Albany Law School

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Victoria Dutcher, Interim Director
Application deadline March 1
Full-time program application fee $70
Part-time program application fee $70
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 51.7% – High
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.31
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 153

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 51.7%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 151-157
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.05-3.53
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.31
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 153

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

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 0.00
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants N/A

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
JD/MS
JD/MBA
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
The Law Clinic & Justice Center and the Government Law Center offer students the chance to participate in representing clients in five in-house clinics and more than 140 placements. Students can spend a full semester working in a government agency in Albany, NY or in Washington, D.C. through the Semester in Government Program, a joint project of the Justice Center and the Government Law 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 121
Seminars 46
Positions available in seminars 1,012
Positions available in simulation courses 594
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 112
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Students engage in a full range of co-curricular offerings. Albany Law Review, a top cited journal, is joined by two other journals. A large number of Moot Court teams, compete and succeed nationally. Groups that focus on specific areas of law, others highlighting rich and diverse cultural traditions and sports clubs make Albany Law a dynamic, enriching and fun experience outside the classroom.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 59
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 716
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 426
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 98
Full-time students involved in field placements 192
Full-time students involved in law journals 172
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 25
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 42

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 13.1:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 72
Full-time minority faculty 18.2%
Part-time minority faculty 14.3%
Total faculty 77
Total faculty (men) 54.5%
Total faculty (women) 45.5%
Total faculty (minorities) 18.2%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#113 Best Law Schools

(2) Ranking by Specialties

#32 in Clinical Training
#127 in Law Firms Rank Schools

Law Ranking Scores

Score 37
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.1
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.5
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.05-3.53
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.31
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 151-157
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 153
Acceptance rate 51.7% – High
Student-faculty ratio 13.1:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 42.4% – Low
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 88.8% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 75.3% – Low
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar NY
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 76.4%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 686

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 670

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 16

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 2.9%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 7.6%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 4.0%
Female students discontinuing law school 2.8%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Andrea Wedler
Financial aid phone (518) 445-2357
Financial aid application deadline N/A

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $41,845 per year
Part-time: $31,455 per year
Room and board $10,100
Books $1,100
Miscellaneous expenses $6,800
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 16.6%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 17.5%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.7%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.4%
Median grant amount $20,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $15,000–$25,000
Full-time students receiving grants 35.2%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 12.5%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 37.5%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $15,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $11,250–$22,500
Part-time students receiving grants 50.0%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $129,326
Proportion who borrowed 87.4%
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) 87,272
Microform titles 121,625
Electronic titles 5,451
Other non-book titles 272
Total titles 214,620
Volumes (excluding microforms) 292,410
Volume equivalent microforms 429,883
Total volumes and volume equivalents 722,293
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 104
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 62
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 3
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 40
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 62
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 8
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 42
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 42
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 42
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 4

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, law school library
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 9
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 112
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 989
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 2
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 39
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 42,481
Total seats available for library users 432
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The main facility is a 5-story structure built in 1928. In 1967 2 wings were added; in 1986 a 43,000 sq. ft. library facility was opened; in 2001 an $8M renovation project was completed upgrading the infrastructure and building accessibility. In 2000 a 45,000 sq.ft. building was completed – it houses the Clinic, Government Law Center, classrooms, faculty, administrative offices.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar NY
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 75.3% – Low
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 76.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 250
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 42.4%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 88.8%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 12.4%
Graduates whose employment status is known 87.6%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 42.4%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 2.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 43.2%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 0.0%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 2.4%
Graduates whose employment status is known 97.6%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 88.8%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 2.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 5.2%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 1.6%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $45,000
Median private sector starting salary $56,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $77,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 44%
Median public service starting salary $50,345

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 1.8%
Percent employed in business and industry 23.0%
Percent employed in government 17.6%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 5.4%
Percent employed in law firms 47.7%
Percent employed in public interest 4.5%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 82%
Graduates employed out-of-state 17.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 1%
Number of states where graduates are employed 16
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.5%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 85.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 2.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 7.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.5%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 2.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 1.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 1.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Career counseling, interviews on/off-campus nationwide, plethora of career education programs, innovative online job search system, private online database of international opportunities. Great rapport with thousands of employers who give highest ratings to attentive staff. Success relies on international base of alumni who work in the most prestigious law firms and top government jobs.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 71.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 96.8%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 19.0%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 93.0%
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) 6.0%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 84.6%
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) 4.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 25.0%