Why Can't Law School Be Completed Over A Five Year Period? Forum

[qualster]

Why is it 3 jam packed years, or four if you're a part timer? Why can't one just take the classes at his/her own pace once admitted? Now, I'm not saying that it should be this way, but why not?

[Renzo]

The better question is why they make it three years, when the third year is basically just a big useless time-waste.

[sumus romani]

Why is it 3 jam packed years, or four if you're a part timer? Why can't one just take the classes at his/her own pace once admitted? Now, I'm not saying that it should be this way, but why not?

I'm sure some are for more than 4 years. Just not schools worth going to. It is necessary to have everyone on the same time frame for class rank and grading curves, etc. And schools allow for leaves of absence in limited cases. Also, there are a few 2 year programs out there (Northwestern, Kansas, ?).

[Miniver]

...

[270910]

The better question is why they make it three years, when the third year is basically just a big useless time-waste.

[Renzo]

I'd like to see it chopped to two years, or even three semesters, and then require an on-the-job apprenticeship before you can sit for the bar. Something similar to a medical residency. Not only would new lawyers not be completely incompetent, employers would have something beyond grades by which to judge applicants--they could see actual work-product.

[mallard]

The better question is why they make it three years, when the third year is basically just a big useless time-waste.

[270910]

The better question is why they make it three years, when the third year is basically just a big useless time-waste.

[qualster]

I'd like to see it chopped to two years, or even three semesters, and then require an on-the-job apprenticeship before you can sit for the bar. Something similar to a medical residency. Not only would new lawyers not be completely incompetent, employers would have something beyond grades by which to judge applicants--they could see actual work-product.

I agree with that.

[qualster]

Why is it 3 jam packed years, or four if you're a part timer? Why can't one just take the classes at his/her own pace once admitted? Now, I'm not saying that it should be this way, but why not?

I'm sure some are for more than 4 years. Just not schools worth going to. It is necessary to have everyone on the same time frame for class rank and grading curves, etc. And schools allow for leaves of absence in limited cases. Also, there are a few 2 year programs out there (Northwestern, Kansas, ?).

True. If one goes off track, he or she would basically give up a true class rank. However, it wouldn't be hard for estimated class rankings to be computed for these people. It would simply be an approximation based on where the graduate finished in each of his/her individual classes. Or maybe that's just stupid.

[underachiever]

The better question is why they make it three years, when the third year is basically just a big useless time-waste.

[mallard]

Why is it 3 jam packed years, or four if you're a part timer? Why can't one just take the classes at his/her own pace once admitted? Now, I'm not saying that it should be this way, but why not?

I'm sure some are for more than 4 years. Just not schools worth going to. It is necessary to have everyone on the same time frame for class rank and grading curves, etc. And schools allow for leaves of absence in limited cases. Also, there are a few 2 year programs out there (Northwestern, Kansas, ?).

True. If one goes off track, he or she would basically give up a true class rank. However, it wouldn't be hard for estimated class ranks to be computed for these people. It would simply be an approximation based on where the graduate finished in each of his/her individual classes. Or maybe that's just stupid.

lol, wtf? People take leaves of absence and stuff all the time. I have no idea what's going on in this thread.

[qualster]

Why is it 3 jam packed years, or four if you're a part timer? Why can't one just take the classes at his/her own pace once admitted? Now, I'm not saying that it should be this way, but why not?

I'm sure some are for more than 4 years. Just not schools worth going to. It is necessary to have everyone on the same time frame for class rank and grading curves, etc. And schools allow for leaves of absence in limited cases. Also, there are a few 2 year programs out there (Northwestern, Kansas, ?).

True. If one goes off track, he or she would basically give up a true class rank. However, it wouldn't be hard for estimated class ranks to be computed for these people. It would simply be an approximation based on where the graduate finished in each of his/her individual classes. Or maybe that's just stupid.

lol, wtf? People take leaves of absence and stuff all the time. I have no idea what's going on in this thread.

So, how do they rank those people?

[270910]

The better question is why they make it three years, when the third year is basically just a big useless time-waste.

[mallard]

So, how do they rank those people?

No idea, but I don't think there's an ABA Task Force on ranking people who take time off or anything like that; it's not a huge issue.

[qualster]

So, how do they rank those people?

No idea, but I don't think there's an ABA Task Force on ranking people who take time off or anything like that; it's not a huge issue.

