10 Best Part-Time Law School Programs
Choosing a part-time or full-time law program is like choosing between vanilla and chocolate.
Both work, but some people hate one or the other. A part-time curriculum seems distasteful to full-timers who can't image anything less than complete devotion to their studies.
But part-time students can actually have their cake and eat it, too, as long as they don't overdose. Here's a guide to the best part-time programs and other considerations.
Best Programs
According to U.S. News, here are the 10 most popular part-time programs:
- Georgetown University
- Loyola Marymount University
- Mitchel Hamline School of Law
- George Mason University
- American University
- University of Akron
- Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School
- New York Law School
- Brooklyn Law School
Georgetown is the only law school on the list that also ranks in the national top 15 overall, according to U.S. News. George Washington is 30th and George Mason is 41st in the annual rankings of all ABA-accredited schools.
Other Firsts
Compared to many full-time law students, part-time students often have family and work commitments. That's why part-time programs work for them.
There are advantages, too: reduced course load, less financial burden, and lower admissions criteria. According to reports, part-time programs give more weight to professional accomplishments and less to LSAT's and GPA's.
On the other hand, as full-time graduates know, law school is demanding enough without a job or a family. Part-timers say studying basically takes week nights and weekends, and studying for finals is like taking a second, full-time job.
Related Resources:
- Pre-Law: Best Blogs and Websites (FindLaw's Law Students)
- Fewer Asian-Americans Going to Law School, Study Finds (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- What's the Best Law School for a Career in Immigration Law? (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
