Law School

Though I know that LSU has reduced substantially the absurdly high attrition rates of the past and gotten much more difficult to get into, I doubt that LSU is nearly as student-friendly as the private law schools, though perhaps some recent LSU law graduates can address that issue.

I will go out on a limb and say that many, if not most, lawyers think the law school rankings mentioned above are out of kilter. For years, the reputation of LSU was that it was easy to get in and hard to stay in, that it was hard as anything, and that the faculty didn't care about the students and ran the place as though the reason for the school's existence was to serve the faculty. Most older LSU graduates think they received a very good education at LSU, but absolutely hated the place and pledged never to give a cent to it--a problem that recent administrations at LSU have been trying to combat.

My suggestions:

1. Talk to current students or recent graduates of LSU and the other schools and see what they say. I do know that people at LSU are excited about the new chancellor, Jack Weiss.

2. It will not matter for practice in Lafayette whether you go to school at LSU or in New Orleans. If you want to practice in Lafayette, try to get a summer clerking job at firms where you might have an interest in working.

3. If the cost is the same, I would strongly consider Tulane, not because I think it a better school (though it might be--I don't know), but because of perception outside the state and because I perceive it (and perceptions can be wrong) as more student-friendly (I have heard over the years several people say how much they enjoyed law school at Tulane--LSU graduates never say that).

If you need additional information, send me a PM.