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Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Overview

Founded in 1969 as the San Diego Campus of Western State University College of Law, Thomas Jefferson School of Law became independent in 1995 and earned full ABA accreditation in 2001. The law school broke ground in 2008 on a new campus in the East Village district of San Diego. TJSL expects to move to the new location at the start of the 2010-2011 academic year.

Admissions and Tuition

In 2009, matriculating students to Jefferson’s full-time program had a median LSAT of 151 and a median GPA of 3.00. For the part-time program, the median LSAT was 149 and the median GPA was 3.86. TJSL admitted about 52 percent of its 2,587 full-time applicants and 49.1 percent of its 395 part-time applicants. Of the 1,533 people admitted, 306 enrolled. Current students at TJSL say the admissions process was easy and the admissions office was very friendly and helpful. They say that while the emphasis for admission is on a prospective student’s LSAT and GPA, having additional experience – work and otherwise – is also helpful.

Tuition at TJSL is not cheap. It is $36,300 for full-time students and $24,000 for those enrolled part-time. In 2009, TJSL provided some form of grant aid to 45 percent of its full-time students and 41 percent of its part-time students. The median amount of grant aid provided in that year was $12,500 per full-time recipient and $8,000 per part-time recipient. The average TJSL law student graduates with an overwhelming $131,800 in law-school-related debt, giving the school the honor of saddling its graduates the highest debt load in the nation. Thomas Jefferson School of Law does not offer its students a loan repayment assistance program.

Academics

Thomas Jefferson School of Law typically splits its first-year class into sections of 85 people. The law school has 75 total teaching faculty members and a student-to-faculty ratio of 18 to 1. First-year students take the same requisite courses, which include civil procedure, contracts, torts and property law. Current students say the academics at TJSL are top-notch and that poor professors are generally shown the door after their first year teaching.

TJSL has two main goals for its curriculum. First, to prepare students for the bar, and second, to prepare students for their first year as associates. Classes are described as practical and accommodating to students looking for real-life examples. Students describe the workload as immense and the grading curve as harsh. The large workload and difficult curve lead to some attrition at the end of the first year: About 22 percent of TJSL law students do not return for a second year of law school.

Quality of Life

Students say the current facilities at TJSL leave something to be desired, but that the new facilities are absolutely amazing. There is no on-campus housing for TJSL students, but there is plenty of housing nearby in San Diego. And the law school will even help you find roommates (other law students).

Despite any shortcomings or faults one may find with Thomas Jefferson School of Law, life in San Diego is about as good as it gets on planet Earth. Weather is close to ideal, beaches are scenic, and with a population over 1,000,000, there isn't much that can't be found in the city. (On the off-chance there is something that can't be found in San Diego, Los Angeles is only two hours away.) Sports fans will love having the Padres and Chargers right in town, and sailing enthusiasts will discover that San Diego is one of the finest places in the world to pursue their hobby.

Employment Prospects and Bar Passage

In 2008, 92 percent of TJSL students were known to be employed within nine months of graduation. Of those known to be working, 65 percent worked in California, with the rest spread evenly throughout the country. 2008 graduates of TJSL earned a median salary of $65,000 in the private sector and $60,000 in the public sector. Current students at TJSL claim the Tier 4 ranking of the school hurts students’ chances at finding a job, but that the career services center works extremely hard to place them. For big law firm jobs, current students say you’ll need to be in the top 5 percent of your graduating class. The alumni base is both relatively successful and large in San Diego, and TJSL graduates take advantage of alumni connections for employment prospects.

Recently, 75.1 percent of TJSL graduates passed the California bar exam, nearly 5 percentage points lower than the state average. TJLS generally ranks in the bottom quarter of California schools in term of bar passage. Even though the California bar is notoriously difficult, TJSL graduates were on average more poorly prepared than the average sitter for the California bar exam.

Conclusion

Thomas Jefferson School of Law offers a beautiful location, new facilities, a dedicated faculty and the opportunity to study and lay your roots in San Diego. Unfortunately, the school also comes with an expensive price tag, over $130,000 in law school-related debt and a below-average bar-passage rate. Even so, for a student who wishes to study and work in San Diego, TJSL can be an acceptable choice. The opening of the new facilities will likely continue to improve Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Contact Information

Thomas Jefferson School of Law
Office of JD Admissions
2121 San Diego Avenue
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 297-9700
info@tjsl.edu
http://www.tjsl.edu

Quick Facts

U.S. News Ranking: Tier 4
LSAT Median: 151 (FT), 149 (PT)
GPA Median: 3.00 (FT), 2.86 (PT)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Application fee: $35
Entering class size: 305 (FT), 90 (PT)
Yearly Tuition: $36,300 (FT), $24,000 (PT)
Bar passage rate in California: 75.1%
Percent of graduates employed 9 months after graduation: 92%
Median private sector salary: $65,000 (Class of 2008, 33% reporting)