Top Law Schools

Has anyone been accepted for 2016? Mine shows decision pending but everything was not in until 3/25, so i am sure it will be a few weeks.

Retake and reapply. Seriously.

OMG. Seriously retake. Someone on my Facebook newsfeed was so happy over an AveMaria admission and full ride. There is a very small alumni network and only 34% of students get jobs. Retake and reapply somewhere that actually gives you a fighting chance.

No option to relocate to another area. I need to be within driving distance. 158 and 3.65 GPa, I'm sure I could get in other places but not a viable option right now.

Sgttpc wrote:No option to relocate to another area. I need to be within driving distance. 158 and 3.65 GPa, I'm sure I could get in other places but not a viable option right now.

It's not exactly w/in driving distance, but if you could spare an hour theres FIU and UM. And if its not a viable option right now, then i would suggest waiting a year or two when you may be able to relocate.

I didn't even know this was a school. I thought it was another Princeton 2016 thread.

I will be starting law school at 43, after a 24 year law enforcement career. I have a high school student and a first year college student, so relocating is not an option.
Also, Ave has been around for a long time, previously located in Michigan. I plan on doing my own thing when I finish law school. UM and FiU are just too far for commuting. I toured Ave and I really liked it. Small classes ad the people were great. It works well for me.

Sgttpc wrote:I will be starting law school at 43, after a 24 year law enforcement career. I have a high school student and a first year college student, so relocating is not an option.
Also, Ave has been around for a long time, previously located in Michigan. I plan on doing my own thing when I finish law school. UM and FiU are just too far for commuting. I toured Ave and I really liked it. Small classes ad the people were great. It works well for me.

How much debt are you taking on to do this? Makes me cringe a little bit to be honest.

md22 wrote:

Sgttpc wrote:I will be starting law school at 43, after a 24 year law enforcement career. I have a high school student and a first year college student, so relocating is not an option.
Also, Ave has been around for a long time, previously located in Michigan. I plan on doing my own thing when I finish law school. UM and FiU are just too far for commuting. I toured Ave and I really liked it. Small classes ad the people were great. It works well for me.

How much debt are you taking on to do this? Makes me cringe a little bit to be honest.

Debt is definitely a big factor here, but I think OP might be one of the few people for whom Ave Maria is the right choice. As a former LEO, I'm sure s/he has some good ties with the SAO. My brother is a LEO and has really solid connections with the SAO I plan on utilizing sometime in the future. So if OP wanted to be a prosecutor, maybe Ave Maria wouldn't be too bad. I know he said he plans on going solo? But, that was a situation that came to mind for me.

I don't think this is a bad call. OP has strengths other than the name on his degree. Those numbers/experience should garner a nice scholarship. That being said, they could also possibly get you into a very nice school. But if you're certain that's not an option, go for it.

Debt/loans will be 50-60k. Fortunately my son got a full ride for UG, so I am able to use his prepaid money. I'm not too concerned with the loans as I can pay them off at the end of the three years if I need to. Going back to work for the state is not going to happen as prosec or PD. I have a few hooks in prob sector should I decide to not go on my own. I will do some work over summers with some friends to learn the ropes so to speak. I believe it's the best choice for me. I toured the school and liked it, and the people were great.

http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/31/gulag ... w-schools/

http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/wo ... stics.html

Ave Maria is widely regarded as one of the worst law schools in the country. You would be much better off waiting a few years until you can relocate and study somewhere else. You have a solid GPA. If you can bump up your LSAT a few points, you would be able to go to any school in Florida that you wanted.

Considering the awful employment prospects from Ave Maria and lower number of law school applicants, there's not even a guarantee that this school will survive for three years in order for you to finish your degree.

Employment prospects are not an issue for me. They have been around a long time, I am not too concerned about the next three years. I have a friend who went to Barry (regarded as a terrible school) and he does quite well. Thanks for the info.

Got my acceptance last week. Classes begin August 19. Orientation August 13-16. Anyone else attending?

