Online Law Schools

I see a few people on here have already investigated online law schools. I've been absent from the forum for a while, but I did complete my BA online through TESC. I ended up back working in a legal related position and a "friend of a friend" has mentioned the possibility of a position for me that would be both a large bump in pay and has a fairly liberal tuition payment policy - thus, my current online law daydreams:biggrin:

I don't live in California, but see that I could practice federal issues or work as a corporate counsel in my current state if I had a CA bar license.

Those that have already investigated online JDs, which ones came out on top for you and why?

I was thinking the employer would probably prefer one that had the blessing of the CHEA, but those schools actually seem to have lower bar passage rates than some of the others.

 

Just keep in mind that the CA Bar exam is one of the more difficult in the country, and the pass rate for online/DL law graduates is pretty dismal. If you're okay with a heavy-duty dose of religion with your law school education, Oak Brook has among the best pass rates on both the Bar exam and the "Baby Bar";

Oak Brook College of Law - A Christian Correspondence Law School

 

Narrowed the field to NWCU and Taft

Thank you for the suggestion. Their scores actually look good, but I don't think I could fake my way through the religion part:bandit:

I am currently looking at Northwestern California University and Taft. The first is the cheapest currently less than $3k a year. Taft is about $8k a year, but it has the blessing of DETC. My tuition reimbursement (at present job) is $5k for CHEA accredited course work, so it would end up a wash basically between these two. I'm trying to determine if one school is markedly better. I'm leaning towards the first even without employer help because there's a chance that could be taken away and then I'd be stuck with student loans. Then again, if $ got really tight and I was with Taft I could also seek financial aid...still thinking...

 

The California Bar pass rate is low because unaccredited and non-ABA accredited law school graduates are allowed to take it. For ABA law school graduates, the Bar pass rate is about the same as other states, about 75%.

The best predictors of passing the Bar are skills (analysis and writing), willingness to work (students at ABA schools study about 40 hours a week), and intelligence. Unaccredited and non-ABA accredited law schools get poorer students and therefore lower Bar pass rates.

Here's my suggestion. If you would be admitted to an ABA law school but are going the distance route for some reason, then your chances of passing the Bar are good. If you're dl because you couldn't get into an ABA school, you'll probably never pass the Bar.

 

I agree with Steve and agree somewhat with warguns. I think it does depend on the individual. Everyone that goes to an unaccredited law school is not necessarily a poor student. They may be a "poor" student (as in lacking funds) but not necessarily a poor student. Those schools supply a demand for those that would not and maybe never be able to attend a b&m ABA accredited law school.

 

Is there an online law school that is cheaper? All the schools I checked seems to be quite expensive.

 

Bear in mind that places like Taft and Northwestern will accept almost anyone who will pay the fees so admittance is no indication that you'll ever be a lawyer. Take the LSAT and see how you do. Would your score qualify you to be admitted to an ABA school? If not, re-assess your career options.

Another concern about online (and all marginal law schools) is how much help you'll get will writing skills. No one can pass the Bar who cannot write quickly and lucidly. You might want to find a writing tutor experienced in Bar exam standards and get all the help you'll need.

 

Thanks for the the candid insights. I am confident in my abilities as a student, but I really HATE to part with money. As sideman punned, I'm an economically challenged student

I've gone ahead and ordered used review books for Torts, Criminal and Contracts, which would be covered first year and tested on the FYLSE, just to make sure I'm good and ready, when I do decide my finances are ready, to take the plunge.

 

practice LSAT

Regretably, these days, confidence is often misplaced. Grade inflation is so common that often students have no idea how ill prepared they are.

I suggest you at least get an LSAT study guide and take some practice tests under test condition to see how you do. If you wouldn't take a real LSAT, this will give you some idea of how you score relative to others. Low LSAT = change career plans

 

This is good advice. Law school is really expensive and the worst thing in the world would be to pile up all of that debt only to find that you can't pass the Bar. Even after you pass it, I have heard that it is really difficult to get your foot in the door for employment as an attorney. This is all hearsay, I have no actual data on this.