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The University of Alabama School of LawWritten by Hadi Sedigh
Admissions and Tuition Admissions at the University of Alabama School of Law are increasingly selective, as is the case at most top-tier law schools. During the application cycle for the entering class of 2007, 1,197 applicants petitioned for admission, 369 of whom were offered a seat, with 182 of those admitted matriculating to form Alabama’s Class of 2010. The median LSAT score of this entering class was 164, while the median GPA was 3.63. To be competitive in future cycles, applicants should have numbers near or above these medians, as the LSAT and undergraduate GPA are in general the most important factors in admissions. Of course, the admissions staff at Alabama Law School looks beyond simple numbers when deciding on applications and aims to put together an entering class diverse in ethnicity, background and experience. To this end, the school requires an extra essay alongside the standard personal statement, addressing either an event that had a significant impact on the applicant’s life or a person that the applicant admires. Needless to say, applicants able to demonstrate strengths through this essay will likely improve their chances. As previously mentioned, a major draw of the University of Alabama Law School is its exceptionally low tuition rates for both resident and non-resident students. For the 2007-2008 academic year, resident students paid just $11,190 in tuition, while non-residents were charged $22,170. In comparison, non-resident tuition rates for the same academic year at five of the seven schools tied with Alabama for 36th place in the 2008 version of the USNWR rankings were above $30,000, with another school charging slightly less than $30,000. It is also worth mentioning that Alabama’s resident tuition is among the lowest of any school in the top 50 of the USNWR rankings, making the school an extremely attractive option for applicants who reside in Alabama. However, it seems unlikely that many non-resident students would be able to achieve resident status at any point during their time studying at the University of Alabama Law School, since the university’s residency policy requires: “continuous physical presence in the state for a purpose other than attending school.” Academics and Curriculum Like most law students, 1Ls at the University of Alabama School of Law enroll in required courses such as Contracts, Torts, and Legal Writing. Many current students and recent graduates of the school have opined that the first year of law school at Alabama is by far the most academically rigorous, which is perhaps fairly common. During their second and third, and probably more enjoyable, years at Alabama, students are for the most part free to choose from among 150 elective courses in rounding out their legal education. The fact that a large majority of these courses contain less than 25 seats ensures that students at the University of Alabama Law School will have an opportunity to establish close connections with the professors who teach courses in their areas of interest. Aside from 1L requirements and electives, students must also enroll in one seminar, unless they have submitted a publishable article to one of the school’s law journals. Clinical opportunities are available as well, such as the Elder Law Clinic and a Capital Defense Clinic in which students assist council representing death-row inmates. Lastly, Alabama offers students who are interested in taking their legal education beyond American borders the opportunity to do so through two study abroad programs, in Australia and Switzerland, respectively. Students who partake in these summer programs can earn up to five credits towards their JD degree. Quality of Life The collegial atmosphere of Tuscaloosa and the city’s low cost of living combine to provide a good quality of life for students of the University of Alabama School of Law. Most apartments range in rent from $500 to $900, allowing students flexibility in choosing living options, considering the fact that law students usually do not live on the university campus. As far as nightlife and entertainment options, the school has all the symptoms of a college town, with its countless number of bars and affordable and eccentric restaurants. Alabama Law School also does its part in providing social opportunities for students, such as golf tournaments, formal events, and the yearly tradition of a race to the courthouse in which students, often clad in shorts, dress-shirts and ties, chase an ambulance from their campus to the city courthouse. Also, renovations recently completed at the law school have improved facilities and technology, bringing the law school up to speed with the rest of the University of Alabama’s impressive campus, to which law students enjoy access. Safety is rarely an issue for students, as the less reputable areas of Tuscaloosa are not near the law school and can be easily avoided. All in all, it seems safe to say that students at the University of Alabama Law School will enjoy their stay in Tuscaloosa. Employment Prospects and Bar Passage In Alabama and its neighboring states, students of the University of Alabama School of Law enjoy strong job prospects. Top firms from many Southern states visit the campus annually to interview students, and most Alabama Law School graduates take on jobs in the region. Employment rates are usually above 97% within 9 months of graduation, evidence of the school’s reputation and of its competent career service office. As is the case with any regional school, job prospects become much scarcer as one moves beyond the region, and therefore, students hoping to land employment on the coasts should prepare to take initiative in the job search and to make use of Alabama’s alumni network. Overall, approximately 90% of the school’s typical graduating class lands a job in the Southern states, and about 60% of all students usually enter the private sector. The median salary for graduates of the Class of 2005 who entered the private sector was $72,500, while those in the public sector, approximately 10% of a typical class, earned a median salary of $37,500. In terms of bar passage, Alabama Law School graduates excel, as their passage rate is usually near 100%, compared to an 80% statewide passage rate. Synopsis Applicants hoping to practice law in the Southern U.S. should give the University of Alabama School of Law lengthy consideration. One of the best schools in the region, Alabama provides students a fine legal education complimented by great job prospects, at a much lower cost than similarly ranked schools. Contact Information: The University of Alabama School of Law Quick Reference: U.S. News 2008 Ranking: 36th |
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Although a glance at popular law school rankings reveals a relative dearth of top-tier law schools in the Southern United States, several excellent schools located in the region continue to offer fine legal educations and promising job prospects. Among these schools is the University of Alabama School of Law, which has firmly established its reputation as a top-tier law school. Given the school’s exceptionally low resident and non-resident tuition rates, enrolling would be a wise investment for applicants with hopes of studying and finding employment in Alabama and its neighboring states.