Drexel c/o 2016 (2012-2013) Forum

[elc414]

Yeah, its tonight. I decided on not going. Not sure what the reception is about OR what the purpose of it is. Like you said, Drexel hasn't provided a whole lot of information about it. All I received was an email saying something like Drexel students, alumni, and professors welcome you to the Law School. Isn't that what tomorrow's ASD is for? If I am going to leave work early and fight Friday traffic to get to center city, it better be something useful. Since it has taken Drexel so long to get back to me regarding basic questions I figured why bother.

Yeah, I mean, if the weather weren't totally gross and if I hadn't pretty much decided where I want to go... then it might be more worth it. Might have been fun?

Thanks guys! I agree that Drexel has been very slow at responding to things... I won't be able to get to City Hall before 6 tonight so I probably won't make it after all, but still looking forward to seeing their brand new facilities tomorrow.

[phlmar]

I was not impressed with ASD. It seemed unorganized and largely unprofessional, although I did enjoy the mock class (and the free beer). I'm glad I visited, Drexel definitely isn't a good fit for me. Just a heads up that I will be freeing up the 39k scholarship for you guys tomorrow.

[elc414]

I was not impressed with ASD. It seemed unorganized and largely unprofessional, although I did enjoy the mock class (and the free beer). I'm glad I visited, Drexel definitely isn't a good fit for me. Just a heads up that I will be freeing up the 39k scholarship for you guys tomorrow.

Hmm, I liked it way more than I thought I would... Anybody else want to weigh in?

[SoJerz13]

I liked it more than expected too. The people were great and the environment was a great fit for me. Ill be there in the fall.

[wcphillies12]

I was at the ASD yesterday and while I think the program itself could have been 3 hours shorter, I left with a positive vibe about EMSOL. The one thing I did like was that the administration was honest and didn't try to paint themselves as "Philly's best law school." My mom made me visit Widener and their administration made it seem like Widener was a t14 school. I like the pioneer spirit of Drexel and I'm fairly certain I'll be enrolling soon. Looking forward to the journey

[nick417]

I was not impressed with ASD. It seemed unorganized and largely unprofessional, although I did enjoy the mock class (and the free beer). I'm glad I visited, Drexel definitely isn't a good fit for me. Just a heads up that I will be freeing up the 39k scholarship for you guys tomorrow.

Hmm, I liked it way more than I thought I would... Anybody else want to weigh in?

I don't think it was unorganized or unprofessional. I think the problem was to many students brought there parents with. Honestly, we are going to grad school, not undergrad school, some students need to grow up. What angered me was the parents taking up seats forcing people like me to sit on a folding chair. Also, parents asking absurd questions, one parent asked if "summer classes classes cost money". Wow.

As for Drexel, I thought it was excellent. I really liked what the current students and alumni had to say. All brought excellent insight, advice, and made really good points. The one thing I like about Drexel is the whole outside of the classroom experience or Co-Op that Drexel promotes. Really, that is the biggest thing talked about at Drexel. I work at a law office and the lawyers always say that getting out of the classroom and working is how you learn law. So many aspects of law cannot be taught in a classroom. Dealing with clients, opposing counsel, judges, billing hours, etc. This appears to be what Drexel wants students to do. I have been accepted at a couple of school (all better than Drexel) but I am really leaning toward Drexel (especially with a big scholarship) after Saturday.

If anyone has any other questions about the day let me know.

[nick417]

I was at the ASD yesterday and while I think the program itself could have been 3 hours shorter, I left with a positive vibe about EMSOL. The one thing I did like was that the administration was honest and didn't try to paint themselves as "Philly's best law school." My mom made me visit Widener and their administration made it seem like Widener was a t14 school. I like the pioneer spirit of Drexel and I'm fairly certain I'll be enrolling soon. Looking forward to the journey

I agree. Essentially, ASD was why you should choose Drexel over Temple or Villanova (at least that is what I thought). They never bashed the other schools, but kind of tried to distinguish Drexel from them two. They made it a point to say that we don't have big firms from outside cities asking for Drexel students. Drexel is not competitive with Penn or any other top school. They presented the Co-Op program as the big drawl. The current students seem to love it. I tried to talk to as many of the current students as possible and they all seem to love that program.

