REJECTED BY ONLINE LAW SCHOOL?

[Crackerjack]

I am a second-year student at Taft. The initial application requires a writing sample on the topic of your interest in studying law. I was never asked for a second essay prior to being accepted. I think this is because my credentials are outstanding (summa cum laude bachelors in accounting, summa cum laude MBA, and scores among the top 1% in the nation on the CPA exam). I suppose I could have been accepted at an ABA-accredited school, but I live in a rural area. My CPA practice and my children keep me here, far from any law schools. Taft doesn't require the LSAT, so I never took it. They probably asked for a second writing sample from you because they needed more assurance that you had the ability to succeed in their program. Taft is all about preparing you for the California Bar Exam. My guess is, if they don't think you have the potential, they're not going to waste your time or theirs. Of course they would want to keep their statistics up. I passed the Baby Bar without any trouble, but that's because I prepared for months. The Taft professors are accessible and supportive. The independent study curriculum is well-designed. But when you're at the bar exam, it's just you and your laptop under the tyranny of a clock. You have to be very smart and very dedicated to pass.

Dear Mr. Banhammer, Don't bam me. I'm not a shill, just a contented student who found the right school for me.

[tls]

I am also a second-year student at Taft and quite satisfied with the school.  I have a Ph.D. in Communications, an undergrad GPA of 3.4 and an LSAT score of 161.  I cannot go to a traditional law school because I live and work overseas.  I had no trouble passing the Baby Bar because I studied hard.  Taft gives me the opportunity to take the California Bar.  I am not interested in practicing for a large firm, but may be interested in working for the Federal Government as an attorney, or a county or city government in California.  Given these interests, there is no reason why I wouldn't succeed after bar passage.  The faculty at Taft are knowledgeable and the staff are professional.  Their tests enable me to gauge my likely performance on the Bar.  Simply put, the University and its program suit my needs.  For the mature student with self-discipline and reasonable intellectual powers, it is a viable option, and should not be judged as unacceptable for all because it is nontraditional.

[calvinexpress]

I want to go to law school online.  In Georgia, our choices are few and far between.  I am 43 years old.  My undergrad GPA is 3.69.  My LSAT was 140... sad.  I am a mother of 2 and actually finished my Bachelor's degree online and took 6 classes towards my Masters in Law and Public Policy.  Both school were accredited, regular colleges.   I am not even really interested in being a trial attorney anyway.  I just love the law.

After all the research I did on online law schools, I decided to go with Taft.  You can actually get Federal Student Aid and have your current student loans deferred while attending.  That is a plus.  They have also been around a long time and after talking with them, I thought they were the best choice for me.

However, I got an email from them on Friday indicating that they have had a lot of applications for the Fall semester and they requested I write an essay on which part of the First Amendment is most important in our modern society.  No more than 5 pages.  They say this will allow them to determine who will succeed at Taft.  Do they think they are Harvard? 

Now... I cannot figure out if this is their way of not admitting me or if they are on the fence and want to see if I can write.  Since I have been in the legal profession 18 years and have taken 6 law classes already, I have written legal essays and briefs so I sent an essay I already wrote for another class.  It was about cases being tried in the media.  I received an A- on it.  It's a pretty good essay.  It is possible they have too many applicants for September and I assume if they did not want me, I would have already been rejected. 

My second choice of schools is California School of Law but the benefit of deferring current student loans is not available. 

 

Sooooo, which school did you choose? It's a year later, and you should be almost done with your first year of one of the online law schools. Care to share with us?

[mtbrider59]

something to consider if you haven't already-most state bar associations require graduation from an ABA accredited law school in order to sit for their bar exam.  Thus you can't practice law unless you meet some other requirement like possibly practicing for a number years in another state. The ABBA has not yet and isn't likely to move to accredit on-line schools.  The only states I know of that allow graduates of state accredited law schools including some on line schools sit for their bar exams are California and I believe Mass. I could be wrong as it was about two years ago since I last checked into it when I was applying to schools, Something else to consider, as I have now finished to years at a regular brick and mortar law school is the interaction that one has with your fellow students.  There are times that I've learned more from them than any books or profs plus I've forged lifelong friendships that will probably help me in my future career as a lawyer.  My law school also has several practical training opoortunities- clinics and the like that have been some of my most rewarding experiences thus far. Not sure if you can get these at an on-line school. Good luck to you.

[calvinexpress]

If these online law schools maintained a high pass rate, then the ABA would consider accrediting them with the ABA designation.  Online law schools have the lowest pass ratio ever out of all the law schools in America.

The price of tuition is also a huge difference from online law school to brick and mortar law school. I've seen online law schools as low as $1,500.00 year vs. Brick and Mortar Whittier Law school which is priced at $35,000.00 a year.