Why attend a non accredited law school?

[Evolve]

I mean, honestly, people do it and I've read posts here and elsewhere about people who apply/attend/have graduated from these schools. What is the point of going to one of these schools if you want to practice or teach law? Maybe I don't get how this works, but its my understanding that if you don't have a law degree from an accredited school then you won't be allowed to take the bar or practice. Am I wrong or am I just missing some piece that would explain why people spend their time and money at these places?

[Vainglory]

You can take the bar in your state, but it won't transfer anywhere else.  Honestly, the only reason I can see for going to a non-accredited school is if you just can't get into anywhere else.

[militarygrade]

People go to unaccredited law schools because, well, they want to be lawyers.

50% of all test takers score below 150 on their LSAT.  Does that mean they should not have the ability to become a lawyer?  It's been proven that the LSAT has little to no corrolation with how well a student will do in law school, or how well someone will practice law. 

Non-aba schools provide a service - they make people into lawyers.  A degree from a non-ABA school will allow someone to sit on the bar in the state the school is situated (assuming the school is accredited by that state's bar, which they usually are).  Additionally, there are a great many other states that will allow a grad from a non-ABA schools to take the bar, provided a few additional hoops have been jumped through.

So, to answer your question, people go to non-ABA schools because they want to be lawyers, and have realized what you have yet to grasp--reputation is one thing, but drive and ability overpowers repuation 9 days of the week.

[Evolve]

So, to answer your question, people go to non-ABA schools because they want to be lawyers, and have realized what you have yet to grasp--reputation is one thing, but drive and ability overpowers repuation 9 days of the week.

Ouch, okay. Well, like my first post said I thought if you're school wasn't accreditted you couldn't take the bar and therefore couldn't become a practicing lawyer. Apparently, you can take the bar in your own state and maybe in other states. My question wasn't meant to be derogatory towards the schools or the people that go to them, it just didn't make sense to me from my understanding of how the bar worked (which was mistaken). However, while I do agree that drive and ability are what it boils down to for success in life I don't think you can discount the pull that reputation has in where you can work and what you can do, especially in law. HYS grads can get the internships and the jobs without being the best in their class while tier 3s and 4s need to be in the top 10% to do a lot of the same. I can only imagine its even harder for non accreditted schools even though their cirriculum and instructors might be better than many of the 3s and 4s.

[revelareveritas]

I think a better question would be: Why shouldn't you attend an unaccredited law school?

Answer: Because they're not accredited. DUH! This means you can't practice anywhere worth practicing and your education is practically (notice I said practically and not totally) worthless! I suppose you could use it to get into paralegal work though...

Bad idea, all around...

[Mr Shears]

Not true.  There are tons of judges in Cali from state accredited schools.  If this wasn't what you meant by "unaccredited" then I apologize.

Personally, I wouldn't even go to a state accredited school unless I absolutely had to.  That's just me though.

[midjeep]

Actually a lot of people go to non-accredited school to get a better understanding of the law. People who own there own business or who want to work in a legally related field but not as an attorney (i.e. an Erin Brockovich type), will sometimes go to these schools for such knowledge. Additionally, their companies will sometimes pay for their tutition just so their employees wont have to quit to go to another law school that may not be in their town.

[Mr Shears]

Yeah, but I want to work in D.C. 

[Vainglory]

It's been proven that the LSAT has little to no corrolation with how well a student will do in law school, or how well someone will practice law.

I'm calling B.S. on this.  The reason why the LSAT is so heavily weighted is precisely because it's a good indicator of your aptitude for law school.  Also, there was a study that showed that the LSAT score is more highly correlated with your working salary than anything else, inclduing what law school you went to and your grades there.  Granted, salary is not equal to knowledge of the law, and those with high LSATs are more likely to do well, but to say that there's no correlation is just ridiculous.

[RockyMarciano]

I was talking to a person that I went to high school but a grade higher that is attending a non-aba accredited law school. I told him the list of schools I am applying to such as Boston College (accepted last week). And he told me, "If you want to practice in California, you should go to a law school here." I just stood there shaking my head in agreement but actually thinking "what did they tell this guy to brain wash him." Are you kidding me? Going to Boston College and then attempting to practice law in Calfornia is 1000X better than going to a non-aba accredited school in California. What do you guys think?

Non-ABA schools do provide a great service by allowing those individuals that did not get into an ABA approved law school to fulfill their dreams and educate the community. I just can not believe this guy was telling me that going to a non-ABA school is better than attending BC or GW. Another thing, I do not know if it is worth dropping 45,000 dollars for three years to get a law degree only valid in one state. I guess if you are going into politics it is really not that important you go to an ABA approved school for example LA Mayor Antonio Villaragosa.