California Western School of Law

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Traci Howard
Application deadline April 1
Full-time program application fee $55
Part-time program application fee $55
Besides the fall semester, can enter in winter/spring

California Western School of Law

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 57.2% – High
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.21
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 153

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 57.8%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 150-156
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.94-3.49
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.22
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 153

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 49.4%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 149-154
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.73-3.55
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 3.15
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 153

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.S.W.
J.D./Ph.D. History
J.D./M.B.A.
J.D./Ph.D. Political Science
Health Law Masters in Advanced Studies
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Special programs include Calif. Innocence Project,STEPPS Program, Proyecto ACCESO, Street Law/Community Law Project. Areas of concentration are Health, International, Intell. Property, Business, Family, Employment Law and Creative Problem Solving. Others are study abroad, dual-degree programs with UCSD and SDSU, and clinical internships. www.cwsl.edu/specialprograms
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 118
Seminars 34
Positions available in seminars 792
Positions available in simulation courses 1,794
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 74
Student activities (as provided by the school)
In support of our desire to be “what law school ought to be”, we offer numerous student activities, including two law journals; trial, negotiation and appellate teams; and many diverse student organizations which address a variety of legal and social issues. Our competition teams have successfully competed in tournaments throughout the country. www.cwsl.edu/currentstudents

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 80
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 493
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 1,156
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 60
Full-time students involved in field placements 183
Full-time students involved in law journals 72
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 37
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 19

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 62
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 159
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 7
Part-time students involved in field placements 13
Part-time students involved in law journals 8
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 3
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 3

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 16.9:1 – High
Full- and part-time faculty 80
Full-time minority faculty 10.0%
Part-time minority faculty 18.0%
Total faculty 108
Total faculty (men) 53.7%
Total faculty (women) 46.3%
Total faculty (minorities) 15.7%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

Rank Not Published Best Law Schools

(1) Ranking by Specialties

#54 in Part-time Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score N/A
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 1.7
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.0
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.93-3.5
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.21
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 150-156
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 153
Acceptance rate 57.2% – High
Student-faculty ratio 16.9:1 – High
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 74.6% – Low
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 69.6% – Low
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 64.8%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 827

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 681

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 146

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 17.1%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 0.3%
Third-year students discontinuing law school 1.0%
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 6.8%
Female students discontinuing law school 6.3%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director William Kahler
Financial aid phone (619) 525-7060
Financial aid application deadline April 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $42,600 per year
Part-time: $29,920 per year
Room and board $12,600
Books $1,350
Miscellaneous expenses $9,210
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 26.7%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 23.8%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 1.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 8.8%
Median grant amount $20,340
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $10,170–$35,260
Full-time students receiving grants 60.4%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 11.0%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 8.2%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.7%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 7.5%
Median grant amount $18,975
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $8,655–$37,552
Part-time students receiving grants 27.4%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $153,145
Proportion who borrowed 89.0%
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) 58,871
Microform titles 89,252
Electronic titles 53,071
Other non-book titles 1,073
Total titles 202,267
Volumes (excluding microforms) 188,892
Volume equivalent microforms 162,493
Total volumes and volume equivalents 351,385
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 110
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 80
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 5
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 25
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 77
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 3
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 56
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 0
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 16
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 40
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) 7
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 355
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 122
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 41
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 22
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 36,932
Total seats available for library users 510
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) Our downtown campus near the center of San Diego’s legal community offers students an environment conducive to legal study. Mixed with our technologically sophisticated classrooms, elegant moot court room and library rich with resources are spaces for quiet study and student activities. There are also inviting indoor and outdoor spaces for informal interaction with colleagues. www.cwsl.edu/library

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar CA
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 69.6% – Low
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 64.8%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 283
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 74.6%

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 8.8%
Graduates whose employment status is known 91.2%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 74.6%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 2.1%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 9.9%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 4.6%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $47,500
Median private sector starting salary $61,250
75th percentile private sector starting salary $69,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 28%
Median public service starting salary $59,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 2.8%
Percent employed in business and industry 16.1%
Percent employed in government 9.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 3.3%
Percent employed in law firms 59.2%
Percent employed in public interest 9.5%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 81%
Graduates employed out-of-state 18.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 1%
Number of states where graduates are employed 20
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 1.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 1.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 1.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 4.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 1.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 84.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 7.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations The office is staffed with experienced lawyers from many practice areas and diverse settings. As a result, we provide students with first hand knowledge of what makes lawyers successful in a multitude of areas. We work closely with students to help them find their individual places in the profession so they enjoy rewarding careers in or around the law. www.cwsl.edu/careerservices

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 82.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 77.5%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 8.0%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 81.3%
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) 5.0%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 36.4%
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) 5.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 9.1%