Gotcha. Sorry for the stupid questions.

[mallard]

So, how do they rank those people?

No idea, but I don't think there's an ABA Task Force on ranking people who take time off or anything like that; it's not a huge issue.

Gotcha. Sorry for the stupid questions.

Well, now I feel bad.

[270910]

So, how do they rank those people?

No idea, but I don't think there's an ABA Task Force on ranking people who take time off or anything like that; it's not a huge issue.

Gotcha. Sorry for the stupid questions.

Well, now I feel bad.

I doubt that.

[qualster]

So, how do they rank those people?

No idea, but I don't think there's an ABA Task Force on ranking people who take time off or anything like that; it's not a huge issue.

Gotcha. Sorry for the stupid questions.

Well, now I feel bad.

Don't feel bad. Thanks for the info. No big deal.

[legalease9]

The longer LS takes, the more lost income. So yes, if anything law school should be faster not slower.

[09042014]

The longer LS takes, the more lost income. So yes, if anything law school should be faster not slower.

Well I assume 5 years would be part time. Part time law school in the way its set up now is stupid. You do 3/4's the work as a full time student. How the hell can you work a fulltime job and do that?

I would have done NU's AJD if it was more established.

[qualster]

The longer LS takes, the more lost income. So yes, if anything law school should be faster not slower.

Well I assume 5 years would be part time. Part time law school in the way its set up now is stupid. You do 3/4's the work as a full time student. How the hell can you work a fulltime job and do that?

I would have done NU's AJD if it was more established.

Exactly. That's why it should be a 5 year part time program. That would allow one to graduate with virtually no debt. A 4 year program allows one to work part time, but debt will still mount up unless scholarships are heavy and the part time gig pays well.

[ViIIager]

The longer LS takes, the more lost income. So yes, if anything law school should be faster not slower.

Well I assume 5 years would be part time. Part time law school in the way its set up now is stupid. You do 3/4's the work as a full time student. How the hell can you work a fulltime job and do that?

I would have done NU's AJD if it was more established.

That's exactly the reason why I expect to be near the midpoint in my class rather than closer to the top. Working an 8 to 10 hour gig plus 12 credits a semester just seems like an absolutely crushing load, and I just can't imagine doing either one well. A five-year schedule, with fewer credits per semester, seems more manageable.

[Renzo]

The longer LS takes, the more lost income. So yes, if anything law school should be faster not slower.

Well I assume 5 years would be part time. Part time law school in the way its set up now is stupid. You do 3/4's the work as a full time student. How the hell can you work a fulltime job and do that?

I would have done NU's AJD if it was more established.

Exactly. That's why it should be a 5 year part time program. That would allow one to graduate with virtually no debt. A 4 year program allows one to work part time, but debt will still mount up unless scholarships are heavy and the part time gig pays well.

The idea for part-time law school wasn't that you'd work, graduate, and get an entry-level biglaw gig. Rather, it was that you'd work, graduate, and continue in the same field where you were already experience in a new role (like returning to your reporter job as a legal correspondent, or doing patent work in a field you know, etc), so class rank wouldn't be as meaningful. Granted, it in no way resembles that anymore, but that was the theory.

[270910]

The longer LS takes, the more lost income. So yes, if anything law school should be faster not slower.

Well I assume 5 years would be part time. Part time law school in the way its set up now is stupid. You do 3/4's the work as a full time student. How the hell can you work a fulltime job and do that?

I would have done NU's AJD if it was more established.

Exactly. That's why it should be a 5 year part time program. That would allow one to graduate with virtually no debt. A 4 year program allows one to work part time, but debt will still mount up unless scholarships are heavy and the part time gig pays well.

The idea for part-time law school wasn't that you'd work, graduate, and get an entry-level biglaw gig. Rather, it was that you'd work, graduate, and continue in the same field where you were already experience in a new role (like returning to your reporter job as a legal correspondent, or doing patent work in a field you know, etc), so class rank wouldn't be as meaningful. Granted, it in no way resembles that anymore, but that was the theory.

Another big +1 to Rezno. I know several people for whom that's exactly what their part time LS program was. The hypercomeptitive market that currently exists now though... I feel like it's more and more common for people to do PT because of lowered requirements and to either do nothing else or just do an internship, then try to jump on the big law bandwagon.