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The Florida State University College of LawWritten by Hadi Sedigh
Admissions and Tuition: With over 3,000 applicants annually vying for less than 300 seats, the admissions process of Florida State Law School is highly selective. The school usually receives more applications per year than the higher ranked University of Florida College of Law, although Florida State Law School has half as many seats in a typical entering class. For the entering class of 2006, the most recent class for which enrollment statistics are available 3,313 applications were received, of which 806 were approved, and 196 of those admitted matriculated to form the Class of 2009. This entering class’s median LSAT score was 159, and its GPA was 3.46. Generally speaking, applicants with numbers near or above these medians should be competitive in future application cycles at Florida State Law. Of course, applicants with lower numbers should not lose hope, as an applicant that can effectively highlights his or her strong suits and diversity through the application can increases chances of admission tremendously regardless of numbers. In terms of tuition, attending Florida State Law is a wise choice for Florida residents. For the 2007-2008 academic year, residents of the state paid about $10,500 in tuition, while non-residents paid a little more than $30,000. Non-residents can also take advantage of resident rates after their first year at the law school if they are able to demonstrate, usually through such measures as tax payment and voter registration in the state, their intention to reside in Florida indefinitely, and not just for the duration of their stay at the law school. Academics and Curriculum: After passing the usual set of core requirements during the 1L year, students at Florida State Law School can choose from among 110 elective courses to fulfill the remainder of their 88 required credit-hours. Aside from required and elective courses, numerous opportunities are available for students who wish to broaden or narrow the focus of their JD degrees. The latter can be accomplished through one of the school’s several certification programs in areas relevant to the legal issues of Florida, such as Natural Resources Law and Land Use Law. Students who wish to take their legal education outside of the traditional classroom setting will also have many opportunities to do so through the school’s various clinical externship programs in such places as the state courts located in Tallahassee, the White House, and London. Another program located in England and offered by the school is its summer study-abroad program at Oxford University, which allows Florida State Law students to study comparative law at one of the most respected institutions of legal education in the world. For students who wish to pursue interdisciplinary paths while at law school, Florida State Law provides seven joint-degree programs, including the JD/MBA program and the JD/Master program in International Affairs. Quality of Life:
Employment Prospects and Bar Passage: In the state of Florida, Florida State Law School students enjoy great and reliable employment prospects. The school’s name carries great weight with many of the state’s top-firms, who come to Tallahassee annually to interview top students. As is the case with most schools ranked similarly to Florida State Law, however, employment prospects begin to decrease as one looks outside of the state, and the school’s name becomes less and less valued outside of the southern states. Students who wish to find employment elsewhere will likely have a considerably more difficult job search and will have to rely more on the efforts of the school’s career services office and on the assistance of the school’s loyal alumni network. In all, about 80% of Florida State Law grads begin their practice of the law in the state of Florida, and more than 90% have usually found jobs within 9 months of graduation. In terms of bar passage, Florida State Law grads succeed at a rate higher than the state of Florida’s overall success rate. On the summer 2005 and winter 2006 administrations of the exam, 79% of first-time takers from Florida State Law School passed, while only 71% of all takers in the state passed. After passing the bar exam, most Florida State Law School students choose to enter the private sector, and a considerable amount choose governmental employment in Tallahassee. For the most recent graduating class of Florida State Law for which employment statistics are available, the median first year salary of those who entered the private sector was $60,000. Synopsis: The Florida State University College of Law should be on the short list of applicants who reside in Florida as well as applicants who hope to find employment in the state. Florida residents can attain a fine legal education at a bargain price at the school, while all students enjoy great employment prospects in the state of Florida. Contact Information: Florida State University College of Law Quick Reference: U.S. News 2008 ranking: 53rd |
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The Florida State University College of Law is a public law school located in Florida’s capital city of Tallahassee. Students at the school enjoy tremendous opportunities and resources while at the law school, thanks to the university’s large campus and the city’s many courts and law firms. For applicants who reside in the state of Florida, and for those with hopes of working there after law school, Florida State Law is a great option, as the school charges low in-state rate tuition to Florida residents and provides its students with great employment prospects in the state. 
A key factor in the great quality of life of FSU Law School students is the university’s huge campus and student population. There is never a shortage of parties to attend and places to go on and around Florida State, including many affordable and hip restaurants, cafes, and bars. At the same time, housing suitable for students is plentiful on and close to campus, especially for law students, who are usually able to find apartments within walking distance of the law school. The University’s powerhouse football team also plays a part in the quality of life of students, as countless social opportunities precede and follow football games each fall semester. FSU Law School students who prefer to socialize more with their classmates can partake in the weekly bar reviews hosted by the school’s student bar association, as well as numerous other events held throughout the academic year at the law school. All this, combined with the welcoming weather of Tallahassee, makes for a relatively enjoyable three years of law school for FSU Law School students.