What an appropriate name seeing as you're going to have do a lot of praying after graduation.

unless you don't plan on actually practicing law and/or plan on just living at your parent's villa in Downtown Naples/Olde Naples once you've graduated, don't bother with Ave. They boast about the size of their library and their faculty but if they really want to build a good school they shouldn't be a bottom dwelling school picking up the scraps. I'm a professional living in Naples and work suggested i attend Ave and work part time (i work in consulting), but i'm opting for a T14. Even a full ride doesn't justify Ave.

Unless ave really gets their act in order i don't ever see it being any more than the Cooley Law of SW Florida.

Sgttpc wrote:Employment prospects are not an issue for me. They have been around a long time, I am not too concerned about the next three years.

How are employment prospects not an issue for you? Is that not why you go to school, to get a freaking job? Are you aware that only 35% of ave Marie grads get jobs?
http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school= ... show=chars

Sgttpc wrote:I have a friend who went to Barry (regarded as a terrible school) and he does quite well. Thanks for the info

Do you know what anecdotal evidence is? I have a friend who dropped out of high school as does quite well. Maybe you should tell your son to drop out of high school?

Employment statistics are of no concern to me. I already have that in order. Fortunately for me, I am not a 23 year old kid who is depending on this to survive. I am retired from one career, and this is my second. Thank you for the statistics, but it means little to me.

kingjones59 wrote:

Sgttpc wrote:Employment prospects are not an issue for me. They have been around a long time, I am not too concerned about the next three years.

How are employment prospects not an issue for you? Is that not why you go to school, to get a freaking job? Are you aware that only 35% of ave Marie grads get jobs?
http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school= ... show=chars

Sgttpc wrote:I have a friend who went to Barry (regarded as a terrible school) and he does quite well. Thanks for the info

Do you know what anecdotal evidence is? I have a friend who dropped out of high school as does quite well. Maybe you should tell your son to drop out of high school?

Chill out man... clearly, the OP has made up his mind and decided this is the best route for him. If you look at the other posts he gives his reasonings and needs to do what he needs to do. I also do not recommend going to Ave Maria because of the poor job prospects and terrible reputation, but in the end, it's his life and his decision, not yours. No need to freak out, the OP is just looking to see if anyone else on these boards is joining him next year (which unfortunately I highly doubt on these boards Sgttpc).

Best of luck OP, but just as everyone else has said, don't expect things to be easy after graduation.

Thanks. People get so worked up over where others go its almost comical. Yes, I have my reasons for my choices, and you were correct, I was simply asking if anyone else was attending. I was not able to attend the admitted students open house.

I wish everyone the best of luck in the fall wherever they attend. ,

Sgttpc wrote:Thanks. People get so worked up over where others go its almost comical. Yes, I have my reasons for my choices, and you were correct, I was simply asking if anyone else was attending. I was not able to attend the admitted students open house.

I wish everyone the best of luck in the fall wherever they attend. ,

People get "worked up over where others go" because they see them walking about into the metaphorical street, and they can see a bus coming. They feel they have a moral obligation to warn you before it hits.

Quick question actually.

Is it possible that Ave Maria will not even be around in three years? In that case what options do they give their current students?

Just curious after thinking about these posts

brewcrew7000 wrote:Quick question actually.

Is it possible that Ave Maria will not even be around in three years? In that case what options do they give their current students?

Just curious after thinking about these posts

Unlikely that it will close up shop. It is part of Ave Maria University out in the Glades part of Naples, Fl. The school was founded by the old Dominos CEO and it is likely here to stay. The school has been around for quite some time and has pretty deep ties to the Vatican. Unless the ABA comes down on the lower tier schools i don't see it going anywhere.

isuperserial wrote:

Sgttpc wrote:Thanks. People get so worked up over where others go its almost comical. Yes, I have my reasons for my choices, and you were correct, I was simply asking if anyone else was attending. I was not able to attend the admitted students open house.

I wish everyone the best of luck in the fall wherever they attend. ,

People get "worked up over where others go" because they see them walking about into the metaphorical street, and they can see a bus coming. They feel they have a moral obligation to warn you before it hits.

To be fair, some people "get worked up" for this reason. Some are just douchebags and like to belittle others anonymously over the internet.

UMich11 wrote:The school has been around for quite some time

Both you and OP said this... Even including time in Michigan, hasn't the school only been in existence for 14 years? Wikipedia says it was founded in 1999.