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West Virginia University College of Law

West Virginia University College of Law, the only law school in the state of West Virginia, is a public law school located in Morgantown, WV. It was founded in 1878, and distinguished alumni include a number of congressmen, senators, and other politicians and diplomats from West Virginia.

Admissions and Tuition

Getting into West Virginia requires numbers similar to those required by most Tier 3 law schools. Last year, 51% of applicants were accepted (of whom an impressive 47% opted to attend), and matriculants had median GPAs and LSAT scores of 3.41 and 153. The middle 50% of matriculating applicants had GPAs and LSAT scores ranging from 3.12 to 3.70 and 151 to 156, respectively. Those with numbers over the 75th percentiles may be in the running for scholarships.

Tuition varies according to residency. For the present academic year, residents of WV pay just over $10,600 for tuition and fees. For non-residents, on the other hand, the bill comes to about $24,000. Both of these costs are extremely competitive with other public law schools around the nation. Roughly 11% of WVU Law students attend on full-tuition or higher scholarships, so students with excellent numbers and/or extremely compelling personal narratives should investigate merit-based aid options.

Academics

The most notable legal specialties at WVU Law are business law, international law, and family law. The law school takes considerable pride in the West Virginia Law Review, which is the fourth oldest law journal in the nation. The law school places considerable emphasis on developing practical experience and real professional skills in its students. WVU Law also offers opportunities for its students to study law in Mexico and Brazil.

First years take a prescribed set of classes including property, civil procedure, criminal law, contracts, torts, constitutional law, professional responsibility and legal research and writing. There is a grading curve, and most recently 8.3% of 1Ls didn’t make it back for a second year at WVU Law. The respectable student-to-faculty ratio of 12.9-to-1, however, suggests that students who are willing to put in some legwork to develop relationships with their professors will be able to do so.

Looking ahead, the West Virginia College of Law plans on expanding its clinical programs to include a medical assistance clinic which will work in conjunction with the WVU Health Sciences Center. Furthermore, the school plans on adding an emphasis on energy and sustainability law to its curriculum.

Employment Prospects and Bar Passage

For what it’s worth, WVU graduates often outperform the statewide bar passage rate in West Virginia—which is probably a good thing, since WVU is the only law school in the state. Most recently, 76% of WVU Law graduates passed the West Virginia state bar (79% state average). Employment prospects are largely regional, but those looking to practice in West Virginia or immediately surrounding areas should not have a huge problem finding work: In fact, 91.7% of the most recent graduating class was able to find work within 9 months of graduation. The median salary for WVU grads going into the private sector was $66,000, compared to $42,612 for those in the public sector.

Quality of Life

Morgantown, WV (population 29,000) is a classic small college town. Students accustomed to life in Manhattan or a similar locale will no doubt have some adjusting to do, but for those who enjoy small town life, Morgantown can be an excellent choice. The cost of living is low relative to major cities, and Pittsburgh is not too far away for those craving big-city outings. Students will find plenty of bars and eateries catered to their crowd, and also be able to cheer on WVU’s football team.

Conclusion

Although WVU is hardly the best choice for someone interested in practicing in a major legal market  (in fact, most recently not a single firm from NY, DC or CA participated in WVU’s on-campus interview process), it is an excellent choice for those who wish to practice in WV and can take advantage of rock-bottom in-state tuition prices.

Quick Reference

West Virginia University College of Law
P.O. Box 6130
Morgantown, WV 26506

Ranking: 93
Tuition: ~$10,600 (residents), ~$24,000 (non-residents)
Bar Passage Rate: 76%
% Employed 9 months after graduation: 91.7%
Median Private Sector Salary: $66,000 (Class of 2008, 58% reporting)
Median GPA: 3.41
Median LSAT: 153