Southern University Law Center

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions N/A
Application deadline February 28
Full-time program application fee $25
Part-time program application fee $25
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

Southern University Law Center

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 38.4% – Medium
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 2.85
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 145

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 36.6%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 143-149
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.59-3.21
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 2.91
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 146

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 42.8%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 142-146
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.48-3.06
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 2.79
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 144

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
JD/MPA
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
The Juris Doctor (JD) degree is offered through a full-time and a part-time day/evening program requiring completion of 96 hours of academic credit. A JD/Master of Public Administration joint degree is available and requires 123 hours of academic credit. There is also a Clinical Education Program, a Certificate in Public Law, and a Summer Studies Abroad Program in London.
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 64
Seminars 9
Positions available in seminars 93
Positions available in simulation courses 335
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 179
Student activities (as provided by the school)
The Southern University Law Review is a scholarly periodical managed by student members. The Moot Court Board is responsible for planning and conducting the annual competition. The Student Bar Association is a self-governing organization that cultivates rapport among students, faculty and members of the profession. All organizations have faculty advisers.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 55
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 81
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 193
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 97
Full-time students involved in field placements 29
Full-time students involved in law journals 40
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 11
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 4

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 88
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 12
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 50
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 34
Part-time students involved in field placements 0
Part-time students involved in law journals 7
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 0
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 1

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 14.0:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 69
Full-time minority faculty 64.1%
Part-time minority faculty 63.3%
Total faculty 73
Total faculty (men) 49.3%
Total faculty (women) 50.7%
Total faculty (minorities) 65.8%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

Rank Not Published Best Law Schools

(1) Ranking by Specialties

RNP in Part-time Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score N/A
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 1.4
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 1.6
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.5-3.11
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 2.85
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 142-148
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 145
Acceptance rate 38.4% – Medium
Student-faculty ratio 14.0:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 65.2% – Medium
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 86.4% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 66.3% – Low
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar LA
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 65.4%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 729

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 481

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 248

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 18.4%
Second-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Third-year students discontinuing law school 2.4%
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 10.7%
Female students discontinuing law school 7.3%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Jerome Harris
Financial aid phone (225) 771-2141
Financial aid application deadline April 15

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $10,124 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $16,724 per year (out-of-state)
Part-time: $8,570 per year (in-state)
Part-time: $15,170 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board $12,600
Books $2,060
Miscellaneous expenses $1,839
Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? No
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 27.2%
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 3.5%
Median grant amount $2,077
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $1,039–$3,116
Full-time students receiving grants 30.8%

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 $22,138
Proportion who borrowed 100.0%
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) 654,203
Microform titles N/A
Electronic titles 52,389
Other non-book titles N/A
Total titles 706,592
Volumes (excluding microforms) 447,821
Volume equivalent microforms 13,005
Total volumes and volume equivalents 460,826
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 99
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 83
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 8
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 0
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 83
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 11
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 45
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 0
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 45
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 6

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) 3
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 15
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 500
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs N/A
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 20
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 28,000
Total seats available for library users 285
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The law library contains more than 475,000 volumes, 1,000,000 microfiche, 40,000 rolls of microfilm, and over 800 law reviews. The library offers research assistance and reference services to students, faculty, and the public. Its collection adequately supports the curriculum and conforms to the standards of the American Bar Association. The library occupies a 30,000 square foot area.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar LA
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 66.3% – Low
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 65.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 132
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 65.2%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 86.4%

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 65.2%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 2.3%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 20.5%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 12.1%

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 86.4%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 2.3%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 7.6%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 3.8%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $31,000
Median private sector starting salary $40,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $50,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 64%
Median public service starting salary $42,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 4.4%
Percent employed in business and industry 14.0%
Percent employed in government 20.2%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 6.1%
Percent employed in law firms 52.6%
Percent employed in public interest 2.6%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 80%
Graduates employed out-of-state 19.0%
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) 1.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 3.5%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 1.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 6.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 3.5%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 84.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 0.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 0.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations The Office of Career Services provides specialized career counseling,collects and distrubutes vital information and resources,and offers critical skills training. The goals are to provide the students and alumni with the most up-to-date information regarding the job market and assist them with individual career development needs.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 57.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 96.9%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 21.0%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 75.0%
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) 16.0%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 88.9%
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) 6.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 57.1%