Charleston School of Law Forum

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ahduke99

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Charleston School of Law

Post by ahduke99 » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:17 pm

Classes start Monday and I've been through orientation, but I'm getting the vibe from this school that it's a sham. They're nice people, but many of the students have outright told me that the job market for the school after graduation is horrendous. One peer leader told me most of the grads had to leave Charleston because the market is so minuscule.

I am seriously considering not attending. For $40,000 a year, I can do something else. I graduated from business school at Wake Forest, so I can pursue other options. My family wants me to go considering I'm from the area and they all live there, but my head and heart is saying stay far, far away. When the professors who went to Harvard Law are telling us they wish they could've gone to CSOL, it actually is kind of insulting.

Am I out of line on this? I feel like I'll be unemployed in three years, especially because I want to practice tax/corporate law. Charleston seems to be big on the public defender/criminal law route.

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20160810

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by 20160810 » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:19 pm

If serious thread, then let me be the first to say Kudos for realizing thsi is a scam BEFORE wasting your money. Get out. Go use your MBA, or reapply to law school somewhere else. But the bottom line is that if you want to do corporate law, then run like hell away from that school.

ahduke99

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by ahduke99 » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:22 pm

SBL wrote:If serious thread, then let me be the first to say Kudos for realizing thsi is a scam BEFORE wasting your money. Get out. Go use your MBA, or reapply to law school somewhere else. But the bottom line is that if you want to do corporate law, then run like hell away from that school.
This is a serious thread. I have been on the fence for a while, but have received tremendous amounts of pressure from my family to attend. I do not believe it will get me where I ultimately want to go. The people are nice. The facilities are strong. Something about it seems off though, especially when the students are so uncertain about their futures.

Do you know anything about their corporate law department? Obviously their representatives say you can study any kind of law there, but I know when it comes time to find a job in that area, I'm going to be SOL.

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by 20160810 » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:24 pm

ahduke99 wrote:
SBL wrote:If serious thread, then let me be the first to say Kudos for realizing thsi is a scam BEFORE wasting your money. Get out. Go use your MBA, or reapply to law school somewhere else. But the bottom line is that if you want to do corporate law, then run like hell away from that school.
This is a serious thread. I have been on the fence for a while, but have received tremendous amounts of pressure from my family to attend. I do not believe it will get me where I ultimately want to go. The people are nice. The facilities are strong. Something about it seems off though, especially when the students are so uncertain about their futures.

Do you know anything about their corporate law department? Obviously their representatives say you can study any kind of law there, but I know when it comes time to find a job in that area, I'm going to be SOL.
I know your family wants you to be there, but what other options did you have when you applied to law school? Did you apply anywhere else?

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deadpanic

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by deadpanic » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:26 pm

Don't go to CSOL. it is basically a ponzi scheme. it is for-profit and nothing more.

Corporate law from CSOL? Not going to happen. There is probably not one associate or partner with any big law firm from that school and that is the truth. If there are, you can count them on one hand and it is probably due to nepotism or some serious luck.

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CanadianWolf

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by CanadianWolf » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:28 pm

Did you apply to any other law schools ? If so, did/do you have other law school options ?

ahduke99

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by ahduke99 » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:29 pm

I hardly studied for the LSAT and did pretty crappy. I got wait listed at USC, and haven't heard anything which likely makes it a no. I didn't have the score for Wake Forest or UNC-CH in North Carolina. I'd love to go to law school one day, but with the market as crappy as it is plus Charleston Law being as new and unproven as it is, I'm not that desperate to go there. I may enjoy going to school there, but in three years, I'm going to be in deep trouble when I try to find a job doing what I want to do. I will also be $120,000 poorer.

