is it really that bad to go to Cooley Forum

[fenway]

Also, though I'm sure that there are some fantastic professors (and a select number of students) at Cooley, it does not change the fact that the program does not prepare you for the competitive legal market. The curve, by nature of the student body, is going to be weak, so as a general rule you will not be qualified to enter into the job market against peers who attended schools with a significantly higher standard for legal education. Furthermore, legal jobs are highly predicated on pedigree; unfortunately, Cooley's own rankings do not reflect the general perception held by employers. For the largest law school in the nation, it arguably has one of the smallest employment regions--this does not add up in one's favor. Cooley is not an awful school. It's just not one you should pay to go to. If your parents are fitting the ball and it's your only present option, why the F not?

[TheOcho]

But probably you won't end up homeless and ravaged by wild dogs either.

Thomas M. Cooley Law School: You probably won't end up homeless!

[jjman]

Interestingly, they've beaten a lot of other bottom tier schools in producing so called "Super lawyers".

http://www.superlawyers.com/toplists/la ... ates/2010/

OP:

I think you'll learn the same thing there you do anywhere. Getting your foot in the door may take a little longer, but if you want the career it can happen. A few years of successful practice will lessen the sting of your "less prestigious" degree. And to say top tier schools will have better discussion is ignorance. One of my coworkers attended Cooley part-time and flew by plane every week from NC. He was a risk management officer and a few years after his "toilet" education he was promoted to a high level director's position, reporting only to the CEO. How many brilliant top law school students have years of experience in risk management, contracts, law suit negotiations, HIPPA practices, Information security, etc. like myself and my colleague I speak of? These type students seem to be common in the bottom tier schools. We attend for a change in career or for career advancement, not prestige. I suspect many of these students will rival the professors in real life knowledge of the businesses that are affected by the law. I'm not sure about Cooley's profs, check their website. But I know my bottom tier school has professors from Yale, Harvard, Duke, Vanderbilt and so on. So, if you want it, the money will come eventually. Don't eliminate better schools if you want to and can attend them, but also if you want to be a lawyer or earn a JD don't eliminate where you can go if it's the best personal option. Of course I would recommend maximizing scholarship money at these bottom schools to help reduce the stress/time crunch in finding a job/starting a practice when you begin repayment.

[20121109]

You will probably not be able to keep your scholarship, or get a job afterward, but they do have a huge library that is open almost all of the time and a large enrollment size (which "reflects its success in attracting students, its appeal to those interested in legal education, and its ability to carry out its institutional mission.). By some rankings those would suggest that it is the 12th best law school in the nation.

[merichard87]

Interestingly, they've beaten a lot of other bottom tier schools in producing so called "Super lawyers".

http://www.superlawyers.com/toplists/la ... ates/2010/

OP:

I think you'll learn the same thing there you do anywhere. Getting your foot in the door may take a little longer, but if you want the career it can happen. A few years of successful practice will lessen the sting of your "less prestigious" degree. And to say top tier schools will have better discussion is ignorance. One of my coworkers attended Cooley part-time and flew by plane every week from NC. He was a risk management officer and a few years after his "toilet" education he was promoted to a high level director's position, reporting only to the CEO. How many brilliant top law school students have years of experience in risk management, contracts, law suit negotiations, HIPPA practices, Information security, etc. like myself and my colleague I speak of? These type students seem to be common in the bottom tier schools. We attend for a change in career or for career advancement, not prestige. I suspect many of these students will rival the professors in real life knowledge of the businesses that are affected by the law. I'm not sure about Cooley's profs, check their website. But I know my bottom tier school has professors from Yale, Harvard, Duke, Vanderbilt and so on. So, if you want it, the money will come eventually. Don't eliminate better schools if you want to and can attend them, but also if you want to be a lawyer or earn a JD don't eliminate where you can go if it's the best personal option. Of course I would recommend maximizing scholarship money at these bottom schools to help reduce the stress/time crunch in finding a job/starting a practice when you begin repayment.

The vast majority of people in law school are not seasoned businessmen with a wealth of knowledge to shit on their classmates with. With that said, OP if you are simply "changing careers" theres another set of standards that you want to use when evaluating law schools. But if you a regular schmuck like the rest of us, Retake and Reapply.

[fenway]

Interestingly, they've beaten a lot of other bottom tier schools in producing so called "Super lawyers".

http://www.superlawyers.com/toplists/la ... ates/2010/

OP:

I think you'll learn the same thing there you do anywhere. Getting your foot in the door may take a little longer, but if you want the career it can happen. A few years of successful practice will lessen the sting of your "less prestigious" degree. And to say top tier schools will have better discussion is ignorance. One of my coworkers attended Cooley part-time and flew by plane every week from NC. He was a risk management officer and a few years after his "toilet" education he was promoted to a high level director's position, reporting only to the CEO. How many brilliant top law school students have years of experience in risk management, contracts, law suit negotiations, HIPPA practices, Information security, etc. like myself and my colleague I speak of? These type students seem to be common in the bottom tier schools. We attend for a change in career or for career advancement, not prestige. I suspect many of these students will rival the professors in real life knowledge of the businesses that are affected by the law. I'm not sure about Cooley's profs, check their website. But I know my bottom tier school has professors from Yale, Harvard, Duke, Vanderbilt and so on. So, if you want it, the money will come eventually. Don't eliminate better schools if you want to and can attend them, but also if you want to be a lawyer or earn a JD don't eliminate where you can go if it's the best personal option. Of course I would recommend maximizing scholarship money at these bottom schools to help reduce the stress/time crunch in finding a job/starting a practice when you begin repayment.

