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St. Thomas University School of Law

Overview

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, matriculating students to STU had a median GPA of 2.90 and a median LSAT score of 150. The law school recently accepted 46 percent of its 2,3527 applicants. Of 1,071 total acceptances, 263 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 over $31,000. In 2009, STU provided 35 percent of its students with grant aid, and the median amount of aid was $15,110. On average, STU law students graduate with a staggering $101,000 (Class of 2008) 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 21.1 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 fourth 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, a shockingly low 68 percent of STU graduates were known to be employed within nine months of graduation. Of those, 75 percent were working in Florida. The class of 2007, the most recent for which data are available, earned a median of $55,000 in the private sector and $42,000 in the public sector. As for the other 32 percent, 5 percebt were pursuing graduate degrees and 27 percent were unemployed. 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, 78.8 percent of STU graduates passed the Florida bar exam, 2 percentage points lower than the Florida state average. This is a better showing than the previous year's 5 points below average, however.

Conclusion

Anyone should be wary of the notion of incurring over $100,000 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
Office of JD Admissions
16401 NW 37th Avenue
Miami Gardens, FL 33054
(305) 623-2311
admitme@stu.edu
http://www.stu.edu

Quick References

U.S. News & World Report ranking: Tier 4
LSAT Median: Full-Time: 150
GPA Median: Full-Time: 2.90
Application Deadline: May 1
Application fee: $60
Entering class size: 263
Yearly Tuition: Full-Time: $31,616
Bar passage rate in Florida: 78.8%
Percent of graduates employed 9 months after graduation: 68.3%
Median private sector salary: $55,000 (Class of 2007)*
*School did not fill out the most recent US News survey