Top Law Schools

There is a great deal of information, misinformation, and disinformation about law schools in the media, on the Internet, as well as those in the legal profession. The economic downturn of the past few years has focused tremendous attention on law schools; not all of the reports are correct or in the proper context. Here are some facts to consider while making your decision:

* While the number of persons taking the LSAT and applying for admission to law schools in the US this year has declined from last year, it remains the second largest year on record according to LSAC. The media is definitely overplaying (and short-changing the facts) the drop in interest in law study. This was one of the most competitive years to gain admission to New York Law School as our applications increased by approximately 40% from last year.

* The “angry law grad” movement that has gotten much media attention, most notably by the New York Times, isn’t being reported with the full story. What most of these reports, stories, and blogs fail to say is that these angry grads generally did not have clear reasons for going to law school in the first place, did little research on legal hiring and careers before law school, and, most damning, chose their law school based solely or primarily on rankings (like USN&WR) or by name recognition of the law school. By-and-large, they failed to assess their needs and values and focus on outputs of the schools they considered. Don’t let that be you.

* New York Law School has the lowest student loan default rate of any law school in the country, less than 1/10th of one percent. This means that our graduates are getting jobs, earning money and able to repay their loans.

* In addition to their overall rankings, USN&WR also ranks various aspects of law schools. Our evening program, which was established in 1904, ranks 44th nationally of the 80 part-time programs ranked. Our Intellectual Property program is ranked 26th nationally. Further, USN&WR ranks NYLS 69th in diversity with more than 30% of our students from underrepresented groups and 12% Latino/Hispanic.

Helmholtz wrote:Also, I'm not sure you're allowed to make fun of NYLS if you applied to them.

* New York Law School has the lowest student loan default rate of any law school in the country, less than 1/10th of one percent. This means that our graduates are getting jobs, earning money and able to repay their loans.

MrPapagiorgio wrote:....

* The “angry law grad” movement that has gotten much media attention, most notably by the New York Times, isn’t being reported with the full story. What most of these reports, stories, and blogs fail to say is that these angry grads generally did not have clear reasons for going to law school in the first place, did little research on legal hiring and careers before law school, and, most damning, chose their law school based solely or primarily on rankings (like USN&WR) or by name recognition of the law school. By-and-large, they failed to assess their needs and values and focus on outputs of the schools they considered. Don’t let that be you.

Helmholtz wrote:I like how they downplay the rankings and then brag about 44th out of the 88 PT programs and 69th in diversity.


Also, I'm not sure you're allowed to make fun of NYLS if you applied to them.

thecynic69 wrote:

Helmholtz wrote:I like how they downplay the rankings and then brag about 44th out of the 88 PT programs and 69th in diversity.


Also, I'm not sure you're allowed to make fun of NYLS if you applied to them.

Hey, there are some applicants who simply mix up NYLS and NYU school of law, and they perhaps have more right than anyone to make fun of nyls!

MrPapagiorgio wrote:Don't ask me why I applied, but this was in the e-mail I received after they notified me that my seat was forfeited (although I withdrew 2 months ago). Not meant to troll NYLS, but I have not seen this from an actual law school to date. If this is old, my apologies.

There is a great deal of information, misinformation, and disinformation about law schools in the media, on the Internet, as well as those in the legal profession. The economic downturn of the past few years has focused tremendous attention on law schools; not all of the reports are correct or in the proper context. Here are some facts to consider while making your decision:

* While the number of persons taking the LSAT and applying for admission to law schools in the US this year has declined from last year, it remains the second largest year on record according to LSAC. The media is definitely overplaying (and short-changing the facts) the drop in interest in law study. This was one of the most competitive years to gain admission to New York Law School as our applications increased by approximately 40% from last year.

* The “angry law grad” movement that has gotten much media attention, most notably by the New York Times, isn’t being reported with the full story. What most of these reports, stories, and blogs fail to say is that these angry grads generally did not have clear reasons for going to law school in the first place, did little research on legal hiring and careers before law school, and, most damning, chose their law school based solely or primarily on rankings (like USN&WR) or by name recognition of the law school. By-and-large, they failed to assess their needs and values and focus on outputs of the schools they considered. Don’t let that be you.

