There are no specific concentrations in the Yale Law School curriculum, but students have the freedom to focus on courses that match their interests. There is only one semester of compulsory courses, instead of a full year like most traditional law schools. Some students choose to pursue joint degrees with other Yale graduate schools, such as the School of Management. Highly motivated students can complete a joint JD and MBA program in just three years. A regular J.D. degree is usually completed during this period. Students are not graded with traditional letter notes. First-year students are graded with Credit/No Credit. Second and third year students receive honors, pass, low pass, or failure.
There, the economic and racial contours of the situation have sharpened in my eyes. When we dropped the water off at the Flint branch of the Red Cross, I realized that the majority of the people who were suffering belonged to the working class and were black. Having grown up in a predominantly white suburb and then moved to Ann Arbor for college, it was completely inconceivable that something so devastating would happen in the version of Michigan I knew personally. Source: Schools reporting on U.S. News YALE LAW SCHOOL STUDENTS SAY. Academics and programs: It`s hard to beat Yale Law School, where the atmosphere is “very intellectual” and classes are mostly “small” (freshman classes range in size from fifteen to ninety students). One of the many particularly interesting things about Yale is that “there aren`t many courses required.” All 1Ls are required to take courses in constitutional law, contracts, procedures and torts. There`s also a small course in legal research and seminar-style writing, and that`s about it.
Best of all, there are “no notes.” Courses in the first semester are marked pass/fail. After the first semester, there is some semblance of grades, but since Yale does not follow the class rank, it does not matter. Academic: “It`s the best place in the world.” “It`s easy to learn everything you care about, from medieval European law to helping immigrants in modern America,” says one student. Yale is home to state-of-the-art centers and programs galore. The clinical possibilities are enormous and available “from the first year”, which is rare. They may represent family members in cases of juvenile neglect, provide legal services to non-profit organizations, or participate in complex federal civil rights cases. It`s also “easy” to earn joint degrees or simply “enroll in other courses” at Yale. A particularly unique program allows students to earn a joint degree at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in Princeton.
Students report that the administration is “generally friendly.” Word about faculty is mixed. “I love all my teachers,” radiates a 2L. Almost everyone agrees that “most teachers are happy to help you.” When jobs and internships are at stake, it`s not uncommon for professors to personally call “high-profile companies or government officials” on behalf of students. However, other students tell us that faculty is not everything it is supposed to be. “Quality education is not valued enough,” complains one critic. “Professors are hired because of their scholarship, not because of their teaching ability or interest in interacting with students.” The job prospects are simply bright. A Yale degree virtually guarantees “an easy time to find a good job” and a life of financial security. There is “very strong career support” (including “lots of free wine” at recruitment events).
But did you know that Yale produces public interest lawyers extensively? It`s true. Any of Yale`s graduates could hit the highway right away, but every year hordes of them don`t. Yale “promotes diverse career paths” and “non-traditional pathways” (“particularly in academia and the public interest”) and awards dozens of public interest scholarships each year to current and recent graduates. There is also an “excellent” credit remission program. Campus Life/Facilities: The facilities are phenomenal. Yale offers wireless Internet access throughout the law school, wireless common areas, and perhaps the largest legal library in human history. “The research facilities are spectacular.” Aesthetically, “everything is beautiful”, especially if you are interested in “woodwork, stained glass and hand-carved moldings”. “If you`re interested in the architecture and vibe of the Ivy League, come to Yale.” While the student body is “a bit heavy with ivy,” that doesn`t necessarily mean everyone is rich.
About eighty percent of happy souls here receive some kind of financial support. However, it follows that students are quite conceited about their intelligence and privileged educational status. “If the ego was light, an astronaut on the moon should protect his eyes from the glamour of New Haven,” said one student. “I`m not sure there`s a cure for this, but it may not be wise to tell us in the first week of the offense that many of us will end up in the Bundesbank.”
“There are parties,” swears a 1L. For many students, however, the social scene at Yale is just an extension of college life. Of course, conferences and cultural events of all kinds never end. The surrounding city of New Haven is bustling in its own way, and New York and Boston are easily accessible by train. On campus, Yale offers an “encouraging environment” and a “wonderful community.” “Because of the small size of each class and the huge number of activities, it`s incredibly easy to get involved in journals (even the Journal) and any other group of students you want to try.” “Students are very engaged and motivated, but not in a way that stresses everyone,” says one student. “The no-grade policy in the first semester completely eliminates the competition I expect in other schools.” “People ask me what law school is like, and I can honestly say, `I work pretty hard, but it`s fun,`” says a satisfied student. “Then these people look at me strangely, and maybe they`re right that `fun` isn`t exactly the right word. But I found it enriching and enjoyable, and the people I met here were great.
* The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University. P.O. Box 208215 New Haven, CT 06520-8215 Admission: 203-432-4995 Email: [email protected] Website: www.law.yale.edu/default.asp Application: www.law.yale.edu/admissions/JD.htm Application deadline: February 28, 2014 Annual tuition: $51,350 Class of 2016 statistics: Acceptance rate: 8.8% Total number of candidates: 2,684 Accepted: 235 Enrolled: 195 Women: 48% Students of colour: 39% Average age: 24 years Full-time enrollment: 615 LSAT median: 173 LSAT scores (25. -75th percentile): 170-176 Median CGPA: 3.90 GPA values (25th-75th percentile): 3.82-3.97 Employees at the end: 90.7% Employees Nine months later: 95.4% Bar Passage: 96.2% Average salary: $100,188 Standings: TipppingTheScales (2013): 2 U.S. News (2013): 1 AboveTheLaw (2013): 1 Yale University School of Law is the Best Undisputed School to Become a Lawyer in the United States Since U.S. News & World Report began ranking law schools in 1987, Yale has almost always been No. 1. Our task over the next three years is to take the beautiful kaleidoscope that is currently shining in this auditorium and connect them one by one. And with these words, Yale Law School Dean Robert C.
Post welcomed the new class of 2016 to the No. 1 law school in the world. The 199 Young Women students come from four different countries, 33 different states, and 72 different students. Class members include a competitive synchronized swimmer, a foreign policy advisor and speechwriter, a 30 Rock sketch writer, a police training instructor, a Thai restaurant chef, and a certified bartender. In total, the class of 2016 speaks 31 different languages and has 42 graduate degrees in subjects ranging from biochemistry to poetry. In short, Yale`s extremely high admission standards and extremely low acceptance rate ensure that every member of the incoming class will be in the company of an extraordinary group of truly exceptional people. You`ll get to know them well at Yale, as the average class size is less than 25 students. With nearly 200 courses taught by more than 60 full-time professors and dozens of visiting professors and teachers, the school has no shortage of specialties, from administrative law and public policy to public interest law.
