The Columbus School of Law at Catholic University of America


Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Shani Butts
Application deadline March 8
Full-time program application fee $65
Part-time program application fee $65
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 32.8% – Medium
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.28
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 157

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 33.9%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 151-160
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.11-3.46
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.30
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 157

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 28.1%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 152-159
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3-3.44
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 3.22
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 156

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.S.W. (Social Work) J.D./JCL (Canon Law)
J.D./M.A. Politics J.D./M.A. History
J.D./M.A. Psychology J.D./M.A. Philosophy
J.D./M.S. Library & Information Science
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Clinics: General Practice; Families and Law; Advocacy for the Elderly; Criminal Prosecution;DC Law Students in Court; Externships; Innocence Project Clinic; SEC Student Observer Program; Institutes: Communications; International; Public Policy; Securities; Law and Religion; Jurisprudence; Int’l Business/Trade Summer Law Program, Cracow, Poland, Int’l Human Rights Summer Law Program in Rome.
Programs/courses offered in
appellate advocacy intellectual property law
clinical training international law
dispute resolution tax law
environmental law trial advocacy
health care law

Curricular Offerings (Overall)

Classroom course titles, beyond the first-year curriculum, offered last year 135
Seminars 43
Positions available in seminars 678
Positions available in simulation courses 382
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 145
Student activities (as provided by the school)
The student-edited publications are: CommLaw Conspectus, Journal of Contemporary Health Law & Policy, Law Review and Journal of Law, Philosophy and Culture (joint-faculty edited). Legal Services Society (Pro-Bono Program), Moot Court Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution Society. There are 40 law school organizations.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 52
Is there typically a full-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? Yes
Typical size of first-year “small section” 26
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 325
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 187
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 100
Full-time students involved in field placements 186
Full-time students involved in law journals 224
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 45
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 22

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 70
Is there typically a part-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? Yes
Positions filled in part-time program seminars 138
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 125
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 36
Part-time students involved in field placements 25
Part-time students involved in law journals 34
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 9
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 11

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 11.5:1 – Low
Full- and part-time faculty 125
Full-time minority faculty 13.5%
Part-time minority faculty 9.6%
Total faculty 128
Total faculty (men) 68.8%
Total faculty (women) 31.3%
Total faculty (minorities) 11.7%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#82 Best Law Schools

(3) Ranking by Specialties

#20 in Clinical Training
#67 in Law Firms Rank Schools
#27 in Part-time Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score 45
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.5
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 3.1
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.28-3.45
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.28
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 151-160
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 157
Acceptance rate 32.8% – Medium
Student-faculty ratio 11.5:1 – Low
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 64.0% – Medium
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 85.3% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 80.5% – Medium
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar MD
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 79.8%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 768

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 506

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 262

Attrition Rates for Full- and Part-time Students (2010-2011)

First-year students discontinuing law school 16.4%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 1.7%
Third-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 7.6%
Female students discontinuing law school 4.0%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director David Schrock
Financial aid phone (202) 319-5143
Financial aid application deadline August 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $41,830 per year
Part-time: $1,515 per credit
Room and board $17,000
Books $1,800
Miscellaneous expenses $8,800
Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? Yes
Does the university offer housing restricted to law students? No
Does the university offer graduate student housing for which law students are eligible? Yes
Does the university offer a public-interest scholarship program to current J.D. students? Yes

Grants (Full-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 41.1%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 9.1%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.8%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $12,500
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $9,835–$18,000
Full-time students receiving grants 51.0%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 38.2%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 1.9%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.4%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $10,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $7,500–$11,500
Part-time students receiving grants 40.5%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $142,222
Proportion who borrowed 91.6%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? Yes

Law School Library

Library Information Resources

Print titles (excluding nonbook titles) 56,512
Microform titles 91,829
Electronic titles 139,140
Other non-book titles 1,102
Total titles 288,583
Volumes (excluding microforms) 223,972
Volume equivalent microforms 228,607
Total volumes and volume equivalents 452,579
Number of volumes in the collection that are stored off site and are systematically retrievable 0
Library’s online catalog or website includes links to electronic titles or databases made available by another campus library or consortia Yes

Library Schedule of Operation

Number of hours per week library is open on a regular schedule 115
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 74
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 0
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 41
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 74
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 14
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 87
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 60
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 0
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 27
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 60
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 36

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, law school library, university information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 7
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 115
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 128
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 0
Does the law school have a wireless network? Yes
Wireless network is available in the law library, in classrooms, in computer labs, in administrative/faculty offices and work areas, elsewhere in the law school
Does the school require entering students to own a computer? No

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 49,250
Total seats available for library users 502
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The Judge Kathryn J. DuFour Law Library provides 49,250 square feet of study space and contains more than 452,579 volumes and volume equivalents. The library has three computer labs, which connect 35 computers to the network. Hardwired and wireless network connections at carrels provide students with access to Lexis and Westlaw automated legal systems and the Internet.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar MD
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 80.5% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 79.8%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 286
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 64.0%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 85.3%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 2.4%
Graduates whose employment status is known 97.6%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 64.0%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 2.4%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 29.0%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 2.1%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 1.0%
Graduates whose employment status is known 99.0%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 85.3%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 2.4%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 8.4%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 2.8%

Starting Salaries of Graduates Employed Full-time (Class of 2010)

25th percentile private sector starting salary $60,000
Median private sector starting salary $85,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $145,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 59%
Median public service starting salary $53,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 3.3%
Percent employed in business and industry 21.7%
Percent employed in government 34.4%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 9.4%
Percent employed in law firms 27.5%
Percent employed in public interest 2.5%
Percent employed in an unknown field 1.2%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 45%
Graduates employed out-of-state 48.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 1%
Number of states where graduates are employed 23
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.4%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 5.7%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 1.2%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.4%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 81.2%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.4%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 0.8%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 1.6%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 0.8%
Employment location unknown 6.6%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Career Services is dedicated to assist students in securing employment before and after graduation. The office is staffed by career planning professionals with advanced degrees in law. The office provides counseling, workshops, panels, job listings and activities that facilitate contact with prospective employers.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 63.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 92.9%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 27.0%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 79.1%
Professional other (jobs that require professional skills or training but for which a J.D. is neither preferred nor particularly applicable; e.g., accountant, teacher, business manager, nurse) 8.0%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 89.5%
Non-professional other (job that does not require any professional skills or training or is taken on a temporary basis and not viewed as part of a career path) 2.0%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions N/A