Such examples do exist, but to lead with the presumption that this anecdote is representative of the outcomes for the 1,500(!!) Cooley graduates each year is misleading. If you decide you are willing to take on the cost and risk involved, and you are comfortable falling back on something civic like public defense, power to you. But don't enroll at Cooley thinking you are on the fast track to a "high level directors position" or something along those lines. If that is your mindset going in, you will likely be disappointed going out.

[jjman]

Interestingly, they've beaten a lot of other bottom tier schools in producing so called "Super lawyers".

http://www.superlawyers.com/toplists/la ... ates/2010/

OP:

I think you'll learn the same thing there you do anywhere. Getting your foot in the door may take a little longer, but if you want the career it can happen. A few years of successful practice will lessen the sting of your "less prestigious" degree. And to say top tier schools will have better discussion is ignorance. One of my coworkers attended Cooley part-time and flew by plane every week from NC. He was a risk management officer and a few years after his "toilet" education he was promoted to a high level director's position, reporting only to the CEO. How many brilliant top law school students have years of experience in risk management, contracts, law suit negotiations, HIPPA practices, Information security, etc. like myself and my colleague I speak of? These type students seem to be common in the bottom tier schools. We attend for a change in career or for career advancement, not prestige. I suspect many of these students will rival the professors in real life knowledge of the businesses that are affected by the law. I'm not sure about Cooley's profs, check their website. But I know my bottom tier school has professors from Yale, Harvard, Duke, Vanderbilt and so on. So, if you want it, the money will come eventually. Don't eliminate better schools if you want to and can attend them, but also if you want to be a lawyer or earn a JD don't eliminate where you can go if it's the best personal option. Of course I would recommend maximizing scholarship money at these bottom schools to help reduce the stress/time crunch in finding a job/starting a practice when you begin repayment.

The vast majority of people in law school are not seasoned businessmen with a wealth of knowledge to shit on their classmates with. With that said, OP if you are simply "changing careers" theres another set of standards that you want to use when evaluating law schools. But if you a regular schmuck like the rest of us, Retake and Reapply.

Yes, but I meant that the discussions aren't necessarily going to be less stimulating just because its not a top school, thus making the education less valuable. Part of my point is that schools like this do attract diverse, quality students for different reasons. I for one would never defecate on my classmates.

[jjman]

Interestingly, they've beaten a lot of other bottom tier schools in producing so called "Super lawyers".

http://www.superlawyers.com/toplists/la ... ates/2010/

OP:

I think you'll learn the same thing there you do anywhere. Getting your foot in the door may take a little longer, but if you want the career it can happen. A few years of successful practice will lessen the sting of your "less prestigious" degree. And to say top tier schools will have better discussion is ignorance. One of my coworkers attended Cooley part-time and flew by plane every week from NC. He was a risk management officer and a few years after his "toilet" education he was promoted to a high level director's position, reporting only to the CEO. How many brilliant top law school students have years of experience in risk management, contracts, law suit negotiations, HIPPA practices, Information security, etc. like myself and my colleague I speak of? These type students seem to be common in the bottom tier schools. We attend for a change in career or for career advancement, not prestige. I suspect many of these students will rival the professors in real life knowledge of the businesses that are affected by the law. I'm not sure about Cooley's profs, check their website. But I know my bottom tier school has professors from Yale, Harvard, Duke, Vanderbilt and so on. So, if you want it, the money will come eventually. Don't eliminate better schools if you want to and can attend them, but also if you want to be a lawyer or earn a JD don't eliminate where you can go if it's the best personal option. Of course I would recommend maximizing scholarship money at these bottom schools to help reduce the stress/time crunch in finding a job/starting a practice when you begin repayment.

Such examples do exist, but to lead with the presumption that this anecdote is representative of the outcomes for the 1,500(!!) Cooley graduates each year is misleading. If you decide you are willing to take on the cost and risk involved, and you are comfortable falling back on something civic like public defense, power to you. But don't enroll at Cooley thinking you are on the fast track to a "high level directors position" or something along those lines. If that is your mindset going in, you will likely be disappointed going out.

No, I agree but I intended to convey the point that many quality students will attend these lower schools. Keep in mind people, the job market sucks for everyone nowadays. Especially inexperienced candidates. I sent out hundreds of resumes in 1998 when I graduated college and that was the glory days for IT. I got a good gig eventually but it will always be a tough job getting your foot in the door when starting out. You gotta make it happen if you don't have the golden ticket, but it can happen.

[dukelawguy144]

FLAME

[manbearwig]

FLAME

Lol. You sure told him.

[HBK]

On the upside, you could convince family members you went to Michigan.

I was talking to my uncle at a family reunion one time, who said his son (my cousin) was dating a lawyer who just graduated from Michigan. Since Michigan was my top choice at the time, I found this girl and asked her about law school experience, and she said "Oh I didn't go to Michigan, I went to law school in Michigan." Turns out she went to Cooley. Sad day for me (and all involved parties).

Haha, this is hilarious.

There was a skit on SNL about online colleges that was exactly like this.

"When people ask you where you went to school, just say a state!"

"Texas" "Michigan"