Haw bad is Drake really? Forum

[observationalist]

While your career goals fit the placement region of Drake, you need to realize that your expected starting salary will be much lower than what the school advertises. In 2008, one of the best years for legal hiring, less than 10% of the class reported making $65K or more to start. Of those reporting a starting salary in the private sector, the 25th percentile is apparently at $5K [EDIT: we think this was reported wrong and the actual figure is 50,000K.] I strongly recommend you contact the school, explain your situation, and ask to see full employer lists for the Class of 2010. They'll have that data ready to send off to USNews and the ABA by the end of February, so if they tell you it's not ready you should let them know you can wait. At a minimum you need to know how many people found jobs that require a JD and how many people reported starting salaries (along with the average salary data for each category of work). None of this will take much time for the school to get to you, despite what they might say in response. If you're persistent you should be able to get something from them that will give you a better idea of the current job opportunities. Good luck.

[See here for the '08 data I referenced: --LinkRemoved--]

Edit: Drake goofed in their submission for the 25th percentage, and to our knowledge it was not the incredibly low $5K for an annual salary.

[TheGetUpKid]

I know people will get all fired up and post links to thirdtierreality when I say this, but ...

Haha, I was waiting for it. I actually really like the blog, because it gets people thinking and not just throwing their money into something unprepared and without consdering the risk/reward. The problem I have with it is that it seems to really push this idea that somehow people are 'owed' certain things in life. For example, if you goto law school, then you should be able to find a law job. Or, if you finish at the top of your class, then you should be able to find a job. In my opinion, no one is owed anything. The reason you are offered a job is because someone else has decided that you can help them make money. If you are at the top of your class, but are unable to work well with others or speak well with clients, you aren't worth as much to a firm as the guy/gal who finished top 30% who can add some sort of practical skill to that firm. But maybe neither of these people are hired, because there is not enough legal work at the moment for the firm to make money from the hiring. People need to take a practical approach to weighing the risk/reward decision of attending law school and figuring out what their individual priorities are (location, BigLaw, firm/business work). You have to make yourself as marketable as possible so that you are worth something to someone else. You are not owed anything just for completing law school or being good at it. You have to make yourself worth someone else's money. I could be the POG champion of the world, should someone owe me something for it?

[thexfactor]

lol that s the only drake i want to see

PS. Does anyone read the NYTs anymore?
Don't go to drake. The only drake you want to see is the rapper.

[Marionberry]

The only drake you want to see is the rapper.

False. How bad is Drake (the rapper) really? Terrible.

[amorfati]

I know both have been mentioned, but as a fellow Iowan, I feel compelled to second the following:

1) The current governor and a couple past governors went to Drake Law School. So not all bad...
2) But if you can find your way in, either this year or next with a re-take, I really think Iowa is the better way to go, even if you have to pay sticker. I wouldn't say that if we were talking about full tuition, but since you're in-state, it should be much more manageable.

(oh, and: obligatory go Hawkeyes!)

[HeavenWood]

http://thirdtierreality.blogspot.com/20 ... drake.html

Because someone had to.

Not that Drake is an advisable choice, but Nando knows a lot less than he thinks. He's made numerous references to the "Pennsylvania legal market," for one (there is no Pennsylvania legal market... Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia are distinct regions with distinct hiring practices).

[Drake014]

Oh, thought this thread was about me.

I was gonna say terrible.

[worldtraveler]

I'm from Iowa, and I have high school friends who went to Drake, about a half dozen. Two are employed. One is a school lunch lady. The other one works at a day care.

[ClayDavis]

What are the stipulations on the scholly? Get them waived and this is not a terrible option.

However, seriously, if you can't get them waived, forget about it. I have a friend at a T2 who just had to be median to keep his full scholly, wasn't, and is now in deep debt from 2L and 3L. His LSAT was well above median btw - it's just hard to predict LS grades.

[TheGetUpKid]

I'm from Iowa, and I have high school friends who went to Drake, about a half dozen. Two are employed. One is a school lunch lady. The other one works at a day care.

Your high school friends went there for law school or undergrad? I've heard many different things about the different departments of the university. If law school, any idea how they performed?

[worldtraveler]

I'm from Iowa, and I have high school friends who went to Drake, about a half dozen. Two are employed. One is a school lunch lady. The other one works at a day care.

Your high school friends went there for law school or undergrad? I've heard many different things about the different departments of the university. If law school, any idea how they performed?

Law school. I don't ask people about their grades, because that would be a douche move.

[beachbum]

I'm from Iowa, and I have high school friends who went to Drake, about a half dozen. Two are employed. One is a school lunch lady. The other one works at a day care.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ_R-G_i ... re=related

[patrickd139]

Came here thinking someone was calling out Drake (poster). Leaving disappointed.

Oh, thought this thread was about me.

I was gonna say terrible.