Mr Cooper wrote:
omg clay aiken ! wrote:
paradox wrote:
compounding the case for not attending Syracuse Law is the insane grading curve that was introduced for the Class of 2014 and which resulted in a record number of students who either failed out or who quit rather than put up with the crap. The SU law student that advised me to not attend SU Law indicated that the grading policy made everyone's life miserable and unnecessarily cut throat and made renewal of scholarships requiring a 3.0 very- very difficult.
See link:
http://law.syr.edu/professional-career- ... olicy.aspxRecent Syracuse Law grad here... I don't think a lot of this criticism (as well as much of other criticism in this thread, for that matter) is fair. The curve at Syracuse (2.9-3.1 median 1l year) is pretty standard; some schools' curves are a bit more generous, while others' are harsher. But in the end it doesn't matter since the set GPA ranges for curves are arbitrary, and vary from school to school. Employers recognize this and know that the only meaningful indicator of someone's law school performance is class rank.
Regarding students in the bottom 10% failing out: I'd submit that the school is doing them a favor. Instead of milking these students for tuition for another two years with literally 0 employment prospects when they get out (and an additional 100k in debt), the school's forcing them to do something they should have done voluntarily anyways.
Regarding the tuition: it's high. There's no question it's definitely too high. Make sure you do the essays when you apply, because almost everyone who does gets a pretty generous scholarship. I don't regret coming to Syracuse at all, and neither do any of my close friends. The professors are wonderful, the students are friendly (and not competitive at all), and employment prospects are not nearly as grim as this thread makes them out to be (definitely not as regional as most on TLS make it seem... it has good reach with a lot of loyal alums around the country). I have a good job and most of my friends have good jobs.
If you come to Syracuse focused, for the right reasons, ready to work incredibly hard, you will have everything you need to succeed.
Few questions:
1) When did you graduate?
2) Where were you ranked in your class?
3) What is your debt to salary ratio?
4) What kind of jobs are most of the people you know getting?
I'm just wondering because graduates from there are taking out an average of $120k in loans. I think that many of the concerns regarding employment prospects aren't just relating to finding a legal job, but one that will allow someone to pay back their loans and manage a decently comfortable life.
1. 2012
2. Top 10%
3. 50k debt (im clerking for a yr)
4. Big firms/midsize firms/small firms in upstate NY (Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo); several people with big law in NYC, LA, Boston, etc. Lots of people heading to DA's/PD's offices. A few others clerking. Some doing non-legal compliance type work at banks. A common sentiment on these boards is that a school like Buffalo is always a better choice for someone considering Syracuse. You'd be surprised at the law school's national reach and supportive alumni base across the country.
Look, your concern about tuition is a legitimate one... it's way too expensive. I wouldn't have come here if I knew I'd come out with 100k+ in debt. Some of my friends do have that kind of debt, but they understood the risks coming in, worked hard, approached their job search with the right mindset, and have employment that makes that debt manageable. People towards the bottom of the class who didn't do those things are likely in trouble job-wise, but that's certainly not unique to Syracuse.
It's also worth mentioning the dual degree programs. Maxwell and Newhouse are among the best programs in the country in their respective fields, and a law student can get a dual degree for no extra cost. Food for thought..
I'm happy to answer any other questions
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 11:02 am 
