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Florida International University College of Law

Overview

Florida International University was established by the state legislature in 2000. The school received provisional ABA approval in 2004 and was fully accredited two years later – unusually quick for a new law school. Their website states, “The mission of the Florida International University College of Law is to serve the citizens of the state, particularly South Florida, by providing access to the legal profession through a contemporary, high-quality education program.”

Admissions and Tuition

For the full-time incoming Class of 2012, the median LSAT was 154 and the median GPA was 3.45. Students below these medians should not be discouraged from applying because the school offers both full-time and part-time JD programs. The part-time program's medians were 153 and 3.24.

Acceptance at FIU is not easy for a Tier 4 school. In 2009, 2,443 applicants applied and only 632 were accepted, resulting in a competitive acceptance rate of 25.9 percent. The numbers probably reflect a large desire among prospective students to attend an inexpensive law school in Miami. Most students at FIU say the application process was simple and painless. They also admit they chose FIU because of its gorgeous location, low cost, and impressive faculty.

Once admitted to law school, students usually must brace themselves to borrow heaps of money. However, this is not as common at FIU, at least for Florida residents. In-state tuition is just under $13,000 for the full-time program and slightly above $9,600 for the part-time program. For nonresidents, tuition runs over $26,500 a year for the full-time program and about $20,000 a year for part-time enrollment. Florida residency was once easy to obtain in one year, but new rules have made this process much harder. The average student in 2009 incurred about $58,000 in debt.

Academics

FIU’s first-year classes typically consist of 80 students. The law school has 35 faculty members and a student-to-faculty ratio of 16.2 to 1. First-year students are required to take courses in torts, contracts, constitutional law, legal skills property, civil procedure, criminal law and international comparative law. Current students say FIU curves harshly to weed out weaker students. Due to this tough curve, 11 percent of students do not return after their first year. The students who make it through seem quite impressed with FIU’s faculty, classes and collegial atmosphere.

Quality of Life

The College of Law’s facilities are brand new, with wireless Internet access throughout. As the campus is near South Beach, Miami Beach and Coconut Grove, students find plenty of fine restaurants, beaches and bars to frequent. The law school is diverse and boasts 44 percent Hispanic enrollment, earning it a top-five spot on the Princeton Review’s Best Environment for Minority Students ranking. FIU’s relative affordability can help make life in law school much less stressful. Housing is prevalent on and off campus and, overall, students seem pleased with their decision to attend FIU.  

Employment Prospects and Bar Passage

About 88.7 percent of the 2008 graduating class were known to be employed within nine months of graduation. Nearly all of the employed students (98 percent) practice in Florida. The median private-sector salary for FIU graduates was $54,000, about average for a Tier 4 school. The median public-sector salary was $42,000. Current FIU students say competition in the Miami job market is tough and that FIU’s relative newness and low national ranking seem to negatively affect their prospects. But, they say the school’s reputation is rising and are hopeful that graduates will continue to find well-paying jobs in the future. Students also say the career center is helpful and very willing to work with students to find employment.

In 2008, the passage rate for graduating students on the Florida bar exam was 88 percent, somewhat higher than the statewide passage rate. In July 2009, however, FIU grads had an 81 percent passage rate, one of the lowest among Florida schools. This suggests that FIU students are prepared for the bar, but tend to have years where they do not stand out significantly from other Florida law schools.

Conclusion

For students wishing to practice and live in South Florida, FIU can be a great choice. Its low in-state tuition rate can keep a student’s law school tab from becoming too unwieldy. The school’s unusually fast ABA accreditation, its bar passage rate, and acceptable private-sector starting salary indicate that the school is building a solid reputation in Florida. With its new facilities, beautiful location, and reasonable cost, FIU can be a smart choice for a Florida resident looking to stay close to home.

Contact Information 

Florida International University
College of Law
Office of Admissions, RDB 1055
Miami, FL 33199
(305) 348-8006
lawadmit@fiu.edu
http://www.fiu.edu/law
 
Quick Facts

U.S. News & World Report ranking: Tier 4
LSAT Median: 154 (FT), 153 (PT)
GPA Median: 3.45 (FT), 3.24 (PT)
Application Deadline: May 1
Application fee: $20
Entering class size: 168 (FT), 82 (PT)
Yearly Tuition: Resident (Full / Part): $12,800 / $9,682; Non-residents (Full / Part) $26,584 / $20,021
Bar passage rate in Florida: 87.8%
Percent of graduates employed 9 months after graduation: 93.2%
Median private sector salary: $54,000 (Class of 2008, report rate not listed)