| |
|
« Top TLS Profiles - Third/Fourth Tier - TLS Programs - TLS Stats - Rankings Syracuse University College of LawThe Syracuse University College of Law, with its cold weather and up-state New York location, may not appeal to some applicants. That may be their loss, however, as Syracuse enjoys a reputation that exceeds its ranking and increasingly strong academic programs. Admissions & Tuition With an acceptance rate of nearly 50%, it is of no surprise that Syracuse earned an admissions selectivity dating of 60/100 from the Princeton Review. Last year, the 25th to 75th percentile GPA range for admitted students was 3.1–3.6 and the range for the LSAT was 152-156 according to the Princeton Review. The medians for such measures were 3.31 and 155, respectively. While admissions standards may be low, tuition is most certainly not. In 2007, Syracuse charged nearly $42,000 in tuition alone. Combine this with the roughly $11,000 required for room and board, $1,200 for book costs, and $4,000 for miscellaneous fees, and the total cost of attendance for one year at Syracuse is a daunting $58,200. A school of Syracuse’s rank could perhaps justify such a high cost if its students generally enjoyed great career prospects with high starting salaries; but, that is not the case (see employment section below). Nearly 75% of Syracuse students do receive financial aid, however. Last year, grants ranged from $4,700 to $15,070 for the 25th to 75th percentiles, respectively. The median grant was $7,600. Regardless of the efforts of the Financial Aid Office, Syracuse graduates still average over $99,000 of debt upon graduation (USNews). Bar Passage & Employment Prospects Syracuse sports a bar passage rate of 79.6%. While this rate is higher than the state-wide (New York) rate of 77%, it is hardly encouraging to know that over 20% of Syracuse students have to take the Bar (at least) a second time. Unfortunately, Syracuse’s shortcomings continue beyond the Bar. Only 62% of Syracuse graduates are known to have employment at the time of graduation, leaving nearly 40% of graduates jobless for at least some time. There is hope for Syracuse students, however: within nine months of graduation, 92% of students generally find work—and those who do enjoy more national mobility than most schools ranked similarly to Syracuse. While 37% of graduates end up working in New York, graduates in 2006 found work in 20 other states around the Country. 24% of students found work below the Mason Dixon Line, and 6% went as far as the Pacific States. This is a testament to the reputation that Syracuse enjoys around the country. According to the Princeton Review, the majority of Syracuse graduates work in either the private sector (43%), business (19%), government jobs (14%), or judicial clerkships (13%). Some students also found work in public interest fields (5%), academia (4%) and the Military (2%). Those who entered the private sector earned the most, with starting salaries that ranged from $45,000 to $85,000 for the 25th to 75th percentiles. The median in the private sector was $65,000. The median in public service was $42,000. Academics Syracuse Law School is making a concentrated effort to boost its national reputation. The grading curve has gotten tighter, attendance policies more rigid and the curriculum more challenging. This is not to say that Syracuse’s academic program was in dire need of revamping. The school boasts a powerful trial advocacy program, tied with Harvard Law for the 12th spot in the USNews specialty rankings. What’s more, students can take advantage of the numerous opportunities for research and practical experience provided by Syracuse’s many clinics and legal centers. If all of this wasn’t enough, Syracuse Law School students can add to their coursework by cross-registering with one of Syracuse’s many other graduate schools. Or, for students with a strong interest in another field, Syracuse offers a number of joint degrees. For example, students at Syracuse Law School can choose to complement their JD with a Master’s in Social Work, Business Administration, or Public Administration, among other degrees (though they can expect the admissions standards for the MPA degree to be much higher than those of the JD program, as Syracuse’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is among the best in the country). Syracuse Law School also offers international exposure, with study abroad programs and international moot court competitions. Syracuse’s academic program does have its weakness, however, including, among other flaws, a cramped library with too few resources, and an administration focused more on incoming students than on existing ones. Quality of life Syracuse is cold; and its winters are really cold. So if you prefer warm weather, stay away. The growing crime rate does not speak well for life in Syracuse either. Beyond that, however, there seem to be few downsides to life in Syracuse. The law shares a campus with its undergraduate counterpart. As a result, sports and drinking tend to dominate social activities. Syracuse has a healthy bar scene and there is plenty of live music. For those who want to get further away from campus, upstate New York provides a plethora of opportunities for outdoor recreation. Water sports at Finger Lakes, Snowboarding at Hunter Mountain, Backpacking in the Adirondacks…. the list goes on. To top it all off, housing is generally inexpensive. So, for students who don’t mind consistently cold weather (often times brutally so), Syracuse University College of Law has plenty to offer as far as quality-of-life is concerned. Conclusion Tuition could be lower, and employment prospects could be higher; but students who do well at Syracuse are likely to reap life-long benefits, and as Syracuse Law School continues to grow, so will the prospects for future graduates. Quick Reference U.S. News Ranking: 100 |
University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law Mercer University Law School Stetson University School of Law Syracuse University College of Law University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Law Pacific McGeorge School of Law Chapman University School of Law Cleveland State University, Marshall College of Law Creighton University School of Law Franklin Pierce Law Center Quinnipiac University School of Law The University of St. Thomas School of Law University of Wyoming, College of Law West Virginia University College of Law William Mitchell College of Law Florida International University College of Law Florida Coastal School of Law CUNY School of Law Campbell University School of Law Barry University School of Law Oklahoma City University School of Law Regent University School of Law South Texas College of Law Touro College – Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law The University of Dayton School of Law University of the District of Columbia - David A. Clarke School of Law University of Detroit Mercy School of Law University of North Dakota School of Law University of Tulsa College of Law Mississippi College School of Law John Marshall Law School (Chicago) Albany Law School Appalachian School of Law Ave Maria School of Law Southern University Law Center Southwestern Law School St. Mary's University School of Law St. Thomas University School of Law Texas Wesleyan University School of Law Thomas Jefferson School of Law Howard University Law School Texas Tech Law School New York Law School The University of Missouri – Kansas City Northern Kentucky University – Salmon P. Chase College of Law California Western School of Law |