Attending Law School Part-Time — Advantages & Disadvantages

The American Bar Association data shows that in 2010, that about 15% of US Law students were enrolled part-time. This is the only option for some working adults to afford a law degree and continue to meet their family, work, and other commitments. Fewer than half of this country’s law schools currently offer part-time programs. Part time programs usually take four years to complete….5 years max.

Student Debt

A law degree could be the key to a high salary, but it also leads to a heavy student debt. You need to balance out the advantages of that J.D. with the financial burden that will surely follow. Part-time law schools allow you to keep that day job, avoiding one of the most costly financial sacrifices that full time law students have. However, consider that at many schools, the tuition amount per credit hour is slightly higher for part-time students.

Time Commitment

The ambition to acquire the law degree while continuing to work is not a course that is easy to pursue, so not for the faint at heart! The free time you have will be significantly reduced! Law school  requires a significant time commitment inside and outside the classroom! Ask yourself whether your family situation handle this commitment without breaking down. The end reward could be a significant advantage in the job market and your career goals.

Grading and it’s impact

Academically, part-time law school programs are generally a little easier in terms of grading. The professors are aware that you are holding a day job and they respect you for your commitment and might even be more sympathetic to your situation. Potential employers are also sometimes  aware that the part-time law classes might be slightly easier, but are normally impressed with the job candidate’s commitment and their ability to complete law school while continuing to keep a day job. It demonstrates that your work ethic is STRONG.

The Part-Time Law School Rankings

US News rankings and reviews list part-time programs and ranked them based on reputation with deans and faculty at peer schools, LSAT scores, undergraduate GPAs of students entering in fall 2012, and the scope of each school’s part-time program. The data was collected by surveying their part-time program data in the fall of 2012 and early 2013. For the school to be considered in the part-time rankings, it had to have reported at least 20 part-time students.

Georgetown University came out on top in this ranking. The part-time score of 100, merely means that they were the top school in this part-time category. The remaining schools that were surveyed, are listed in order of their ranking. The “rank not published” means that  U.S. News didn’t publish the ranking because the school or program ranked below the cutoff they had determined to use. These “Rank Not Published” schools are listed alphabetically.

The D.C. schools, where lawyer talent is readily found, have a few part-time schools with respectable rankings. Georgetown, George Washington University, George Mason University. The University of Maryland, Carey and American University, and Catholic University of America, Columbus, also had respectable rankings.

https://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/part-time-law-rankings

https://inthecapital.streetwise.co/2013/03/12/dc-universities-dominate-us-news-college-rankings-best-graduate-school-rankings-best-part-time-law-school-rankings-2014/

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