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deadpanic

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by deadpanic » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:31 pm

ahduke99 wrote:I hardly studied for the LSAT and did pretty crappy. I got wait listed at USC, and haven't heard anything which likely makes it a no. I didn't have the score for Wake Forest or UNC-CH in North Carolina. I'd love to go to law school one day, but with the market as crappy as it is plus Charleston Law being as new and unproven as it is, I'm not that desperate to go there. I may enjoy going to school there, but in three years, I'm going to be in deep trouble when I try to find a job doing what I want to do. I will also be $120,000 poorer.
I can't think of a worse investment, seriously (other than just throwing 120,000 out the window). 120K for Charleston is awful, just awful. You will probably be unemployed, and if by some miracle you are employed, making more like a 1/3rd of what you paid for it.

ahduke99

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by ahduke99 » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:36 pm

Does anyone on this site attend the school or know anything about it? The students and peer leaders I spoke with were pretty unhelpful. The main theme was that living in Charleston is fun, the school is full of friendly people, but getting a job afterwords will be super hard. If you want to work for a larger firm, it's pretty much impossible. If you want to leave the state, you'll be one of like 15% that was successful doing so.

They do seem to have an impressive faculty, education wise at least. The administration is friendly as well. None of this really applies to my concerns about the school, however.

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20160810

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by 20160810 » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:40 pm

ahduke99 wrote:Does anyone on this site attend the school or know anything about it? The students and peer leaders I spoke with were pretty unhelpful. The main theme was that living in Charleston is fun, the school is full of friendly people, but getting a job afterwords will be super hard. If you want to work for a larger firm, it's pretty much impossible. If you want to leave the state, you'll be one of like 15% that was successful doing so.

They do seem to have an impressive faculty, education wise at least. The administration is friendly as well. None of this really applies to my concerns about the school, however.
Your numbers 1, 2 and 3 prorities in selecting a law school should be, in this order:

1.) Jobs
2.) Jobs
3.) Jobs

You already know that CSOL will not get you the kind of job you're looking for. Therefore, there's really nothing further you need to learn. Cut and run, and retake the LSAT if you still want to go, studying properly for it this time. Shoot for at least USC, but try for UNC or Wake as those would be much better investments.

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by berkeleykel06 » Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:46 pm

--LinkRemoved--
--LinkRemoved--
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http://www.dixonlawfirm.net/

I would not go to Charleston unless you are prepared to go solo straight out of law school

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Noval

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by Noval » Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:10 pm

What people said above is the truth, this Law School is the typical diploma-mill, and the only way to get a job (even shitlaw) out of this joke of a school is:

1) Graduate with Top 1-3%
and
2) Have a killer connection.
and
3) Have some amazing cock sucking skills.


But don't even THINK about becoming a Corporate Lawyer of any measure if you come out of that place, especially if you're paying sticker (aka 40k/year).

Don't go, or you'll regret it.

ahduke99

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by ahduke99 » Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:24 pm

Why would it matter if I was paying $40k or not? Just a question. From what I gather, chances I become a corporate attorney coming out of there are slim to none. Why does tuition matter?

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monarchylover

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by monarchylover » Thu Aug 11, 2011 11:18 pm

Noval wrote:What people said above is the truth, this Law School is the typical diploma-mill, and the only way to get a job (even shitlaw) out of this joke of a school is:

1) Graduate with Top 1-3%
and
2) Have a killer connection.
and
3) Have some amazing cock sucking skills.


But don't even THINK about becoming a Corporate Lawyer of any measure if you come out of that place, especially if you're paying sticker (aka 40k/year).

Don't go, or you'll regret it.
check

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mrtoren

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by mrtoren » Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:59 am

Get out. I don't just mean walk out...run out.

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descartesb4thehorse

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by descartesb4thehorse » Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:30 am

ahduke99 wrote:Why would it matter if I was paying $40k or not? Just a question. From what I gather, chances I become a corporate attorney coming out of there are slim to none. Why does tuition matter?
You do realize you have to pay this money back whether or not you get a biglaw job?

Although you might be on to something. "Schools can charge all the tuition they want, but they don't see a dime unless the student gets NLJ 250.