Another thing I found interesting is Drexel pays for your ABA membership and Philly bar membership while you're a student. I think they said that the other schools don't pay for those memberships, is that correct?

[wcphillies12]

Drexel is not competitive with Penn or any other top school. They presented the Co-Op program as the big drawl. The current students seem to love it. I tried to talk to as many of the current students as possible and they all seem to love that program.

Another thing I found interesting is Drexel pays for your ABA membership and Philly bar membership while you're a student. I think they said that the other schools don't pay for those memberships, is that correct?

Two things: Their co-op is a program that I really like. I've talked to my aunt about it, she's a lawyer in Philly, and she agrees that it's definitely a positive for Drexel. When you go to a school that isn't elite, your employment after graduation is what you do with your law school experience. I think Drexel's curriculum can only benefit students in the long run; experiential learning is the new thing with law schools. National Jurist ran an article about how top law schools are starting to do it last month.

Also, in the 5 minute search I did for other schools providing ABA membership, I only found that Villanova paid for it. Either way, it's a good thing. I also thought their idea of giving students a $250 fund to pay for visits to any conference, talks, etc. was genius. Ideas like that make me optimistic about Drexel's future.

One more thing, USNWR releases their 2014 rankings tomorrow. It will be interesting to see if Drexel makes any moves from 119.

[Greyhound42]

I decided to withdraw today, ultimately because of their scholarship stipulation and inability/lack of desire to negotiate that away.
Good luck to everyone else, though!

[phlmar]

I don't think it was unorganized or unprofessional. I think the problem was to many students brought there parents with. Honestly, we are going to grad school, not undergrad school, some students need to grow up. What angered me was the parents taking up seats forcing people like me to sit on a folding chair. Also, parents asking absurd questions, one parent asked if "summer classes classes cost money". Wow.

As for Drexel, I thought it was excellent. I really liked what the current students and alumni had to say. All brought excellent insight, advice, and made really good points. The one thing I like about Drexel is the whole outside of the classroom experience or Co-Op that Drexel promotes. Really, that is the biggest thing talked about at Drexel. I work at a law office and the lawyers always say that getting out of the classroom and working is how you learn law. So many aspects of law cannot be taught in a classroom. Dealing with clients, opposing counsel, judges, billing hours, etc. This appears to be what Drexel wants students to do. I have been accepted at a couple of school (all better than Drexel) but I am really leaning toward Drexel (especially with a big scholarship) after Saturday.

If anyone has any other questions about the day let me know.

I agree with you on the point about the parents. I've seen this at most of the ASDs I've gone to though, so it wasn't unique to my experience at Drexel. What I was referring to when I said the event struck me as unprofessional was how the school presented itself. This wasn't a preview day or an informal tour, it was one of two (three?) days specifically planned for admitted students to visit and have E Mack showcased for them. So when the dean of admissions walked in wearing an outfit that can not possibly pass for business casual and nowhere near qualifies as even appropriate casual waving around her bright pink cell phone while giving the presentation I was ready to leave. I'm not saying I expected full fledged suits and heels, or that I necessarily judge individuals based on their appearance, but lets be real - most of the world does. I "get" the whole "I march to the beat of my own drum" thing the school is trying to use to set itself apart, but having multicolored hair and unprofessional attire probably isn't the best way to get a job in this market. That being said, I wouldn't feel comfortable being represented by individuals I wouldn't even hire if the tables were turned. These are just my observations from the first five minutes.

The 2Ls and 3Ls I spoke to were nice, but I was surprised that they were all so unconcerned about not having jobs lined up... Anyway, like I said, Drexel definitely isn't a good fit for me. I hope the full tuition scholarship goes to one of you who are still interested

[Snowboarder1588]

I submitted on 1/11, and have been complete since 2/4....Does anyone know anything about their next wave of decisions? anyone else out there with similar dates?

[Lumieres]

I submitted on 1/11, and have been complete since 2/4....Does anyone know anything about their next wave of decisions? anyone else out there with similar dates?

Are you under both medians?

[Snowboarder1588]

I submitted on 1/11, and have been complete since 2/4....Does anyone know anything about their next wave of decisions? anyone else out there with similar dates?

