Howard University, School of Law Admission
Howard University, School of Law Undergraduate Program
Howard University, School of Law Application

The Facts

Howard University is a rather small, private, traditionally African-American institution located in Washington D.C. The university has a combined graduate and undergraduate population of over 6,000 students, however, the university's school of law is significantly smaller, and is home to about 400 graduate law students. The average age of enrollment is around 25, and it is quite rare for any students to enter the school directly from their undergraduate education. The school is perhaps best known for its long list of distinguished alumni including Thurgood Marshall, as well as for its strong connections within the Washington D.C. professional community. The school offers degrees in the 3 year JD, the 1 to 2 year LLM for foreign lawyers only, as well as a combined 4 year degree in the JD/MBA in business administration. Some of the most popular programs at the school include courses in the areas of commercial law, constitutional law, criminal law, environmental law, human rights law, intellectual property law, international law, labor law, property, as well as taxation.

Admission to Howard University's School of Law is quite competitive among the many students who apply; last year, over 2,250 students applied for admission to the school, and approximately 420 of those students were accepted. Eventually however, only about 155 of the admitted students actually enrolled for the coming semester. The admitted students had an average LSAT score ranging from 148 to 158, as well as an average undergraduate GPA of about a 3.3. Students are notified of their admissions status on a rolling basis, and there is currently no early application program in place.

Howard University's law school has 51 faculty members, most of whom are minorities, and come from diverse legal and professional backgrounds. Students say that they admire the experience and knowledge of their professors, and feel like they can go to them for help at any time. The school has a very manageable student to faculty ratio of 16:1, and the small classes allow for plenty of discussion and interaction between students and their professors.

Employment Facts

Students at Howard's School of Law don't have to worry very much about getting jobs after graduating; the school's long and prestigious history makes the school a prime target for recruiters from major firms throughout the country. In fact, over 98% of the most recent graduating class were able to find jobs within a few months of receiving their degrees, and had an average starting salary of about $71,304. Students most frequently hired by private law firms and practices, judicial offices, as well as various government organizations.

What's Good

"The community here is really tightly woven. We have a great sense of pride for this school."

"You couldn't ask to study law in a better place. Washington D.C. is undoubtedly the center of the legal world."

"There are a ton of amazing internships available, and they really are the best learning experience you can ever have."

What's Bad

"There is a lot of competition here, and people feel the need to constantly out-do one another."

"I think the school places too much emphasis on how to be a good employee rather than how to be a good lawyer."

"There are a lot of required courses to take before you can actually get to your specialty."

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