Whittier Law School Forum

[Duchovnysfan]

I got an email this week from the Director of Admissions about an Open House for March 28th. However, it doesn't say whether it's for prospective or admitted students. It said that, "Please note: space is extremely limited and you must R.S.V.P. for this event by contacting the Office of Admissions by March 27th." Well for the hell of it, I RSVP and they answered me 20 mins after I replied. My first thought was this might be something for admitted students but I am not sure. Doesn't it seem a little late to be doing those for prospective students since their deadline for application is on Monday???

I am a bit confused and I haven't received a decision from them yet (although I checked the status checker and said "Admissions decision made")

Here's how the schedule looks like according to them:

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

10:00 a.m.. – 10:10 a.m. – Welcome
Judith F. Daar - Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

10:10 a.m.. – 10:30 a.m. – Introductions
Admissions - Director, Tom McColl
Financial Aid - Director, Jennifer Pham
Career Services - Director, Bonnie Saito
Student Services - Assistant Dean, Bill Carnahan
Institute of Legal Writing and Professional Skills - Associate Dean, Andrea Funk
Institute for Student and Graduate Support - Associate Dean, Paula Manning
Library – Associate Dean, Denny Haythorn

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Mock Class
Professor Patricia Leary

11:30 a.m.. – 12:00 p.m. – Financial Aid Question and Answer Period
Director, Jennifer Pham

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Lunch, Panel Discussions and Tours
Center for Children's Rights
Director, Jacquelyn Gentry
Jeanne Thomas, Assistant Director of the CCR Clinical Program

Center for International and Comparative Law
Director, Robert Webster

Center for Intellectual Property
Director, David Welkowitz
Director, Betsy Rosenblatt
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Additional Tours

Has anyone else who applied to Whittier got this e-mail? It just seems really off to me.....

Thanks so much in advance!

[amila143]

I am an admitted student and will be attending it as well. If you got an invite you are probably in. PM me if you have any more questions!

[Duchovnysfan]

Thank so much!!! I sent you a PM b/c I have a ton of questions......

[snowboardkrazy]

i got admitted, and i already went to a special "lunch and tour" thing about 3 weeks ago. i had never been to the school before and was curious to see the area and check out the campus.

i dunno, overall, i wasnt impressed. the whole campus felt like a weird office park/high school campus to me. it also didnt make me feel better when the tour guide told me that there is only about 100 people in the entire first year law class, and on top of that, he told me that the attrition rate is 50%!!!!!!! my mom thought he was joking or was totally misinformed, but low and behold, we looked at their brochure and online and that number is correct.

if you like small classes and knowing everyone you go to school with, then whittier might be a good place for you. for me personally though, i like having class with different people and i like having a bigger school-type environment.

i sat in on a class for about an hour and it was stimulating, but it all seemed very very casual. the professor showed up in blue jeans, sneakers and a tee shirt and most of the students were IM their friends or going on facebook the whole time.

the law library was nice though, pretty big and very helpful people working. and on the whole, the campus was clean and well taken care of.

in my opinion though, the people just seemed a little weird to me and it creeped me out that EVERYONE seemed to know EVERYONE that walked by. maybe it's just me, but i like a little anonymity.

[Duchovnysfan]

Thanks for all the info!

the whole campus felt like a weird office park/high school campus to me.

I have heard that so much, my alma mater had a reputation for that so it doesn't bother me too much.

that the attrition rate is 50%!!!!!!!

Although that bothers me very much, I hear from that either people transfer out or get kicked out, not really great options there....

most of the students were IM their friends or going on facebook the whole time.

I feel like this is everywhere, I sat in on a class at USC and I saw students on GMail, Google Talk, Facebook, Yahoo Sports. I don't know it kind of bothered me b/c I am trying so hard to get into law school for those people it may seemed effortless, but who knows I may have been doing the same thing to be fair

[amila143]

Does anyone know if scholarship offers for Whittier come with the acceptance letter or is there a separate one?

[snowboardkrazy]

Does anyone know if scholarship offers for Whittier come with the acceptance letter or is there a separate one?

mine came separate

[lakeshow42]

I am currently finishing my first year at Whittier, and the reason that there is almost a 50% attrition rate is due to the high rate of transfers out after thier first year. However if you fall below a 77 point avg you are dropped. Overall the level of education is good, and from what I've been learning through job searches is that aside from the top tier schools, it is all the same shit, and you really have to market yourself vs. the school you went to.

[Wellvis]

Whittier vs Golden Gate in SF....any opinions? Is one better than the other academically? Which has a better rep in CA?

[LizLemon]

Whittier vs Golden Gate in SF....any opinions? Is one better than the other academically? Which has a better rep in CA?

I don't know anything about Golden Gate but I would personally prefer Whittier because at least you're in a great neighborhood and you have your job prospects in Orange County. Basically, I like Orange County. It rocks.

[donzoli]

most of the students were IM their friends or going on facebook the whole time.

I feel like this is everywhere, I sat in on a class at USC and I saw students on GMail, Google Talk, Facebook, Yahoo Sports. I don't know it kind of bothered me b/c I am trying so hard to get into law school for those people it may seemed effortless, but who knows I may have been doing the same thing to be fair [/quote]

Happens everywhere

[haylie]

Whittier vs Golden Gate in SF....any opinions? Is one better than the other academically? Which has a better rep in CA?

Wellvis,
I'm in the same dilemma like yourself - but now it also includes Willamette.

Golden Gate doesn't have the best rep in the bay area due to it being on probation a few years back. However, the school has undergone a lot of changes to improve the school and quality of education there. They do have a seemingly decent Honors Lawyering Program.