The College of Law at Georgia State University

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Cheryl George
Application deadline March 15
Full-time program application fee $50
Part-time program application fee $50
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The College of Law at Georgia State University

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 16.5% – Low
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.60
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 161

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 16.0%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 159-162
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.24-3.78
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.60
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 161

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 19.6%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 159-161
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.1-3.67
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 3.48
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 159

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.S.H.A. J.D./M.A. Philosophy
J.D./M.B.A. J.D./M.C.R.P.
J.D./M.P.A. J.D./M.B.A./M.H.A.
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
The College of Law offers several special programs including: an Externship Program; 6 joint degree programs; the Consortium on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, three international programs; two accredited foreign law programs; Trial Advocacy Program; Litigation Workshop; national mock trial competitions; Appellate Advocacy Program; Moot Court; and a Legislation Clinic and Practicum.
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 112
Seminars 33
Positions available in seminars 441
Positions available in simulation courses 228
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 119
Student activities (as provided by the school)
The College of Law offers students the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities including: Law Review, Tax Clinic, and the HELP Legal Services Clinic. The COL also recognizes 25 student organizations, most of which are affiliated with national professional associations.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 70
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 261
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 155
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 75
Full-time students involved in field placements 90
Full-time students involved in law journals 47
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 60
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 32

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 125
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 70
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 25
Part-time students involved in field placements 59
Part-time students involved in law journals 18
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 29
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 17

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 10.1:1 – Low
Full- and part-time faculty 63
Full-time minority faculty 14.0%
Part-time minority faculty 23.1%
Total faculty 84
Total faculty (men) 50.0%
Total faculty (women) 50.0%
Total faculty (minorities) 15.5%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#58 Best Law Schools

(3) Ranking by Specialties

#2 in Healthcare Law
#108 in Law Firms Rank Schools
#29 in Part-time Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score 52
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.5
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.8
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.21-3.75
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.60
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 159-162
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 161
Acceptance rate 16.5% – Low
Student-faculty ratio 10.1:1 – Low
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 71.7% – Medium
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 88.4% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 92.8% – High
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar GA
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 83.6%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 657

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 466

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 191

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 1.8%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 0.5%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 0.6%
Female students discontinuing law school 1.0%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Louis Scott
Financial aid phone (404) 651-2227
Financial aid application deadline November 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $14,770 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $34,834 per year (out-of-state)
Part-time: $11,638 per year (in-state)
Part-time: $26,686 per year (out-of-state)
Room and board $9,000
Books $1,500
Miscellaneous expenses $5,458
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 6.9%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 2.6%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 13.7%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $2,500
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $1,000–$14,770
Full-time students receiving grants 23.2%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 10.5%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 7.3%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 5.2%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $2,500
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $1,000–$13,726
Part-time students receiving grants 23.0%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $19,971
Proportion who borrowed 78.0%
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) 82,405
Microform titles 1,144
Electronic titles 59,295
Other non-book titles 1,406
Total titles 144,250
Volumes (excluding microforms) 171,276
Volume equivalent microforms 228,117
Total volumes and volume equivalents 399,393
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 103
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 58
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 78
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 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 90
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 0
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 40
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 0

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, university information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 8
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 200
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 700
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 15
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 40
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 44,510
Total seats available for library users 376
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The Law Library houses more than 345,000 volumes, 63,744 hard copy titles and over 22,000 electronic titles. The library has a computer lab and study areas for students. Librarians provide reference services and legal research instruction. The COL occupies approximately 100,000 sq. ft. of contiguous space on the first four floors of the GSU Urban life Building, as well as all of the sixth floor.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar GA
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 92.8% – High
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 83.6%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 198
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 71.7%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 88.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 7.6%
Graduates whose employment status is known 92.4%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 71.7%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.5%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 16.7%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 2.5%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 1.0%
Graduates whose employment status is known 99.0%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 88.4%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.5%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 6.6%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 2.5%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $50,000
Median private sector starting salary $64,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $80,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 73%
Median public service starting salary $50,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 2.3%
Percent employed in business and industry 20.6%
Percent employed in government 11.4%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 5.1%
Percent employed in law firms N/A
Percent employed in public interest 5.1%
Percent employed in an unknown field 1.7%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 96%
Graduates employed out-of-state 4.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries N/A
Number of states where graduates are employed 8
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) N/A
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 0.5%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) N/A
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.5%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 97.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 1.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) N/A
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 1.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) N/A
Employment location unknown N/A

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations The College of Law provides students and graduates with career development, education, counseling and placement assistance. The office co-sponsors and/or participates in more than fifteen local, regional and national job fairs and seeks to serve concurrently students, graduates and prospective employers by promoting and maintaining effective relationships between the COL and professionals.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) N/A
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 95.7%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) N/A
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 85.7%
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) N/A
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) N/A
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 0.0%