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Georgetown University Law CenterLocated in the middle of the one of the world’s most vibrant legal and political metropolises, Georgetown University Law Center (GULC) has much to offer its students. With its large size and prestigious reputation, GULC provides a plethora of opportunities to its elite group of future lawyers and legal scholars. Extracurricular activities including clinics and journals are never in short supply, and going to law school blocks from the United States Supreme Court offers distinct advantages that other schools simply cannot provide. Georgetown Law School does not have an open door policy however, and one has to work hard to gain access to the vast resources that come with a degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Admissions and Tuition Georgetown Law School is considered to be quite selective in its admissions process. The Princeton Review gives the school an “Admissions Selectivity Rating” of 95 out of 100. Of the roughly 11,000 applications that it receives annually GULC admits 23%, or roughly 2,300 students. Of those recently admitted to GULC, the 25th to 75th percentile GPA range was 3.44 - 3.82 and the range for the LSAT was 167 - 171. Unlike any other “Top-14” law school, Georgetown also reserves 130 seats for a part-time program, which is geared towards working students in the D.C. Metropolitan area. Last year’s GPA range for the part-time program was 3.33 - 3.75 and the LSAT range was 160 - 167. Of 901 applicants last year, only 181 were admitted. Tuition at Georgetown Law School is comparable to that of most other “Top 14” private schools. GULC charged around $39,000 in tuition for its full-time program and over $28,000 for its part-time program. Scholarships and financial aid are available. The 75th percentile of last year’s class received grants of $20,000 per recipient while the 25th percentile received $9,950 each. While the majority of aid from GULC is based on need and academic achievement, there is also a public interest scholarship for students who have demonstrated a strong commitment to a public interest field. Curriculum or Areas of Expertise Georgetown University Law Center offers many dual degree options and unique LLM programs to its students. Altogether, Georgetown is able to offer a truly comprehensive legal curriculum with more than 350 courses, seminars, and other programs. GULC boasts the largest in-house clinical program of any law school in the U.S. and was ranked #1 in the nation by US News for its clinical training capabilities. Most students say that it is those clinical programs that really separate Georgetown from other law schools, especially in certain legal specialties. Specifically, Georgetown is known to be strong in the fields of International Law, Environmental Law, Tax Law, and Human Rights Law. A school with a reputation as strong as Georgetown’s, though, is sure to see strong placement in all the major fields of law. Georgetown Law School offers an amazing array of classes and clinics for its students, however the cost of this breadth of selection is the very large class size. The first-year class of around 570 students is divided up into 5 sections of 112 - 115 students who all take the same classes. To provide more individual attention, there is one class offered during the first-year with only 35 - 40 students and a small writing section of approximately 30 students. Georgetown Law School is an attractive option for those who prefer a large selection of classes and who do not mind sitting in a large lecture hall with many other students. Quality of Life The rich academic opportunities offered by GULC certainly enhance the quality of life for its students and most agree that the level of competition is not apparent enough to decrease the quality of life. Many students also site the schools state-of-the-art exercise facility as a selling point. Beyond the classroom, though, is where GULC really scores points for quality of life. While some are disappointed with GULC’s separation from Georgetown University’s main campus and lack of parking, others maintain the law schools independence from undergraduate mayhem and access to the D.C. metro (GULC’s campus is a five minute walk from Union Station) as the pros that trump the cons. The D.C. metro lends accessibility to numerous amenities including bars, restaurants, music, sporting events and recreation in neighborhoods close to Georgetown Law School. One need not travel too far to find culture and recreation in the nation’s capital. Between the Capitol building and the Washington Monument sits the Mall, offering enough museums to keep any law student culturally fulfilled. In addition, there a number of outdoor concerts, movies, and other cool events hosted in the area, and some of the world’s best fireworks in the world can be seen on July 4th. The Mall is also home to the famous Cherry Blossom Festival and D.C.’s super-fun weekly ultimate Frisbee tournaments. Without a doubt, D.C. is an eclectic city, and GULC puts its students in the middle of it all; it is up to them to get out and make the most of it. Employment prospects/Passing the Bar Most Georgetown University Law Center graduates take their Bar in New York. The school boasts a 91% pass rate for first time takers compared to the state-wide passage rate of 77%. Upon passing the Bar, GULC alums enjoy great career prospects. According to US News, nearly 95% of grads are known to have employment secured at the time of graduation. The majority of graduates went on to practice at private law firms, while others found work in business and public service; 15% of graduates secured prestigious judicial clerkships. There is no shortage of GULC alumni mixing it up in D.C.’s rich political atmosphere, either. Many Senators and Congressmen/women boast a Georgetown J.D. on their resume. Prospects are certainly not limited to the D.C. area, though. Only 36% of Georgetown University Law Center grads stay there, while the rest take advantage of the school’s strong national reputation. All things considered, between the quality of life provided by D.C.’s vibrant city-life, the academic boost that comes from GULC’s unique location, and the quality of the school’s faculty and reputation, all pre-law students owe it to themselves to give the Georgetown University Law Center website a close look. Georgetown University Law Center 600 New Jersey Avenue, N.W. Quick Reference U.S. News Ranking: 14th |
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