Hi. I'm a 3L at Mercer. I'm happy to answer any questions about the school. I posted some info about Mercer last year in this thread:
http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,4017048.0.htmlIf you go there how do you like it overall?
Overall, I am very happy with my experience at Mercer. Great classmates, great profs, excellent curriculum (including plenty of legal writing courses and practical skills-oriented courses) that won a professionalism award from the ABA.
How is the career services department, do they help you find internships?
Career services does a decent job. They review resumes and cover letters, and they bring employers to campus. They keep us updated about career fairs and job postings. They organize events to help with the job search.
They will help you find internships, but sometimes it's best to look on your own, as well. Some internships aren't regularly advertised. So it doesn't hurt to just send your resume out to a bunch of organizations/judges/etc. and see what comes back.
How are job prospects?
The downturn in the economy has significantly affected hiring. A lot of my classmates have jobs lined up, and some of the smaller firms have started interviewing again. But biglaw hiring went to hell. If I had to guess, I'd say only 5% of the 2Ls are headed to biglaw. Most of the people in my class who got biglaw summer associate jobs were either deferred or did not receive offers at the end of the summer. But as far as I can tell, that's been happening at most schools.
In most years, about 60% of the class is employed at graduation. This year, I would expect closer to 50%. Mercer will probably weather the economy better than schools that have historically depended on placing students in large firms. Mercer has a lock on firms in Macon, and it has a decent reputation throughout Georgia. Smaller firms in these cities have continued to hire. Also, your marketability increases when you pass the bar. A lot of state government jobs won't pay you until you pass the bar.
I'm happy with how things turned out for me. I'm clerking for a judge next year. Looking forward to it.
Do you like Macon?
I like Macon. Some people don't. Although it has a higher crime rate than the national average, it's still lower than Atlanta. Just like any city, there are "good" and "bad" areas. I live close to downtown (a relatively "bad" area), and I've never had any problems.
There are a lot of cool hole-in-the-wall places to eat. Some decent bars, although I'm not a huge fan of the nightlife in Macon. First Friday (downtown area is a big party) can be fun. There are also some museums and historical sites. This Washington Post article from last month talks about some of the historical sites in Macon:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/11/AR2010021104453.html ("Macon is home to so many buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, you'd need 77 hours to visit each for just one minute ...."
There's also a nice state park at Lake Tobesofkee for outdoor/recreational fun. http://www.co.bibb.ga.us/laketobesofkee/Default.asp A new mall was also built recently on the north side of town. http://www.theshoppesatrivercrossing.com/
Before law school, I spent most of my time living in larger metropolitan areas. I am mostly of the opinion that "quality of life" is what you make of it. You can find stuff to do in Macon. Of course, you'll also be pretty busy in law school.
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