Is going to a state-accredited only LS waste of time/money? Forum

[bdm261]

I live in Ohio but I want to ideally use LS as a chance to move away and start my career in a more exciting location. I was looking into getting information on law schools in California and came across Empire College of Law. I requested more info from their website unaware at the time that they didn't have ABA accreditation but they're recognized by the CA Board of Bar Examiners. I don't know if that's enough to write them off completely though?

I have an admissions officer emailing me every other week now asking if I need any further information and the whole deal seems kind of high-pressure. They want me to sign up now before completing UG (exp. Dec 2012) and before taking the LSAT. If anything, I'd rather take the LSAT first and maybe use the school as a last resort if I could not get anywhere else. It is only $4000/semester or something in that range which is a drop in the bucket compared to the hundreds of thousands that some people fork over for accredited schools and still don't break even.

Does anyone know about these schools? The admissions officer told me that since it's a part-time school, most of the professors work at or run firms and can really help with networking which she described as a plus over most schools.

[dingbat]

In California, law schools don't need to be accredited - but you won't be able to practice in any other state(for several years)
Unaccredited schools are bottom of the barrel, though, so your employment prospects will be slim to none. (well, you can have a law career, but it'll be a struggle)

Those schools are, for the most part, only worth considering if you work full time and getting a law degree will further your career

[mountaintime]

don't even consider going to that "school." their push for you to commit immediately should tip you off to their TTTTTness.

[cinephile]

It is a waste of time and money.

Do your best for the rest of undergrad and on the LSAT, then apply somewhere like Berkeley or UCLA/USC if you want to move out to California.

[sunynp]

Please don't go to this school. You can get out of Ohio in many ways - leaving to go to a terrible school isn't a good one. If you want to apply to law school, keep posting here. People will advise you as best they can.

You might want to consider moving to where you think you want to live after you graduate. Getting some work experience, creating ties and a support network will help you a lot. Also, you might find that the place you move too isn't where you want to stay.

Good luck. FWIW - I have a number of friends here in NY that moved here from places like Ohio or Illinois. You won't be stuck in Ohio forever.

[mrtoren]

I feel like this user is an elaborate flame.

[splitbrain]

I feel like this user is an elaborate flame.

[No13baby]

I grew up ten minutes from Empire and still have yet to hear of any practicing attorneys who went there. AVOID.

[FryBreadPower]

Yes.

[vpintz]

Yes.

/thread

[planQ]

I work with an attorney who went to a CA accredited only school.

I think it really only works if you have some sort of legal job lined up that you have a garunteed in, IE your dad/uncle/brother heads a personal injury law firm, and you just need the cheapest degree possible or maybe if you get some sort of boost at your job if you have a degree, ie (school/government jobs that bump you based on some formula where advanced degrees are counted in.