Help me pick an online law school

[calvinexpress]

I'm thinking of attending online law school and I don't know what one to pick. I've interviewed most of all of them, and they each have their good and bad. Money is not an issue as I am willing to pay the extra money for the better education. ALU and Northwestern both teach one class at a time. Concord teaches four classes at at a time. I think one class at a time is better. Some of them also have online video learning that we can watch the instructor teach a live class, although I don't know what schools do this.

Can I get anybody's input that has attended these online colleges or others ones? I realize everybody has different learning styles amd works for you might not work for me, but I would like input anyways.

Help me decide. Thanks.

[jack24]

I haven't attended those schools, but I think it would be better for you in the long run to take multiple classes at once.  Even if you can do the same number of credits per year, I don't think one class tunnel vision is the best way to learn. (Or prepare for a bar exam or practice law)

My first semester classes were contracts, civ pro, crim law, property and legal research & writing. (Con law was a second semester class when I started)

The classes aren't interdependent, but they are interrelated.  I think learning them at the same time helps you get a better handle.

I know everyone has different learning styles, but that's just my two cents.   

(What order do ALU and Northwestern teach their classes in?)

[Maintain FL 350]

I might be 100% wrong about this, but I'd be inclined to pick the school with the highest FYLSE/bar pass rates. My reasoning is that all online schools probably have very similar students in terms of academic qualifcations, the amount of time they're able to dedicate to studying, etc. Although the specific learning platforms may vary, if one school has better pass rates that might speak to the overall quality of the program.   

[calvinexpress]

Very few people pass the Calfornia baby bar that attended online law school. Some do not have any passing students. Every student failed. The California pass statistics are online here at this link, http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/Examinations/Statistics.aspx#statsFYX

Yale has the highest pass ratio for law schools. Almost every one of their students passed that took the Californa bar.

[Maintain FL 350]

Yeah, that's not too surprising. I guess my question would be this: among the online schools you're looking at, does any one have higher pass rates than the others? If so, are those pass rates consistently higher? If the answer is yes, I'd probably pick that school.

Just curious, is online your only option? Could you attend a part-time evening program at a brick and mortar school?

[jack24]

Roald and I have gone back and forth about this, but I'm not so sure the quality of the program is the biggest indicator of bar passage.  I think quality of students has a significantly higher impact than the program.

Look at every T2 school in the nation and I bet you get varying bar exam pass rates.  The quality of the program doesn't really change much (it should improve) but bar rates go up and down significantly.

I just looked at one school that went down 18% and then back up 27%.   The overall bar passage in that state moved, but not nearly as much.

I do, however, think that you want to consider your own learning style and find a school that matches it.

[Maintain FL 350]

I actually agree with you, Jack, at least to an extent. For example, Stanford has a higher bar pass rate than Golden Gate even though substantive education at each school is very similar. Why? Because the students at Stanford are generally better qualified academically. With online unaccredited schools I think that the quality of students is definitely an issue, but I think there are probably several other issues that contribute to the low pass rates.

[calgal27]

I have talked to all the online schools and even tried Taft. I did not care for their teaching method as they did not care about you as an individual.

I am contemplating California School of Law because you are required to attend classes online  2 nights a week.  2 classes a semester...3 semesters a year.  the classes are on pacific standard time and I am on the East coast.  This should be interesting...lol.

[jennid1234]

I am waiting for my test result from Cal Bar for the FYLSE, if I passed (which I feel pretty good about).  I go to Concord.  I recommend HIGHLY.  Get school, get online classes and prep - BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY -

I signed up in October 2010, was accepted at end of Dec.  had to rush and buy my books for the first year that week because classes started on the 6th of Jan.  Finals - the second week in Dec. and you better be ready for them!  Why?  Can you imagine failing your first year?  NO WAY.  I passed, then took two weeks off, Christmas was a blur and I had not idea how to prepare for FYLSE.  I am so glad I'm in the Jan class ---- when I graduate in 2014 I can sit for the bar at the end of Feb.  Those that are in the June class have the same results for the Bar in July, but they had finals in May and had to register for the FYLSE before grades were issued plus found out if they were eligible about a week before taking the test.  If I lived in Cali, that would be ok, but living out of state means I would have all that expense out without knowing if I could even sit for the exam. 

I crammed for my 2L classes and had them halfway done by 2nd week in May.  Studied my 1L, took the concordfirst review in 3 weeks, did over 500 multiple choice questions, over 100 essays (but only wrote out 20, the other 80 was issues only and then compared to the model answers.  Learned my rule statements.  Now I eagerly await the results and for August 13th when I'll know, do I have to do this again in October?  If so, Oakland is better than L.A., less people take it there and more affordable travel expenses. 

To top all this off, Concord has financial aid - it costs but it'w worth it, and the education is the same as a brick and mortor school, just not approved by the ABA - but who cares, a law degree in four years at a fraction of the cost, passing the bar will be a challenge, but becoming a lawyer - will be a goal I've waited a long time to achieve.

Go for it! Choose your school and let us know the results!

[calvinexpress]

I am waiting for my test result from Cal Bar for the FYLSE, if I passed (which I feel pretty good about).  I go to Concord.  I recommend HIGHLY. 

jennid1234, if you find out that you failed the FYLSE, then we are all expecting you to do a follow up post and tell everybody how much you hated Concord and you don't recommend them. I heard they don't have video learning, and the students listen to audio only. How many classes do you take at one time the first year?