Are you under both medians?

Good point; yes I am. Perhaps they're holding on to me because of my good softs until they have a clearer picture of their applicant pool. I'm eager to get a decision though. so, if anyone else has already called about next wave of decisions please share.

[nick417]

I don't think it was unorganized or unprofessional. I think the problem was to many students brought there parents with. Honestly, we are going to grad school, not undergrad school, some students need to grow up. What angered me was the parents taking up seats forcing people like me to sit on a folding chair. Also, parents asking absurd questions, one parent asked if "summer classes classes cost money". Wow.

As for Drexel, I thought it was excellent. I really liked what the current students and alumni had to say. All brought excellent insight, advice, and made really good points. The one thing I like about Drexel is the whole outside of the classroom experience or Co-Op that Drexel promotes. Really, that is the biggest thing talked about at Drexel. I work at a law office and the lawyers always say that getting out of the classroom and working is how you learn law. So many aspects of law cannot be taught in a classroom. Dealing with clients, opposing counsel, judges, billing hours, etc. This appears to be what Drexel wants students to do. I have been accepted at a couple of school (all better than Drexel) but I am really leaning toward Drexel (especially with a big scholarship) after Saturday.

If anyone has any other questions about the day let me know.

I agree with you on the point about the parents. I've seen this at most of the ASDs I've gone to though, so it wasn't unique to my experience at Drexel. What I was referring to when I said the event struck me as unprofessional was how the school presented itself. This wasn't a preview day or an informal tour, it was one of two (three?) days specifically planned for admitted students to visit and have E Mack showcased for them. So when the dean of admissions walked in wearing an outfit that can not possibly pass for business casual and nowhere near qualifies as even appropriate casual waving around her bright pink cell phone while giving the presentation I was ready to leave. I'm not saying I expected full fledged suits and heels, or that I necessarily judge individuals based on their appearance, but lets be real - most of the world does. I "get" the whole "I march to the beat of my own drum" thing the school is trying to use to set itself apart, but having multicolored hair and unprofessional attire probably isn't the best way to get a job in this market. That being said, I wouldn't feel comfortable being represented by individuals I wouldn't even hire if the tables were turned. These are just my observations from the first five minutes.

The 2Ls and 3Ls I spoke to were nice, but I was surprised that they were all so unconcerned about not having jobs lined up... Anyway, like I said, Drexel definitely isn't a good fit for me. I hope the full tuition scholarship goes to one of you who are still interested

Good points made. I understand what you mean. Due to the parents hogging up seats for actual admitted students, I had the opportunity to sit right up next to all the speakers. I did notice the poor wardrobe selection. I kept noticing how the deans khaki pants were extremely wrinkled.

[wcphillies12]

Well USNWR didn't like Drexel it appears. 2014 rankings have Drexel at 126, right there with Chapman and McGeorge. Gotta wonder if this is gonna kill their incoming numbers, as I'm sure many of us have acceptances at better schools. Really bummed about it. Anyone else have any thoughts?

[michaelk28]

Well USNWR didn't like Drexel it appears. 2014 rankings have Drexel at 126, right there with Chapman and McGeorge. Gotta wonder if this is gonna kill their incoming numbers, as I'm sure many of us have acceptances at better schools. Really bummed about it. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Yeah I'm pretty disappointed. I was thinking they were a fledgling program on the rise. I thought their Health Law specialty ranking might bump up a few spots, but it dropped as well. Their scholarship offer was really appealing and it's discouraging to see the school take a step back. We'll see if they can convince me otherwise at ASW.

[Lumieres]

Well USNWR didn't like Drexel it appears. 2014 rankings have Drexel at 126, right there with Chapman and McGeorge. Gotta wonder if this is gonna kill their incoming numbers, as I'm sure many of us have acceptances at better schools. Really bummed about it. Anyone else have any thoughts?

It looks they will remain peers with Widener and their employment prospects don't look too bright in the future either.

[nick417]

Well USNWR didn't like Drexel it appears. 2014 rankings have Drexel at 126, right there with Chapman and McGeorge. Gotta wonder if this is gonna kill their incoming numbers, as I'm sure many of us have acceptances at better schools. Really bummed about it. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Yeah, I was expecting a bump up into the low hundreds. That isn't a good sign.

