The School of Law at Howard University

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Reginald McGahee
Application deadline March 15
Full-time program application fee $60
Part-time program application fee N/A
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The School of Law at Howard University

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 27.2% – Low
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.13
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 153

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 27.2%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 150-155
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.92-3.39
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.13
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 N/A
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants N/A

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A.
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
The Clinical Program helps students to acquire professional skills training and practical lawyering experiences in Criminal Justice,Fair Housing,Alternative Dispute Resolution,Civil Rights,Investor Justice & Education & Intellectual Property. Many externships options permit students to work for credit, a pro bono honors program, South African Summer Aboard Program, and a JD/MBA degree program.
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 131
Seminars 32
Positions available in seminars 481
Positions available in simulation courses 223
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 146
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Co-curricular activities so that students earn course credit are The Howard Law Journal, Charles Hamilton Houston Moot Court Team, Trial Advocacy and International Moot Court Teams. 26 student organizations include the Human Rights & International Law Journal, the Student Bar Association, La Alianza, Outlaw (GLBT student Organization), Environmental Law and American Constitutional Society.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 50
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 474
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 223
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 123
Full-time students involved in field placements 66
Full-time students involved in law journals 45
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 53
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 3

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

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

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 18.6:1 – High
Full- and part-time faculty 61
Full-time minority faculty 81.5%
Part-time minority faculty 79.4%
Total faculty 70
Total faculty (men) 58.6%
Total faculty (women) 41.4%
Total faculty (minorities) 80.0%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#119 Best Law Schools

(1) Ranking by Specialties

#102 in Law Firms Rank Schools

Law Ranking Scores

Score 36
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.4
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 2.8
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.92-3.39
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.13
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 150-155
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 153
Acceptance rate 27.2% – Low
Student-faculty ratio 18.6:1 – High
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 66.9% – Medium
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 85.7% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 73.2% – 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 427

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 427

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) N/A
Gender distribution (part-time) N/A

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 12.4%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 3.9%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 7.2%
Female students discontinuing law school 4.3%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Norman Jones
Financial aid phone (202) 806-8005
Financial aid application deadline February 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $29,131 per year
Room and board $15,341
Books $2,509
Miscellaneous expenses $7,442
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 12.4%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 27.6%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 1.2%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 7.5%
Median grant amount $12,500
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $7,500–$20,000
Full-time students receiving grants 48.7%

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 $113,283
Proportion who borrowed 98.7%
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) 34,582
Microform titles 1,783
Electronic titles 261
Other non-book titles 501
Total titles 40,442
Volumes (excluding microforms) 232,188
Volume equivalent microforms 428,566
Total volumes and volume equivalents 660,754
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 105
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 51
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 25
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 52
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 6
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 40
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 5

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) 4
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 319
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 145
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 74
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? Yes

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 76,000
Total seats available for library users 374
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The Van Ness Campus has four buildings. Three buildings are used for classrooms (includes smart technology), faculty offices, moot court room, and dining hall. The law library is a four-story structure that is state-of-the-art and includes a smart classroom, computer labs for students, audio-visual/microform suites. The law library is a federal depository.

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) 73.2% – Low
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 76.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 133
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 66.9%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 85.7%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 3.8%
Graduates whose employment status is known 96.2%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 66.9%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 0.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 28.6%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 0.8%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 6.8%
Graduates whose employment status is known 93.2%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 85.7%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 0.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 6.8%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 0.8%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $97,500
Median private sector starting salary $160,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $160,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 44%
Median public service starting salary $55,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 3.5%
Percent employed in business and industry 10.5%
Percent employed in government 26.3%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 19.3%
Percent employed in law firms 31.6%
Percent employed in public interest 7.9%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.9%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 37%
Graduates employed out-of-state 60.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 1%
Number of states where graduates are employed 18
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 3.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 18.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 7.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 61.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 1.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 3.5%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 3.5%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 0.0%
Employment location unknown 2.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Career Services provides comprehensive placement services with seminars and workshops to assist students with assessing their career goals, preparing for and securing employment. An on-campus recruitment program is held with over 300 representatives from law firms, corporations, and government agencies. A special program with over 50 public interest/service recruiters is conducted every February.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 83.3%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 95.8%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 7.9%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 77.8%
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) 7.9%
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) 0.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions N/A