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« Top TLS Profiles - Third/Fourth Tier - TLS Programs - TLS Stats - Rankings John Marshall Law School (Chicago)Overview Founded in 1899 and accredited by the ABA in 1951, John Marshall Law School is located seconds away from Dirksen Federal Courthouse in the famous Chicago Loop. John Marshall has many regionally-known alumni, including Hon. Timothy C. Evans, chief judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Its graduates have earned the law school a respectable reputation in law, government, business, and judiciary offices throughout Chicago.
The numbers required to gain admission to John Marshall are typical for a Tier 4 law school. The 2008 class’s 25th to 75th percentile LSAT range was 152 to 156. The GPA median was 3.25. About 37 percent of 1,530 applicants were accepted in 2008, but this should not discourage students with lower numbers from applying. Other parts of the application package, such as the personal statement and unique life experiences, may give candidates a boost. Tuition, which is calculated per credit hour, depends on a student’s schedule. At $1,260 per credit hour, students should expect to pay $37,800 for a full-time load (30 credits) and $22,680 for a part-time load (18 credits). Students who intend to finance their legal education through loans need to give these figures some consideration. Average debt for graduates in 2008 was a manageable $60,688. Academics John Marshall has an average 1L class-size of 47 people, small compared to other Tier 4 schools. With 42 faculty members, the student-to-faculty ratio is an impressive 12.9 to 1. First-year students are required to take a number of courses including civil procedure, contracts, torts, constitutional law, property, and lawyering. Current students say the classes are difficult and the grading curve is harsh. About 6.9 percent of students do not return for a second year. Still, current students say that professors at John Marshall are intelligent, approachable and more than willing to help you. Quality of Life Students at John Marshall seem quite happy with their decision to attend. While the school itself does not offer on-campus housing, students generally have no trouble finding quarters in Chicago. Included in tuition is a semester-long pass for the Chicago Transit Authority public transit system, a boon to students who commute. Students say the dining on campus is adequate and that campus facilities need improvement. Many of the law school’s attendees love Chicago. They say there is always something to do, whether it’s a social event organized through the law school or by their peers. Those accustomed to warm weather will likely find their first Chicago winter to be an educational experience in its own right. Employment Prospects and Bar Passage About 88 percent of John Marshall students were employed within nine months of graduation. Nearly 94 percent of those graduates were employed in-state, evidence of the school’s regional nature. These graduates earned a median of $50,357 in the private sector and $50,000 in the public sector. Students at John Marshall say the career services department is good but maintain that in order to be considered for a job at a prestigious firm, you must be in the top 15 percent of your class (and more likely in the top 5 percent). Students agree with the stigma that many John Marshall students go into lower-paying public-service jobs. But they remain optimistic. They claim that any job is possible out of John Marshall, though it depends on where you place in your class and how well you interview. In 2007, 89.7 percent of John Marshall graduates passed the Illinois state bar exam. This bar passage rate was slightly better than the state’s overall average of 88.6 percent, placing John Marshall sixth out of nine Illinois law schools. Graduates from John Marshall must go head to head in the job market against graduates from better-known schools like University of Chicago, Northwestern, University of Illinois and Chicago-Kent. Conclusion John Marshall has some lackluster numbers when it comes to starting salaries. Luckily for graduates, the debt is manageable, and many students in 2008 found themselves with a job that paid $50,000 and a debt slightly above $60,000. Since John Marshall is a Tier 4 school, graduates will find their success is limited to Illinois and, in some cases, to Chicago. Overall, the school can be a good option for students. The prospects of finding a great-paying job are low, but this isn’t too much of a problem given the reasonable amount of loans incurred by graduation day. Contact Information John Marshall Law School Quick Facts U.S. News & World Report ranking: Tier 4 |
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