Law Schools’ Applications Fall as Costs Rise and Jobs Are Cut

[jsr]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/education/law-schools-applications-fall-as-costs-rise-and-jobs-are-cut.html

Law Schools’ Applications Fall as Costs Rise and Jobs Are Cut
By ETHAN BRONNER

Law school applications are headed for a 30-year low, reflecting increased concern over soaring tuition, crushing student debt and diminishing prospects of lucrative employment upon graduation.

As of this month, there were 30,000 applicants to law schools for the fall, a 20 percent decrease from the same time last year and a 38 percent decline from 2010, according to the Law School Admission Council. Of some 200 law schools nationwide, only 4 have seen increases in applications this year. In 2004 there were 100,000 applicants to law schools; this year there are likely to be 54,000.

“We are going through a revolution in law with a time bomb on our admissions books,” said William D. Henderson, a professor of law at Indiana University, who has written extensively on the issue. “Thirty years ago if you were looking to get on the escalator to upward mobility, you went to business or law school. Today, the law school escalator is broken.”

A few schools, like the Vermont Law School, have started layoffs and buyouts of professors. Others, like at the University of Illinois, have offered across-the-board tuition discounts to keep up enrollments. Brian Leiter of the University of Chicago Law School, who runs a blog on the topic, said he expected as many as 10 schools to close over the coming decade, and half to three-quarters of all schools to reduce class size, faculty and staff.

[bluestateguy]

1. Cut tuitions and get rid of the Deputy Associate Deans that just push paper all day long

Problem solved. It's not that complicated.

[66 dmhlt]

3. I don't see a problem in declining law school enrollment. Looks good to me.

[uponit7771]

5. Can toss the 12million dollar workout facilities too...along with 2 million dollar head football

...coaches and 10 million dollar staff

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. Too many lawyers out there.

I earned my Juris Doctor in 1984 and was unable to ever get a job as a legal assistant with it.

big fucking deal---not worth the thousands I paid for it. A good education, but not for getting a job. it's who you know.

[uponit7771]

4. There should be a placement rate with every degree so students are aware of what they're getting

...into relative to cost.

[reformist2]

6. Wow, so basically most law schools are now what you would call "non-selective," lol

[BlackhawkPaul]

7. Law Schools now way to big and need to shrink-

I graduated in 74 in a class of 104. Same law School today graduates 600 annually and charges unbelievable tuition. I could notattend today. Enrollment dropping. Natural market supply and demand. Too many lawyers. Look at your Yellow Pages.