I will say that the rankings in general are skeptical. I have been accepted at two schools in the 60's range with scholarships and then placed on the wait list at a school ranked around 100. So I'm not sure what the rankings really mean. I have also been told that class ranking is more important versus school ranking (unless your a top notch school).

With Drexel stalling in the mid 120s, looks like it might not be the up-and-coming law school?

[wcphillies12]

Well USNWR didn't like Drexel it appears. 2014 rankings have Drexel at 126, right there with Chapman and McGeorge. Gotta wonder if this is gonna kill their incoming numbers, as I'm sure many of us have acceptances at better schools. Really bummed about it. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Yeah, I was expecting a bump up into the low hundreds. That isn't a good sign.

I will say that the rankings in general are skeptical. I have been accepted at two schools in the 60's range with scholarships and then placed on the wait list at a school ranked around 100. So I'm not sure what the rankings really mean. I have also been told that class ranking is more important versus school ranking (unless your a top notch school).

With Drexel stalling in the mid 120s, looks like it might not be the up-and-coming law school?

Yeah I hear the arguments against the rankings, and it sounds like 0Ls overthink them too much. But, they've got to be taken into account. Admissions-wise, I don't think Drexel is a TTT school; the median lsat is near 160. Their employment data is what has to be killing them. I'm hesitant about Drexel, but I'm not going to throw them under because of the rankings. If anything, this should just strengthen some arguments to squeeze some more money out of them, as I have some good scholarships from schools in the 60-90 range.

[Keasbey]

Withdrawing with a full merit scholarship, hopefully this money gets spread around to you guys. And, just my two cents on the above post about rankings, take a long, hard look at their LST profile before you go here without some money.

[magp90]

Withdrawing with a full merit scholarship, hopefully this money gets spread around to you guys. And, just my two cents on the above post about rankings, take a long, hard look at their LST profile before you go here without some money.

And you're also going to want to think about whether or not you'd still want to go without money, because the stip on the full ride is pretty harsh. (Having to maintain the median grade means a substantial percentage of those awarded will probably have to pay sticker by 2L).

[Lumieres]

Withdrawing with a full merit scholarship, hopefully this money gets spread around to you guys. And, just my two cents on the above post about rankings, take a long, hard look at their LST profile before you go here without some money.

And you're also going to want to think about whether or not you'd still want to go without money, because the stip on the full ride is pretty harsh. (Having to maintain the median grade means a substantial percentage of those awarded will probably have to pay sticker by 2L).

Isn't it just a 2.95 GPA stip?

[nick417]

Nice! I don't have a full scholarship, but I am pretty close to a full scholarship. I prepared my letter last night requesting more scholarship $$$. All you full scholarship people, keep dropping out haha.

The ranking are a concern, but I am still leaning toward Drexel. I have a job pretty much lined up after law school so the price of school is more important to me versus rankings. Also, I want to stay in Philly and I like University City much more than Temple and North Philly.

As for the Stip's, I talked to the Financial Aid Office and she did say its 50% of people maintain the scholarship. They curve it so the 2.95 GPA is the median grade.

[magp90]

Nice! I don't have a full scholarship, but I am pretty close to a full scholarship. I prepared my letter last night requesting more scholarship $$$. All you full scholarship people, keep dropping out haha.

The ranking are a concern, but I am still leaning toward Drexel. I have a job pretty much lined up after law school so the price of school is more important to me versus rankings. Also, I want to stay in Philly and I like University City much more than Temple and North Philly.

As for the Stip's, I talked to the Financial Aid Office and she did say its 50% of people maintain the scholarship. They curve it so the 2.95 GPA is the median grade.

Yeah, that's my point. It's somewhat difficult to predict how the first year will go academically, so just be sure that you would still think Drexel is worth it in the event that you were in the 50% of students who lost the scholarship.

[SoJerz13]

I think everyone needs to take into consideration that if 90% of the entering class receives some type of scholarship (some are very minimal), there is a guarantee that the percentage of people who lose it after their 1L year will be high. 1L's at ASD said that if you are going to actually put in the work to read and study then you shouldn't worry about scholarship retention.