Comments on: Law School Proliferation http://legalgeekery.com/2009/11/06/law-school-proliferation/ An outlet for some geeks in law school Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:57:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Joshua Auriemma http://legalgeekery.com/2009/11/06/law-school-proliferation/comment-page-1/#comment-3659 Joshua Auriemma Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:20:36 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2498#comment-3659 Well, it's a fact that when PSU bought Dickinson, they were a tier 4 school. Now we're jumping up in the rankings every year and many people smarter than me about such things think our place is in tier 1. Why? Because PSU has the national recognition that can attract smart professors and smart students. Penn State also has a lot of money to invest in the school, which doesn't hurt. We just opened a beautiful new state-of-the-art building last semester (thanks Lewis Katz!), and another (the original renovated building) is opening in the next few months. Sadly, private law schools are a dying breed. Take a look at the top law schools and I can't think of any private ones off the top of my head. I actually had a nice chat with your dean about the US News model and why it's clearly a sham, but sadly it's what good students use to gauge law schools, so it's what we're stuck with. Well, it’s a fact that when PSU bought Dickinson, they were a tier 4 school. Now we’re jumping up in the rankings every year and many people smarter than me about such things think our place is in tier 1. Why? Because PSU has the national recognition that can attract smart professors and smart students.

Penn State also has a lot of money to invest in the school, which doesn’t hurt. We just opened a beautiful new state-of-the-art building last semester (thanks Lewis Katz!), and another (the original renovated building) is opening in the next few months.

Sadly, private law schools are a dying breed. Take a look at the top law schools and I can’t think of any private ones off the top of my head. I actually had a nice chat with your dean about the US News model and why it’s clearly a sham, but sadly it’s what good students use to gauge law schools, so it’s what we’re stuck with.

]]> By: Jon Bartelson http://legalgeekery.com/2009/11/06/law-school-proliferation/comment-page-1/#comment-3656 Jon Bartelson Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:42:34 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2498#comment-3656 @Adam: I have to say there may be some value in keeping SNESL around, accredited or not. It does provide a location for the study of law on the south shore to students that might not otherwise have the ability to commute to another school in the state. @Josh: What do you think were the major improvements at PSD after the acquisition? (in 140 characters or less ;) @Adam: I have to say there may be some value in keeping SNESL around, accredited or not. It does provide a location for the study of law on the south shore to students that might not otherwise have the ability to commute to another school in the state.

@Josh: What do you think were the major improvements at PSD after the acquisition? (in 140 characters or less ;)

]]> By: Joshua Auriemma http://legalgeekery.com/2009/11/06/law-school-proliferation/comment-page-1/#comment-3651 Joshua Auriemma Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:15:23 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2498#comment-3651 I feel super prepared to comment on this as: (1) I'm a UMass alum; and (2) I'm a law student at a private law school recently purchased by a giant state school. I've been hearing the arguments about how UMass is already in financial trouble, which is worrisome. Still, Penn State Dickinson is a good example of how a public school can breathe life into a dying institution. As Adam said, this won't actually create a new law school in Massachusetts, thankfully. I think most of us can agree that MA is already pretty over-saturated with law schools. I feel super prepared to comment on this as: (1) I’m a UMass alum; and (2) I’m a law student at a private law school recently purchased by a giant state school.

I’ve been hearing the arguments about how UMass is already in financial trouble, which is worrisome. Still, Penn State Dickinson is a good example of how a public school can breathe life into a dying institution.

As Adam said, this won’t actually create a new law school in Massachusetts, thankfully. I think most of us can agree that MA is already pretty over-saturated with law schools.

]]> By: Adam http://legalgeekery.com/2009/11/06/law-school-proliferation/comment-page-1/#comment-3649 Adam Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:48:50 +0000 http://legalgeekery.com/?p=2498#comment-3649 UMass buying SNESL isn't going to create yet another law school, just provide one that 'might' become ABA certified. As it stands right now, this deal is just going to provide the attachment of the UMass name and technically make it 'public', but the tuition cost is already expected to rise. I currently attend another of Massachusetts non-ABA schools and can say that I pay half of what SNESL charges, so making it a 'public' school isn't going to provide a more affordable solution that isn't already there. UMass buying SNESL isn’t going to create yet another law school, just provide one that ‘might’ become ABA certified. As it stands right now, this deal is just going to provide the attachment of the UMass name and technically make it ‘public’, but the tuition cost is already expected to rise.

I currently attend another of Massachusetts non-ABA schools and can say that I pay half of what SNESL charges, so making it a ‘public’ school isn’t going to provide a more affordable solution that isn’t already there.

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