The School of Law at Southern Illinois University–Carbondale

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Akami Marik
Application deadline N/A
Full-time program application fee $50
Part-time program application fee N/A
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The School of Law at Southern Illinois University--Carbondale

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 50.5% – High
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.30
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 153

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 50.5%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 151-156
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.96-3.62
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.30
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 153

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Applicants N/A
Acceptance rate N/A
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) N/A
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) N/A
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants N/A
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants N/A

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A. J.D./Ph.D
J.D./M.Acc J.D./M.S.W.
J.D./M.P.A. J.D./MS.Ed.
J.D./M.D. J.D./MS E CE
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Two in-house clinics: civil practice/elder law, and domestic violence. Externships in public interest and judicial offices (legal services, prosecutors, public defenders, judges, local and state agencies). Summer Study Abroad Program in Ireland. Semester-in-Practice programs in Springfield & Chicago,IL and southeast MO. Other programs: Center for Health Law and Policy, and Self Help Legal Center.
Programs/courses offered in
appellate advocacy intellectual property law
clinical training international law
dispute resolution tax law
environmental law trial advocacy
health care law

Curricular Offerings (Overall)

Classroom course titles, beyond the first-year curriculum, offered last year 72
Seminars 8
Positions available in seminars 96
Positions available in simulation courses 595
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 52
Student activities (as provided by the school)
The School of Law publishes the Southern Illinois University Law Journal, and students write and edit articles for the Journal of Legal Medicine. Students compete in several appellate moot court and trial competitions,and administer the National Health Law Moot Court competition hosted by SIU. Students are also active in more than twenty student organizations.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 72
Is there typically a full-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? No
Typical size of first-year “small section” N/A
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 60
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 344
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 38
Full-time students involved in field placements 105
Full-time students involved in law journals 65
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 35
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 16

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) N/A
Is there typically a part-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? N/A
Positions filled in part-time program seminars N/A
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses N/A
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses N/A
Part-time students involved in field placements N/A
Part-time students involved in law journals N/A
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions N/A
Part-time students enrolled in independent study N/A

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 12.7:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 33
Full-time minority faculty 16.0%
Part-time minority faculty 12.5%
Total faculty 43
Total faculty (men) 46.5%
Total faculty (women) 53.5%
Total faculty (minorities) 16.3%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

Rank Not Published Best Law Schools

(1) Ranking by Specialties

#129 in Law Firms Rank Schools

Law Ranking Scores

Score N/A
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 1.8
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.5
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.96-3.62
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.30
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 151-156
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 153
Acceptance rate 50.5% – High
Student-faculty ratio 12.7:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 72.6% – Low
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 74.5% – Low
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar IL
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 89.2%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 376

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 373

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 3

Attrition Rates for Full- and Part-time Students (2010-2011)

First-year students discontinuing law school 9.0%
Second-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 3.8%
Female students discontinuing law school 2.8%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Terri Harfst
Financial aid phone (618) 453-4334
Financial aid application deadline April 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $15,994 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $36,154 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board $11,214
Books $1,150
Miscellaneous expenses $2,675
Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? Yes
Does the university offer housing restricted to law students? No
Does the university offer graduate student housing for which law students are eligible? Yes
Does the university offer a public-interest scholarship program to current J.D. students? Yes

Grants (Full-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 26.0%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 10.5%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 3.8%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 1.3%
Median grant amount $5,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $4,000–$8,000
Full-time students receiving grants 41.6%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full N/A
Students receiving grants of full tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition N/A
Median grant amount N/A
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) N/A
Part-time students receiving grants N/A

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $66,160
Proportion who borrowed 85.6%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? No

Law School Library

Library Information Resources

Print titles (excluding nonbook titles) 229,482
Microform titles 3,759
Electronic titles 4,092
Other non-book titles 1,061
Total titles 238,394
Volumes (excluding microforms) 236,996
Volume equivalent microforms 206,555
Total volumes and volume equivalents 443,551
Number of volumes in the collection that are stored off site and are systematically retrievable 0
Library’s online catalog or website includes links to electronic titles or databases made available by another campus library or consortia Yes

Library Schedule of Operation

Number of hours per week library is open on a regular schedule 78
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 49
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 26
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 3
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 49
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 20
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 62
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 40
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 20
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 1
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 40
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 0

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, law school library, university information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 3
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 5
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 7
Does the law school have a wireless network? Yes
Wireless network is available in the law library, in classrooms, in computer labs, in administrative/faculty offices and work areas, elsewhere in the law school
Does the school require entering students to own a computer? No

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 39,358
Total seats available for library users 349
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The library houses the collection, study spaces, student carrels, and service areas. The Lesar Law Building has six classrooms, a courtroom and an auditorium. A wireless network covers the entire building. The adjacent Welcome Center houses offices for the law journal. The clinical programs and emeritus faculty offices are located directly across the street in Kaplan Hall.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar IL
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 74.5% – Low
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 89.2%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 135
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 72.6%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown N/A
Graduates whose employment status is known N/A
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program N/A
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work N/A
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work N/A

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 8.1%
Graduates whose employment status is known 91.9%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 72.6%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 4.4%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 14.1%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 0.7%

Starting Salaries of Graduates Employed Full-time (Class of 2010)

25th percentile private sector starting salary $40,000
Median private sector starting salary $50,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $61,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 71%
Median public service starting salary $41,500

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 2.0%
Percent employed in business and industry 15.3%
Percent employed in government 20.4%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 5.1%
Percent employed in law firms N/A
Percent employed in public interest 1.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field N/A

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 62%
Graduates employed out-of-state 36.7%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 1%
Number of states where graduates are employed 11
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) N/A
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) N/A
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 66.3%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 7.1%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 6.1%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 13.3%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 4.1%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) N/A
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 2.0%
Employment location unknown N/A

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Comprehensive services including individual counseling; extensive topical programming; access to comprehensive career services application, Symplicity; job development and information distribution including an online vacancy bulletin; full reciprocity services; an annual law career fair; and employer outreach and facilitation.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 81.6%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 98.8%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 8.2%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 62.5%
Professional other (jobs that require professional skills or training but for which a J.D. is neither preferred nor particularly applicable; e.g., accountant, teacher, business manager, nurse) 4.1%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 75.0%
Non-professional other (job that does not require any professional skills or training or is taken on a temporary basis and not viewed as part of a career path) 6.1%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 66.7%