Western State University School of Law

Does anyone know about Western State University School of Law, http://www.wsulaw.edu/? The school is in Fullerton(right in my backyard! ), in the vicinity of Cal State Fullerton. Is there a Western State University anywhere?

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Sam C
www.uci.edu
UCI 2002
[email protected]
Confusion is just the path to insight and knowledge

 

oops http://www.wsulaw.edu/
What's that question mark doing there?

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Sam C
www.uci.edu
UCI 2002
[email protected]
Confusion is just the path to insight and knowledge

 

WASC and ABA accreditation across the street from CSUF (accross State College Blvd)

Dan
(COSC class of 2001 ish)

 

Oops! and part of the Argosy Education Group

 

WSU is legit. They've been around for many years, have two fairly good size buildings (the other one is just north of in San Diego, as I recall), and got their ABA approval a few years ago. Prior to that, they were approved by both WASC and the California State Bar, which made them limited insofar as their graduates could not practice elsewhere at the time.

WSU has always had a residential program (they've never been into D/L), and was one of the original California-only law schools. They have always had a good reputation within that scope, but I cannot speak to their reputation since that time. (I have really checked into WSU since '87, when I also lived in Fullerton.)

 

WSU is the largest law school (based on the student enrollment) in the USA, and probably in the world.

I believe it continues to be a for-profit private law school. Several of the WSU graduates have been appointed and/or elected as Superior Court judges in California. In Orange County, majority of attorneys are graduates of WSU.

A graduate of WSU can take the bar examination in any state. Gradutes who have passed the California bar examination before 1997 must wait 5 years before they are permitted to take the bar examination in another state.

WSU used to have three campuses(Fullerton, San Diego, and Irvine). The San Diego campus renamed it self as Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and is a separate law school. The Irvine campus was merged with the Fullerton campus in 1996.

Admission to WSU is easier than other law schools. However, the "weaning out" process after the first semester is very high. More than 50% of the first semester law students do not continue to the second semester and then to the second year.

Student grades are substantially lower compared to other law schools. If the student has 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale), the student is probably on the honor role. The "down" grading has something to do with the scholarships offered, as the student receives a certain percentage off of the tution based upon the cumulative GPA.

Although the first time bar pass rate for WSU graduates is lower than other ABA accredited schools, most graduates eventually pass the bar examination.

The training at WSU is excellent. Professors are well trained, but some what distant from the reality (very similar to other law schools!). Students have opportunity to clerk for sitting judges and do volunteer work in various areas of their particular interst.

The WSU tution is cheaper than other 2 ABA accedited law schools in Orange County.