU is not a totally public school, it is consider a "land grant" school and receives less state aid than other state schools. I am a senior at PSU. State College is fun and I've heard that the law school is being quite generous with scholarships. I think the PSU name will help the school out a lot and the new building looks nice.

TITCR.

[LawReviewer]

For reference .... don't go to Dickinson Law School ==== it is declining in competence, reputation, and morality.

[bigs5068]

Dickinson is extremely disorganized and they treat their students like garbage. There is a major disconnect between the two campuses which really puts a damper on the education the students are receiving. They have inexperienced professors there who in most circumstances are Dickinson Law alum... umm... inbreeding? Go to Pit, Temple, Villanova or somewhere else in PA. You have been warned.

What did they do that made you feel like you were treated like garbage?