Why do people give Cooley such a hard time?

[new2law]

I am an upcoming Cooley student, and wondering why people give cooley such a hard time. As far as I can tell they have a decent passing rate for students on the bar and their alumni all seem to have work. I am just wondering where the bad rep came from and why becuase I cant see it myself.

[Pardon Johnny Cash.]

well, many tier 4 schools get a hard time, but they're very necessary. One specific thing though, attracts scorn.  They send out this 'ranking the law schools' flier which approximates the standard USNWR top 20 - except with their inclusion at like #16.  They eliminate certain important indicators and replace them with some silly and dowwnright absurd indicators such as # if chairs in the library.  It comes off as very dishonest and unsettling.  That's the real reason why Cooley receives so much disdain.

[Ninja1]

I think a big part of the bad rep comes from Cooley's rankings. If they would just shut the @#!* up and do their thing, they'd probably be ok and no one would pay attention to them. But, because they produce their own rankings that put them ahead of almost every other school based on *&^% like square footage of the library (with their 3 "campuses"), I think they eat a ton of *&^% and rightfully so.

[vap]

I'm not sure how the reputation started, but I know it's been around for a long time.  One of my former profs who went to school about 20 years ago used to joke about Cooley.

I think part of the bad rep has to do with the academic attrition rates, which are high at Cooley.  For one recent year, the school flunked out nearly one-fifth of its 1L class.  http://officialguide.lsac.org/SearchResults/SchoolPage_PDFs/ABA_LawSchoolData/ABA1796.pdf

Also, I'm sure a contributing factor to the bad reputation is the "Cooley Rankings."  Cooley's ranking places Cooley #12 in the country.   http://www.cooley.edu/rankings/overall2008.htm

But I've known a Cooley graduate who was smart, hard-working, and I'm sure will be a good lawyer.  I don't really take a school's bad reputation seriously unless I've had a personal experience.  

[vap]

Also, there are a lot of law students and lawyers who think that schools like Cooley should be shut down because lower ranked schools devalue the degrees of higher ranked schools.  The same people often also believe that schools like Cooley are hurting the profession and that only privileged people should be able to go to law school.  See, e.g., http://abovethelaw.com/2009/06/great_news_cooley_is_opening_a.php

[Ninja1]

Also, there are a lot of law students and lawyers who think that schools like Cooley should be shut down because lower ranked schools devalue the degrees of higher ranked schools.  The same people often also believe that schools like Cooley are hurting the profession and that only privileged people should be able to go to law school.  See, e.g., http://abovethelaw.com/2009/06/great_news_cooley_is_opening_a.php

I wouldn't say "privileged", unless I was going for "not retarded".

[new2law]

It sounds like if its in the top dozen, then there are a ton more below it than above it.

My main thing is that is in my state and both aba approved and regionally accredited. I know that Ave Maria law school was in my state before they relocated to florida and although aba approved are only nationally and not regionally accredited. I also saw that a lot of other ones in other states are only locally apporved and not accredited by anyone.

[jillibean]

It sounds like if its in the top dozen, then there are a ton more below it than above it.

My main thing is that is in my state and both aba approved and regionally accredited. I know that Ave Maria law school was in my state before they relocated to florida and although aba approved are only nationally and not regionally accredited. I also saw that a lot of other ones in other states are only locally apporved and not accredited by anyone.

ABA accred. is the only thing that matters

[jerseyexpatriate]

I think a lot of it has to do with the general perception of third or fourth-tier schools in general.  Despite testimonials from former students that a Cooley education is actually pretty good compared to other schools, I still tend to see some not-so-subtle shots at this school on the blawgopshere.

But I look at it like this -- it shouldn't matter what the name on the diploma says.  If you know your stuff, you can excel no matter where you graduated from.

[Pardon Johnny Cash.]

I think a lot of it has to do with the general perception of third or fourth-tier schools in general.  Despite testimonials from former students that a Cooley education is actually pretty good compared to other schools, I still tend to see some not-so-subtle shots at this school on the blawgopshere.

But I look at it like this -- it shouldn't matter what the name on the diploma says.  If you know your stuff, you can excel no matter where you graduated from.

- My contempt for Cooley is simply derived from how they produce and disseminate propoganda proclaiming their superiority based up a very self-serving matrix of indicators.  The dishonesty in this rightfully brings ridicule.

- I also respect that many Cooley grads are very capable and considering the school's high attrition rates, earned their degree.  I dislike Cooley the institution, by I have a fair amount of respect for their graduates.

- I understand why the name matters to hiring partners.  If you were contracting a firm, wouldn't you rather know that you have a team of ivy league grads opposed to random regional grads?  The resources are greater; generally, the professors are of a higher calibers; and, the schools self select students have shown a much higher adaptation to legal research and previous achievement.  So, it makes sense why all things being equal, the Yale grad will get the job over the Roger Williams grad.  There's a significant logic to it.