University of Tulsa College of Law

Overview

Founded in 1923 as Tulsa Law School, the University of Tulsa College of Law has been ABA-accredited since 1950. Tulsa Law offers a number of joint- and dual-degree programs for law students, including a JD/MBA, JD/MA (in history, English, and psychology) and the JD/MS (in geosciences, biological sciences, and finance). The school prides itself on an education that “goes beyond how to think like a lawyer,” as students are offered ample opportunity to practice their skills in school-sponsored programs and projects.

Admissions and Tuition

Students admitted to Tulsa Law’s full-time program in 2008 had a median LSAT of 154 and a median GPA of 3.26. Applicants to the part-time program (13 of them) had median numbers that were slightly higher, 156 and 3.61. That year, the law school admitted about 558 of 1,280 full-time applicants and 8 of 13 part-time applicants. Of these acceptances, 139 students enrolled. Students say the admissions process focuses on LSAT scores and GPAs, but the admissions office does a good job of evaluating a candidate’s full range of experience before deciding on acceptances.

Tuition costs nearly $29,000 for the full-time program and around $20,000 for the part-time program. In 2008, the law school offered 37.8 percent of full-time students and about half of part-time students some form of grant aid. The median amount of grant aid provided in that year was $12,000 per full-time student and $4,000 per part-time student. On average, Tulsa students graduate with $65,847 in law school-related debt. The law school does not offer a loan repayment assistance program.

Academics

Tulsa Law typically teaches its first-years in classes of 45 students. The law school has 55 teaching faculty members and an impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 12.4 to 1. All first-years take the same requisite courses, including torts, property, civil procedure, criminal law and legal writing. Students say the workload is large and the grading curve difficult. This leads to some attrition – after the first year, about 12 percent of students tend to drop out.

Quality of Life

Students say the cost of living in Tulsa is low and that the community is safe. Housing is cheap and available within reasonable distance of the law school. Most Tulsa Law students live off campus and commute. While Tulsa might not offer an endless array of attractions and spectacles, it does offer a number of bars and restaurants that are frequented by law students. Students who like a small-town feel will enjoy the setting. In Tulsa, you’ll know where to find anyone on a Friday night. The downside of this is that anyone will know where to find you on a Friday night. Possibly because of the lack of social activities, the Student Bar Association hosts events that are quite popular. Overall, students seem happy with the city’s slower pace and many seem to prefer it to a more hectic, big-city lifestyle.

Employment Prospects and Bar Passage

In 2008, about 90 percent of Tulsa Law graduates were known to be employed within nine months of graduation. Of those, 60 percent were working in Oklahoma, with most of the rest working in surrounding states. They earned median salaries of $60,000 in the private sector and $40,000 in the public sector. Current students say the career services office does a great job of getting firms to interview on campus and that finding a job in the Oklahoma area is easy coming out of Tulsa Law.

In 2007, Tulsa students passed the Oklahoma state bar exam at an average rate of 79 percent, nearly 10 percentage points lower than the state average. This metric placed UTCL in last place out of three Oklahoma law schools. This statistic indicates that, on average, Tulsa students are less prepared for the state bar than both the average sitter and their counterparts at other Oklahoma schools.

Conclusion

For students who want to live and practice in Oklahoma, Tulsa Law can be a good choice. The worrying statistics are the average amount of debt, which runs at around $65,000, and the low bar-passage rate. Like most other Tier 4 schools, students must weigh their decision to attend against these factors, and should seriously consider their desire to work in the region. Overall, Tulsa Law is a decent choice for Oklahoma lovers, but students planning to work elsewhere should seek out another school.

Contact Information

University of Tulsa College of Law
Office of JD Admissions
3120 East Fourth Place
Tulsa, OK 74104
(918) 631-2406
lawadmissions@utulsa.edu
http://www.law.utulsa.edu

Quick Facts

U.S. News Ranking: Tier 4
LSAT Median: 154
GPA Median: 3.26
Application Deadline: July 31
Application fee: $30
Entering class size: 139
Yearly Tuition: Full-Time, $28,876; Part-Time, $19,386
Bar passage rate in Oklahoma: 79%
Percent of graduates employed 9 months after graduation: 89.6%
Median private sector salary: $60,00