Drake University Law School

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Kara Blanchard
Application deadline April 1
Full-time program application fee $50
Part-time program application fee $50
Besides the fall semester, can enter in summer

Drake University Law School

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 55.5% – High
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.40
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 156

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 55.6%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 153-158
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.06-3.64
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.40
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 156

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 10.0%
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.P.A.
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Drake has live-client clinics in civil practice, criminal defense, appellate practice, elder law, domestic violence, immigration, tax and children’s rights; centers for Constitutional Law, Children’s Rights, Agricultural Law, Legislative Practice and Intellectual Property Law; a unique First-Year Trial Practicum; a Summer in France Program; and around 140 students in internships.
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 102
Seminars 12
Positions available in seminars 227
Positions available in simulation courses 484
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 106
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Students participate in more than 25 student organizations. In terms of citations by US Courts, Drake Law Review is in the top 30 of more than 550 student-edited journals. Drake’s Journal of Agricultural Law is a recognized leader in the field. The Moot Court Program is regularly successful in national competitions. The Student Bar Association has won national recognition the last 3 years.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 79
Is there typically a full-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? Yes
Typical size of first-year “small section” 46
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 169
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 307
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 106
Full-time students involved in field placements 138
Full-time students involved in law journals 77
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 70
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 25

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)? No
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 14.2:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 46
Full-time minority faculty 19.2%
Part-time minority faculty 5.0%
Total faculty 56
Total faculty (men) 64.3%
Total faculty (women) 35.7%
Total faculty (minorities) 12.5%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#106 Best Law Schools

(3) Ranking by Specialties

#22 in Intellectual Property Law
#67 in Law Firms Rank Schools
#19 in Legal Writing

Law Ranking Scores

Score 40
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.0
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 3.0
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.06-3.64
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.40
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 153-158
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 156
Acceptance rate 55.5% – High
Student-faculty ratio 14.2:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 43.4% – Low
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 89.5% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 90.7% – Medium
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar IA
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 90.6%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 447

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 434

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 13

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 7.5%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 0.7%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 1.6%
Female students discontinuing law school 4.2%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Kara Blanchard
Financial aid phone (515) 271-2782
Financial aid application deadline March 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $34,006 per year
Part-time: $1,165 per credit
Room and board $10,800
Books $1,500
Miscellaneous expenses $6,335
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 34.1%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 20.5%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 5.3%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 3.2%
Median grant amount $15,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $7,995–$19,000
Full-time students receiving grants 63.1%

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 $98,284
Proportion who borrowed 90.6%
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) 51,258
Microform titles 5,035
Electronic titles 23,700
Other non-book titles 518
Total titles 80,511
Volumes (excluding microforms) 221,725
Volume equivalent microforms 123,027
Total volumes and volume equivalents 344,752
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 110
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 64
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 45
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 64
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 18
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 88
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 45
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 45
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 45
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 8

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) 2
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 160
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 32
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 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 50,541
Total seats available for library users 705
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The law school campus includes three buildings which offer wireless and wired connections. The award-winning Dwight D. Opperman Hall and Law Library is a focal point for research and study and offers more than 700 seats. Clinical programs are housed in the spacious Smith Law Center, which includes an extraordinary, technologically enhanced courtroom. Cartwright Hall is the main classroom building.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar IA
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 90.7% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 90.6%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 143
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 43.4%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 89.5%

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 43.4%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.4%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 49.7%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 5.6%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 0.0%
Graduates whose employment status is known 100.0%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 89.5%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.4%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 3.5%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 5.6%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $42,640
Median private sector starting salary $55,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $72,500
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 30%
Median public service starting salary $47,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 0.8%
Percent employed in business and industry 22.7%
Percent employed in government 15.6%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 3.9%
Percent employed in law firms 54.7%
Percent employed in public interest 2.3%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 70%
Graduates employed out-of-state 29.7%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 0%
Number of states where graduates are employed 19
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 2.3%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 6.3%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 71.9%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 3.9%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 0.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 1.6%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 14.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations The Career Development Office has two full-time professionals, both lawyers, who sponsor programs and workshops, engage alumni and friends, and counsel students individually to help them to identify and pursue job opportunities. Drake students repeatedly express strong satisfaction with the office as demonstrated in very positive results in the Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE).

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 69.2%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 98.0%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 6.3%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 100.0%
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) 10.5%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 93.3%
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) 2.8%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 50.0%