Fordham 1L, Evening Division, taking questions

[oh noze]

Hey Joey, 

I'm real interested in the evening program at Fordham, and according to what I've found online through the lsac, I'm right in the median range for the program (3.4/161).  However I come from an undergrad that is pretty low-end.  So I guess my question would be this.  Based on your dealings with other students in the evening program, how is the diversity as far as undergrad institutions go?  Are they all essentially ivy-league students that didn't make the cut at a lot of other top schools?  Or are they from all different kinds of backgrounds?  Also, does fordham's evening program have early decision?  Thanks for taking the time.

Not to jack Joey's thread, but I'll field this from a FLS day division perspective. There are plenty of Ivy League undergrads in my section. However, I personally come from a mediocre-at-best undergrad institution. My LSAT was a 166 and I applied with a 3.73 (you need higher scores for day division, but these are within the range). I don't know how to explain the prevalence of Ivy Leaguers here... but I can tell you that undergrad institution really won't matter. It might be a split-decision sort of thing where you're pitted against a 3.4/161 from Harvard, but in general it's not going to make or break anything for you.

[Joey Joe Joe]

I agree with Noze's sentiment. Your undergrad institution doesn't really matter. I've met students in the evening division from high-ranked colleges and lower-ranked schools.

The only thing that really matters is GPA and LSAT, although admissions might take into account some soft factors if push comes to shove.

[katx]

Can you speak to scholarship opportunities at Fordham - as a private school, is it difficult to get one?  Is it usually based on merit?  How much do they usually offer?  Does anyone get a full ride?

I am debating between their day and evening program.  I would like to work and support myself through school, but not sure how I would survive grade-wise working 9-5, then school at night.  When do you find time to study?

Also, the night classes are smaller - does that affect chances of getting in despite the numbers (LSAT/GPA) being lower?

Thanks - this thread has been very helpful!

[Joey Joe Joe]

I got some funding from an outside source, and don't know exactly what it's like trying to get $ directly from admissions/financial aid.  I did hear it's tough, for whatever that's worth (not a lot).

I think working 9-5, 5 days a week with any kind of a job that would legitimately support your law school and living expense is tough. But not impossible.

Are you working now? If so, you might want to try an experiment - go to work all day, then try to attend a lecture someone's holding somewhere ~6PM that goes for 2.5 hours. Take detailed notes. Go home. Go to sleep. Go to work the next day. Then, find 2 books in the library on something complex and perhaps overly technical. Be sure to read and take notes on those books over the weekend. 

Now imagine doing that for ~4 months. Plus legal writing assignments, plus final exams.

It ain't easy. But many people do it.

The night classes are not smaller.


You're very welcome - glad you feel helped.

[MrDiggler]

I feel like a lot of the people in the night division are people who don't work and don't have the stats for day -- in essence, they are gaming admissions (to which I'm sure admissions has no qualms).

My question is: do you feel as if those people have an unfair advantage because they have all the time you are working to be studying? AND, to your knowledge, does their performance reflect the extra time they have to study?

[Joey Joe Joe]

McDiggler - you raise several interesting points.

1) There are many people in the evening division who don't have jobs. But I'm not sure to what extent it's really "gaming" admissions. If Fordham wants to change their "day to night" transfer policy, they can do so at any time. I'm not terribly bitter against folks who go to school without working - good for them if they can pull it off.

2) Those students certainly have more time to study, and that's an advantage. Not sure how "unfair" it is.

3) There's something of an unspoken rule at Fordham - at least in my experience for the first year - that people don't discuss grades (which I think is a pretty good rule, for a lot of reasons).

So I don't know how much better those people do.