The College of Law at Western State University

March 2, 2019

Law School Rankings

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Gloria Switzer
Application deadline July 1
Full-time program application fee $60
Part-time program application fee $60
Besides the fall semester, can enter in winter/spring

The College of Law at Western State University

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 56.8% – High
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.09
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 151

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 60.8%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 149-154
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.88-3.35
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.09
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 151

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 40.7%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 149-156
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.94-3.24
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 3.14
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 150

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered N/A
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
On Site Immigration Law Clinic; Business Law Center offers Certificate in Business Law; Criminal Law Practice Center offers Certificate in Criminal Law; Civil and Criminal Internships and Externships.
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 50
Seminars 8
Positions available in seminars 200
Positions available in simulation courses 393
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 20
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Law Review; Moot Court Team; 16 student orgs, including American Trial Lawyers Association, Asian Pacific-American Law Students Association, Black Law Students Association, Business Law Association, Christian Legal Society, Criminal Law Association, Entertainment and Sports Law Society; International Law Students Association, Latino Student Bar Association, Phi Alpha Delta, and Gay Lesbian Org.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 56
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” 0
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 86
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 160
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 8
Full-time students involved in field placements 46
Full-time students involved in law journals 27
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 11
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 1

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 34
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 25
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 112
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 3
Part-time students involved in field placements 18
Part-time students involved in law journals 13
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 6
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 3

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 22.2:1 – High
Full- and part-time faculty 37
Full-time minority faculty 25.0%
Part-time minority faculty 11.8%
Total faculty 46
Total faculty (men) 58.7%
Total faculty (women) 41.3%
Total faculty (minorities) 23.9%

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) 1.3
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 1.5
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.89-3.33
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.09
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 149-155
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 151
Acceptance rate 56.8% – High
Student-faculty ratio 22.2:1 – High
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 71.4% – Low
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 79.7% – Medium
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 511

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 376

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 135

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 19.3%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 15.1%
Third-year students discontinuing law school 2.0%
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 20.3%
Female students discontinuing law school 6.3%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Donna Espinoza
Financial aid phone (714) 459-1120
Financial aid application deadline March 2

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $37,284 per year
Part-time: $25,030 per year
Room and board $10,669
Books $2,400
Miscellaneous expenses $11,558
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? No

Grants (Full-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 23.1%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 9.0%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 8.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.3%
Median grant amount $12,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $5,000–$26,000
Full-time students receiving grants 40.4%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 28.1%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 15.6%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 8.1%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.7%
Median grant amount $8,250
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $4,000–$14,658
Part-time students receiving grants 52.6%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $101,667
Proportion who borrowed 85.9%
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) 29,530
Microform titles 10,901
Electronic titles 6,538
Other non-book titles 3,637
Total titles 44,068
Volumes (excluding microforms) 105,711
Volume equivalent microforms 100,490
Total volumes and volume equivalents 206,201
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 114
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule N/A
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 43
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 59
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 1
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 114
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule N/A
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 5
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 47
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 55
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 library, university information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 1
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 40
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 25
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 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 27,126
Total seats available for library users 351
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) Exceptional personalized service by library reference staff. Library houses over 200,000 books on three levels; 50 computers for access to electronic resources on campus and remotely. Wireless network is available in both buildings. Campus of two buildings with convenient parking. Main Building has 11 classrooms, modern Moot Court Room, faculty and administrative offices and cafeteria.

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) 79.7% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 64.8%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 77
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 71.4%

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 3.9%
Graduates whose employment status is known 96.1%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 71.4%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 0.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 24.7%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 0.0%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $45,000
Median private sector starting salary $50,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $60,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 54%
Median public service starting salary $60,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 80%
Graduates employed out-of-state 18.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 2%
Number of states where graduates are employed 10
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) N/A
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 5.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 5.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) N/A
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 4.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) N/A
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) N/A
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 82.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 2.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Sponsor Career Fairs, Career Planning Workshops; one on one career counseling for students and alumni; post jobs for clerks, interns, and associate positions for students and alumni, distribute monthly newsletter of openings; host on campus interviews; participate in Law Advisors of Southern California Career events; recruit alumni mentors and speakers for student organization career events.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 74.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 87.5%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 15.0%
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) 9.0%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 100.0%
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) 2.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 100.0%

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