* New York Law School has the lowest student loan default rate of any law school in the country, less than 1/10th of one percent. This means that our graduates are getting jobs, earning money and able to repay their loans.

* In addition to their overall rankings, USN&WR also ranks various aspects of law schools. Our evening program, which was established in 1904, ranks 44th nationally of the 80 part-time programs ranked. Our Intellectual Property program is ranked 26th nationally. Further, USN&WR ranks NYLS 69th in diversity with more than 30% of our students from underrepresented groups and 12% Latino/Hispanic.

OldTymeyFaceSmasher wrote:I mean, is there really a decent UPenn or Columbia graduate out there who can't find a job?

OldTymeyFaceSmasher wrote:I mean, is there really a decent UPenn or Columbia graduate out there who can't find a job? That seems a little hard to believe.

I graduated from Northwestern Law in 2009. It is now 2011, my loans are coming due (real due — not the fake, put ‘em in forebearance, due of yesteryear), and I am currently “employed” doing two things: reviewing documents at an embarrassing hourly wage on projects that start and stop without any sort of consistency, and writing “jokes” about the Microsoft Zune every weekday morning, every other week.

So Mr. Ronisky, a 25-year-old student at Chicago's Northwestern University School of Law, spent the fall sending 50 resumes to law firms and government agencies, to no avail. Now, just days shy of graduation and with $150,000 of student loans, he plans to move back to his parents' home in San Diego and sell music and movies online.

scammedhard wrote:

OldTymeyFaceSmasher wrote:I mean, is there really a decent UPenn or Columbia graduate out there who can't find a job? That seems a little hard to believe.

I don't know what you mean by "decent graduate," but here I offer you a few articles about the matter that are not specifically related to "decent UPenn or Columbia" graduates...

I graduated from Northwestern Law in 2009. It is now 2011, my loans are coming due (real due — not the fake, put ‘em in forebearance, due of yesteryear), and I am currently “employed” doing two things: reviewing documents at an embarrassing hourly wage on projects that start and stop without any sort of consistency, and writing “jokes” about the Microsoft Zune every weekday morning, every other week.

http://abovethelaw.com/2011/04/law-scho ... -on-a-rug/

or

http://abovethelaw.com/2011/04/just-how ... eneration/

or

http://abovethelaw.com/2011/04/direct-e ... bs-market/

or

http://abovethelaw.com/2011/04/most-cre ... -services/

or

http://abovethelaw.com/2011/03/law-stud ... mployment/

or

So Mr. Ronisky, a 25-year-old student at Chicago's Northwestern University School of Law, spent the fall sending 50 resumes to law firms and government agencies, to no avail. Now, just days shy of graduation and with $150,000 of student loans, he plans to move back to his parents' home in San Diego and sell music and movies online.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 18446.html

etc, etc, etc...

jenesaislaw wrote:Thanks to a TLSer sending this email to us, we've written about Dean Perez's comments and how they may rise to deceptive levels. http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/20 ... practices/

Next week we will contact NYLS to let its admins know that they need to adjust their statements and information, followed by a complaint to the ABA if they do not remedy the situation.

jenesaislaw wrote:Thanks to a TLSer sending this email to us, we've written about Dean Perez's comments and how they may rise to deceptive levels. http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/20 ... practices/

Next week we will contact NYLS to let its admins know that they need to adjust their statements and information, followed by a complaint to the ABA if they do not remedy the situation.

scammedhard wrote:

jenesaislaw wrote:Thanks to a TLSer sending this email to us, we've written about Dean Perez's comments and how they may rise to deceptive levels. http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/20 ... practices/

Next week we will contact NYLS to let its admins know that they need to adjust their statements and information, followed by a complaint to the ABA if they do not remedy the situation.

Well done.
Also, I know the ABA is useless, but, in any case, I think you guys should just go ahead and file a complaint to the ABA. Why wait for NYLS to remedy the situation? Enough is enough.

jenesaislaw wrote:One of the reasons is because the complaint must state a description of any steps taken to exhaust the law school’s grievance process and any actions taken by the law school in response to the complaint. [Rule 24(d)3(ii) and (iii).] --LinkRemoved--

Another reason will be more apparent on Sunday.

Others are tactical.