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« Top TLS Profiles - Third/Fourth Tier - TLS Programs - TLS Stats - Rankings St. Thomas University School of LawOverview Founded in 1984 and located in Northwest Miami, St. Thomas University School of Law has been ABA-accredited since 1988. The mission of St. Thomas University is to educate leaders who will contribute to the economic and cultural vitality of the regions they serve. Admissions and Tuition In 2009, admitted full-time students to STU had a median GPA of 2.98 and a median LSAT score of 149. The law school recently accepted 45 percent of its 2,387 full-time applicants. Of 1,075 total acceptances, 274 enrolled. Current students describe the admissions process as normal and the admissions staff as “friendly and helpful.” The most common reasons current students say they chose STU were location, diversity and faculty. Annual tuition at STU costs just under $28,000. In 2008, STU provided 25 percent of its students a median amount of $13,300 in grant aid. On average, STU law students graduate with a staggering $101,000 in law school-related debt. Fortunately, the law school offers its students a loan repayment assistance program. Academics STU has a typical first-year lecture size of 58 students. The law school has 57 total teaching faculty members and a student-to-faculty ratio of 20.9 to 1. First-year students all take the same required course schedule that includes legal writing, torts, civil procedure and property. Students say the curriculum at STU is well-rounded with a healthy mix of theoretical and practical classes. Use of the Socratic method varies, as does teacher quality. The workload is described as heavy, and the harsh C curve often makes students anxious and competitive. The workload and grade curve cause nearly a third of students to drop out before the second year. Quality of Life Students are divided about the quality of life at STU. Some say it could not be better. They say the facilities are top-notch, the dining choices are perfectly adequate and the South Beach lifestyle is to die for. Others say the opposite: that the neighborhood is dangerous and the facilities left them wanting more. Housing is available both on and off campus, though most law students seem to choose the latter. Cost of living in the city can be high, which helps put into context the high debt students incur. Miami, however, seems worth it. The city offers unparalleled beaches, bars, restaurants, boardwalks and a lifestyle that draws the world’s rich and famous. It is one of the most diverse and exciting cities in the United States, which STU students, on the whole, seem to appreciate. Employment Prospects and Bar Passage In 2008, about 80 percent of STU graduates were known to be employed within nine months of graduation. Of those, 83 percent were working in Florida, earning a median of $55,000 in the private sector and $42,000 in the public sector. Current students say the law school offers a myriad of opportunities in South Florida through both the career services office and the school’s enormous alumni base. As a Tier 4 law school, STU’s prestige is limited to the region and students seeking a well-paying job out of state will likely encounter difficulty. In 2008, 72.6 percent of STU graduates passed the Florida bar exam, 5 percentage points lower than the Florida state average. This metric placed St. Thomas 10th out of eleven ABA-accredited law schools in the state, beat out only by Florida A&M, which had a dismal 59.5 percent passage rate. Conclusion Anyone should be wary of the notion of incurring $101,000 in debt without the prospect of earning a high salary. Debt of this size may quickly become unmanageable. However, since the school boasts a large alumni network and has respectable placement statistics within South Florida, STU makes itself out to be a decent choice. Students who want to live and practice in the Miami area are potential candidates who may want to apply. Contact Information St. Thomas University School of Law Quick References U.S. News & World Report ranking: Tier 4 |
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