| |
University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of LawLocated at the heart of the Southwest in Tucson Arizona, The James E. Rogers College of Law brings a lot to the table. Tuition is low, classes are small, and the clinical offerings are strong. To top it all off, the weather is known to be fantastic. As is the case with many schools of a comparable ranking, though, students should keep their career interests in mind when deciding whether or not to send in that seat deposit. Admissions & Tuition The University of Arizona College of Law accepts applications only from students who can commit to studying law on a full-time basis. Such a commitment, however, will not be enough to ensure admission; because, although the school’s admissions standards are at the lower end for tier-1 schools, they are still competitive. The Princeton Review gives the school an “Admissions Selectivity Rating” of 87 out of a possible 100. In 2006, the GPA’s of accepted students ranged from 3.27 to 3.77 for the 25th to 75th percentiles, respectively. LSAT scores ranged from 158 to 164 for the same percentiles. The average GPA and LSAT were 3.52 and 161. Like most public law schools, Arizona offers a considerable tuition discount to in-state applicants. For the 2008-09 academic year, Arizona residents will pay $19,582 for tuition, while out-of-staters will face a price-tag of $32,219. The school expects the average room & board for all students (regardless of their state of origin) to be just under $12,000. The total costs then, including other miscellaneous fees jumps to $38,748 for one year in-state, $51,385 out-of-state. Though the latter cost may discourage prospective out-of-state students, Arizona Law is still cheaper than most private schools in its range, and that is a factor to be taken into consideration. Also to be considered is the school’s financial aid program, which is strong. Between 2005 and 2006, 4% of students received full tuition scholarships, and 15% received some amount between half and full tuition. Both of those numbers are quite high compared to most other schools in the top 50 of rankings. Overall, the median grant was $6,000 per year. The average student will graduate with just over $50,000 in debt. Bar Passage & Employment Prospects For those that do gain admission, and eventually graduate, employment prospects look pretty good, especially in Arizona. The Princeton Review reports that 82% of Arizona grads pass the Bar the first time around. This is a strong showing compared to the state’s overall passage rate of 71%. After passing the Bar, most graduates found work in Arizona. According to the school’s website, 36% of students found work outside of Arizona; but, given the school’s small size this only amounts to about 40 students. The other 63% were divided, for the most part, between Phoenix and Tucson. As far as fields of law are concerned, most students end up at private law firms (47% directly after graduation, and 22% after a judicial clerkship), where the average salary was $86,962 . 15% found work in the Government sector, averaging $53,364; and 4% went to public interest, earning $44,366 per year, on average. While these numbers paint a picture of stability, one would be unwise to assume success was guaranteed for all graduates. This is illustrated by the fact that only 72% of graduates secure employment at the time of graduation according to US News. In the school’s favor, however, it should be noted that that number jumped to 95% when sampling students 9 months after graduation. The bottom line seems to be that Arizona is not Yale. Every graduate will not have a plethora of high-paying jobs to choose from; but for those that perform, the road to a successful legal career is open and ready to be traveled. Quality of Life The University of Arizona College of Law is known to offer students all the benefits of the uniquely relaxed atmosphere that is the Southwest. The skies are sunny, and the opportunities to get out and play are vast. Students who enjoy outdoor recreation seem to be especially drawn to Tucson, where running and biking are popular ways to de-stress, as are extreme sports such as rock-climbing. But we can’t evaluate the quality of life at a law school without discussing life in the classroom—that is, after all, where most of a student’s time will be spent. It seems that the sunshine even makes its way into the lecture halls, where the small size of the school (only 2 class rooms hold over 100 students) is said to contribute to the non-competitive atmosphere. Students interviewed by the Princeton Review note that while the school does have some gung ho students, overall it is “the opposite of cutthroat.” Law school will be stressful at times, that goes without saying; but when the atmosphere is friendly both inside the classroom and out, it certainly makes life go a little more smoothly. Students should be aware, though, that the law school is connected to the large U. of A. undergraduate campus. This could have an effect on a student’s law school experience and whether it is positive or negative likely depends upon your views on a large Greek system. Curriculum & Areas of Expertise Nationally, the University of Arizona fails to stand out. The first-year curriculum does not deviate from the norm in any significant way. Further, the school did not make it onto any of US News’ specialty rankings lists. Nevertheless, students have plenty of opportunities to specialize and hone their skills. Take, for example, the clinical offerings that what will allow Arizona grads to have the edge when it comes to jobs in their state. Specifically, Arizona offers clinics that address the geopolitical needs of the state - including Immigration Law, and Indigenous Peoples Law. Also appealing are the opportunities to obtain joint and advanced degrees. At the University of Arizona, a student can complement their legal studies with a Ph.D. in American Indian Studies, Economics, Latin American Studies or they can add an L.L.M. in International Trade Law. So, while Arizona may not be high on the specialty rankings lists, there seems to be little reason to doubt that students are provided the opportunity to become well-qualified and well-rounded attorneys. Conclusion The University of Arizona is not a T-14 law school. It probably never will be. Nevertheless, this school can serve as a launch-pad to a long and rewarding career in law—especially in its home state. What’s more, it seems like a heck of a fun place to spend three years. University of Arizona College of Law Summary U.S. News Ranking: 44 |
Stanford Law School Yale Law School Harvard Law School Virginia Law School Pepperdine Law School Northwestern Law School Cornell Law School Michigan Law School Golden Gate Law School Duke Law School Columbia Law School Temple Law School Loyola Law School UCLA Law School Villanova Law School New York University Law School UC Hastings Law School Santa Clara Law School UPenn Law School Berkeley Boalt Hall University of Chicago Law School UC Davis Law School Fordham Law School George Washington Law School Georgetown University Law Center New York Law School UNC Chapel Hill Law School Boston College Law School Boston University School of Law Emory University Law School The University of Iowa College of Law University of Minnesota Law School The University of Texas School of Law The University of Southern California School of Law (Gould) Vanderbilt University Law School Washington University in St. Louis School of Law Wisconsin Law School The University of Alabama School of Law George Mason University School of Law The University of Colorado School of Law Indiana University School of Law - Bloomington University of Notre Dame Law School The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law The University of Illinois College of Law The University of Washington School of Law William & Mary School of Law Washington and Lee University School of Law The Arizona State University College of Law The Baylor University School of Law The Case Western Reserve University School of Law The University of Georgia School of Law The Brigham Young University Law School The Southern Methodist University School of Law Tulane University Law School The University of Connecticut School of Law The University of Florida College of Law Wake Forest University School of Law Vermont Law School The University of Utah College of Law Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University The University of Tennessee College of Law The University of Cincinnati College of Law The University of Pittsburgh School of Law University of Maryland School of Law The University of Kentucky College of Law The University of Houston College of Law The Florida State University College of Law Chicago-Kent College of Law (Illinois Institute of Technology) Brooklyn Law School University of Arizona College of Law American University College of Law Canada: University of Toronto Faculty of Law University of San Diego School of Law Northeastern University School of Law University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law University Of Miami School Of Law The University of Richmond School of Law Oregon School Of Law Lewis & Clark School of Law Rutgers Law - Camden South Carolina Law University of Seattle School of Law PSU School of Law DePaul University College of Law Rutgers-Newark School of Law |