The College of Law at Florida State University

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Jennifer Kessinger
Application deadline March 15
Full-time program application fee $30
Part-time program application fee N/A
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The College of Law at Florida State University

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 27.0% – Low
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.47
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 162

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 27.0%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 160-163
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.18-3.68
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.47
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 162

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./M.S.W.
J.D./M.S. International Affairs J.D./M.S. Information Studies
J.D./M.P.A. J.D./M.S. Family and Child Sciences
J.D./M.S. Economics J.D./M.S. Sport Management
J.D./M.URP.
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Florida State Law has strong programs in environmental law, international law, business, criminal law and tax. Students may earn certificates in business, environmental and international law. Additionally, the law school offers nine joint-degree programs including a J.D./M.B.A., an extensive clinical externship program, an in-house legal clinic, and an Oxford Summer Program.
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 130
Seminars 16
Positions available in seminars 288
Positions available in simulation courses 1,001
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 49
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Florida State Law students can earn academic credit for participating in the school’s three student-edited journals and nationally recognized trial and appellate advocacy teams. Students can also join a wide variety of social and professional student organizations like the Women’s Law Symposium, the Dispute Resolution Society, BLSA, LAWtinos, and OUTLaw.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 67
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 241
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 626
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 49
Full-time students involved in field placements 136
Full-time students involved in law journals 183
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 57
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 7

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 14.4:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 69
Full-time minority faculty 16.7%
Part-time minority faculty 6.1%
Total faculty 90
Total faculty (men) 58.9%
Total faculty (women) 41.1%
Total faculty (minorities) 13.3%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#51 Best Law Schools

(3) Ranking by Specialties

#8 in Environmental Law
#81 in Law Firms Rank Schools
#23 in Tax Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score 55
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.9
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.9
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.18-3.68
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.47
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 160-163
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 162
Acceptance rate 27.0% – Low
Student-faculty ratio 14.4:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 74.7% – Medium
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 91.4% – High
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 86.2% – Medium
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar FL
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 77.6%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 729

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 729

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) N/A
Gender distribution (part-time) N/A

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 10.0%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 1.4%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 3.4%
Female students discontinuing law school 2.6%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Law School Liaison
Financial aid phone (850) 644-5716
Financial aid application deadline March 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $18,343 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $37,905 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board $10,000
Books $1,500
Miscellaneous expenses $6,200
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 29.9%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 12.1%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.4%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 1.8%
Median grant amount $3,500
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $1,000–$11,000
Full-time students receiving grants 44.2%

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 $77,804
Proportion who borrowed 87.9%
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) 92,920
Microform titles 111,639
Electronic titles 21,852
Other non-book titles 1,452
Total titles 227,863
Volumes (excluding microforms) 308,421
Volume equivalent microforms 212,112
Total volumes and volume equivalents 520,533
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 168
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 50
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 0
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 20
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 50
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 12
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 168
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 50
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 0
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 0
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 50
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) 4
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 0
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 0
Does the law school have a wireless network? Yes
Wireless network is available in the law library, in classrooms, in administrative/faculty offices and work areas, elsewhere in the law school
Does the school require entering students to own a computer? Yes

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 30,231
Total seats available for library users 444
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) Florida State Law is expanding into a completely remodeled building that has five courtrooms, classrooms and faculty and clinic offices. It is adjacent to the present facilities, which features classrooms and student study spaces that are recently remodeled, a spacious student lounge, and faculty offices located close to classrooms to encourage student-faculty interaction.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar FL
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 86.2% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 77.6%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 245
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 74.7%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 91.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 0.0%
Graduates whose employment status is known 100.0%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 74.7%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.6%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 9.8%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 13.9%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 0.4%
Graduates whose employment status is known 99.6%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 91.4%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 2.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 0.4%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 5.7%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $55,000
Median private sector starting salary $65,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $90,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 45%
Median public service starting salary $42,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 2.2%
Percent employed in business and industry 12.1%
Percent employed in government 25.9%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 5.8%
Percent employed in law firms 46.0%
Percent employed in public interest 8.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 83%
Graduates employed out-of-state 15.2%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 1%
Number of states where graduates are employed 19
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 2.1%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 1.8%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.9%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 90.6%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.5%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 0.9%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 0.5%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 0.9%
Employment location unknown 0.5%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations The Placement Office helps students acquire the tools needed to successfully launch legal careers. The office offers individualized assistance, on-campus and off-campus interview programs, a mentorship program, and seminars on topics ranging from effective resume writing to interviewing techniques. It also hosts many small-group networking events for students, including by teleconference.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 78.1%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 99.4%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 17.0%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 71.1%
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) 3.1%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 57.1%
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) 1.8%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 50.0%