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by berkeleykel06 » Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:31 am

ahduke99 wrote:Why would it matter if I was paying $40k or not? Just a question. From what I gather, chances I become a corporate attorney coming out of there are slim to none. Why does tuition matter?
I don't think the two are really connected. I'm thinking his point was that you'll be doubly disappointed when not only do you graduate without a corporate job (or any job, really), but you'll also have tons of debt to pay off on top of it.

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by Grizz » Fri Aug 12, 2011 8:58 am

Anne Galle seems alluring

--ImageRemoved--

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cinephile

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by cinephile » Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:56 am

If you're feeling uncomfortable now, it's only going to get worse if you stay. What possibilities are there for finding work in Charleston, maybe using your MBA? Family pressure can be tough, but if what they want most is having you nearby, maybe working and living in Charleston (at least while you study to retake) would take some of the pressure off.

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by minnbills » Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:37 am

Grizz wrote:Anne Galle seems alluring

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Yeah, anyone notice that she has an absolutely shameless SEO effort on that site?

OP, don't go! You're not going to find a legal job that can repay full tuition at that school. If you're serious about law school, wait a year and retake. It's also not just a reflection on Charleston, paying 120,000 for any law school other than HYSCCN is sketchy these days.

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by TheZoid » Fri Aug 12, 2011 11:07 am

Grizz wrote:Anne Galle seems alluring

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lol

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crossarmant

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by crossarmant » Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:33 pm

A girl I went to high school with went there for her first year but transferred out to W&L. Charleston is a small place and not capable to take that many lawyers anyways. It's absurdly expensive and you won't find a job. Retake your LSAT if you really want to do law school. It'll be worth the wait. Even with a barely passing UGPA, if you nail the LSAT you can get into a T2/low-T1. It's absolutely not worth $120,000.

Please... do not go.

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by ahduke99 » Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:45 pm

cinephile wrote:If you're feeling uncomfortable now, it's only going to get worse if you stay. What possibilities are there for finding work in Charleston, maybe using your MBA? Family pressure can be tough, but if what they want most is having you nearby, maybe working and living in Charleston (at least while you study to retake) would take some of the pressure off.
I don't have an MBA. I went to the undergraduate B school at Wake, and I just graduated this year. Sorry for not clarifying earlier.

I see what you all are saying though, and it's about the same advice I have received from just about everyone I've spoken with on the subject. In essence, it is a waste of money if I have any realistic wishes of being a corporate attorney. I suppose Charleston in itself is small for corporate law jobs and going to Charleston Law only hurts my chances.

I may just offer to stay in Charleston and work for the year and retake the LSAT. I was speaking with a friend about moving to Washington DC and working in a financial institution for a year or two while I figured out what my best move should be, but I may not have the chance for a while. My family even offered to pay the $19,000 for this semester to see how I did. They seem really desperate to keep me in town even though it's a huge waste of money. The last thing I want is to come out of law school and be either unemployed or working a job that pays me $40k for long hours.

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by crossarmant » Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:49 pm

ahduke99 wrote:I may just offer to stay in Charleston and work for the year and retake the LSAT. I was speaking with a friend about moving to Washington DC and working in a financial institution for a year or two while I figured out what my best move should be, but I may not have the chance for a while. My family even offered to pay the $19,000 for this semester to see how I did. They seem really desperate to keep me in town even though it's a huge waste of money. The last thing I want is to come out of law school and be either unemployed or working a job that pays me $40k for long hours.
TITCR

You just graduated, make sure it's a field you want to spend the rest of your life in. Work in at a law office or something. Get a feel of what you'd be doing. It's absolutely absurd to blow that much cash on LS, nonetheless a TTTT, when you're K-JDer. You have a Business degree from Wake Forest which should set you up for a nice job for the next year or two, which will only help your applications to LS in 2012/13. Take your time. No need to rush. This is a career choice that will follow you for the rest of your life.

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Re: Charleston School of Law

Post by 20160810 » Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:55 pm

Grizz wrote:Anne Galle seems alluring

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Thread needs more of this.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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