South Texas College of Law

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Alicia K. Cramer
Application deadline February 15
Full-time program application fee $55
Part-time program application fee $55
Besides the fall semester, can enter in winter/spring

South Texas College of Law

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 44.3% – Medium
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.24
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 154

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 45.4%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 152-157
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.92-3.49
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.23
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 154

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 37.3%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 149-153
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.92-3.42
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 3.26
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 151

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A.
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Development of strong legal skills is important at South Texas, as evidenced by its nationally recognized Advocacy Program and its other three Centers of Excellence. South Texas offers numerous off-site clinics, placing students in the real world of lawyering. For students interested in the increased globalization of law, South Texas offers a wide variety of foreign programs throughout the year.
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 144
Seminars 20
Positions available in seminars 394
Positions available in simulation courses 426
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 238
Student activities (as provided by the school)
In addition to the South Texas Law Review, students have the opportunity to participate in the Currents International Trade Law Journal, Texas Business Law Journal, Corporate Counsel Review, and Construction Law Journal. Students may also become members of a wide range of active student organizations, and the Board of Advocates sponsors our award winning moot court and mock trial program.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 100
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 224
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 298
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 122
Full-time students involved in field placements 109
Full-time students involved in law journals 253
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 76
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 10

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 70
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 92
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 102
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 30
Part-time students involved in field placements 51
Part-time students involved in law journals 55
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 9
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 16

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 22.6:1 – High
Full- and part-time faculty 85
Full-time minority faculty 15.9%
Part-time minority faculty 14.6%
Total faculty 91
Total faculty (men) 67.0%
Total faculty (women) 33.0%
Total faculty (minorities) 15.4%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

Rank Not Published Best Law Schools

(2) Ranking by Specialties

RNP in Part-time Law
#5 in Trial Advocacy

Law Ranking Scores

Score N/A
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 1.7
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.2
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.92-3.48
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.24
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 152-157
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 154
Acceptance rate 44.3% – Medium
Student-faculty ratio 22.6:1 – High
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 85.0% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 86.8% – Medium
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar TX
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 82.5%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 1267

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 996

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 271

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 5.9%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 3.3%
Third-year students discontinuing law school 1.3%
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school 3.7%
Male students discontinuing law school 5.0%
Female students discontinuing law school 3.3%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Carlos R. Clark
Financial aid phone (713) 646-1820
Financial aid application deadline May 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $26,850 per year
Part-time: $18,100 per year
Room and board $13,300
Books $2,150
Miscellaneous expenses $5,700
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? No
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 37.4%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 2.5%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.1%
Median grant amount $4,200
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $1,500–$8,200
Full-time students receiving grants 40.1%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 22.5%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 0.4%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.7%
Median grant amount $1,350
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $900–$2,759
Part-time students receiving grants 23.6%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $114,170
Proportion who borrowed 86.2%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? Yes

Law School Library

Library Information Resources

Print titles (excluding nonbook titles) 61,739
Microform titles 57,137
Electronic titles 64,280
Other non-book titles 789
Total titles 183,945
Volumes (excluding microforms) 237,970
Volume equivalent microforms 295,556
Total volumes and volume equivalents 533,526
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 No

Library Schedule of Operation

Number of hours per week library is open on a regular schedule 106
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 79
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 22
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 70
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 8
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 80
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 68
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 3
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 62
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
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 17
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 1,200
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 130
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 50
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 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 73,746
Total seats available for library users 895
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) South Texas ensures that its students have access to superior facilities. The six-story, 72,000 square foot Fred Parks Law Library is wired for data and power at all 895 seats, and is crowned with a conference center and rooftop terrace for student enjoyment and special events. The T. Gerald Treece Courtroom houses a nine-seat judges’ bench and boasts the very latest courtroom technology.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar TX
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 86.8% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 82.5%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 381
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 85.0%

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 7.3%
Graduates whose employment status is known 92.7%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 85.0%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 4.2%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 2.4%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $70,000
Median private sector starting salary $81,250
75th percentile private sector starting salary $130,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 25%
Median public service starting salary $57,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 0.9%
Percent employed in business and industry 20.7%
Percent employed in government 10.5%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 2.2%
Percent employed in law firms 62.7%
Percent employed in public interest 3.1%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 95%
Graduates employed out-of-state 4.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 1%
Number of states where graduates are employed 12
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 0.3%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 0.6%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 1.9%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.3%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 95.4%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 0.3%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 0.6%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations In light of today’s competitive job market, the Career Resources Center (CRC) provides South Texas students and graduates with a full range of employment search services. In addition to on-campus recruiting, the CRC also offers workshops on resume preparation and developing interviewing skills. The CRC staff helps students explore career options while helping them build valuable job search skills.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 83.6%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 82.7%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 11.1%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 77.8%
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) 4.9%
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) 0.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions N/A