“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” – Albert Einstein
“CSU Law is the best choice for students who want to be seen and treated as human beings instead of numbers, and respected in the legal community for the hard work and dedication to the practice of law that is fostered through mentorship and leadership opportunities.” - 3L Student
This is the time of year when talented students who we have admitted must decide whether to choose CSU|LAW. To their credit, many have choices because they have been admitted to more than one fine law school.
Some law school assets can be measured by national rankings, and I’m proud that we recently did very well in the U.S. News law school rankings:
- Of 198 accredited law schools, we ranked 103 – our second best ranking in law school history.
- We retained our 4th place full-time ranking of Ohio’s 9 law schools.
- We again ranked as the top public law school in Northern Ohio.
- We are ranked as the top public part-time program in Ohio and had the largest increase in our part-time ranking of any Ohio law school.
- We had the best overall specialty rankings in our law school history. We made the top 100 in 5 specialty areas: Health Care Law (52), International Law (77), Intellectual Property (82), Legal Writing (86), and Criminal Law (92).
BUT….. we must keep these annual rankings in perspective not only because some of the methodology is highly subjective and flawed, but also because there are very important assets that cannot be measured by rankings. So even when our law school does well in the rankings, I say to our prospective and admitted students, take your own measurements.
There is no ranking of law schools that measures how much your law school cares about you personally and professionally and supports and advances your success, yet that is the single most important measure.
My positive feelings about our law school are deep and genuine, but I’m not the best spokesman for our law school. Our students and alumni are. This morning I’m sharing the words of some of our current students. The measurements I’m most proud of are their unfiltered words:
“Our robust alumni network speaks to the high quality of our College of Law, but draws most of its strength from the attitude of current students. We are here not to compete against, but to prop up one another. Cooperation is how we are managing this crucible, and why we will emerge with life-long bonds.” – 1L Student
“CSU Law has given me the opportunity to pursue my passion of being a lawyer, but also has gifted me a timeless gift: lifelong friends. Though I am in my first year of law school, I am confident that the friendships (and my study-buddies) that I have made during my first year, will be lifelong friendships. The student body is kind, welcoming and willing to help one another! You won't regret your choice.” – 1L student
“I have not only learned about business professionalism, legal writing, torts, contracts, and legal regulation. But I have learned about my peers, professors, faculty, and staff. I have learned that it is okay to not always agree with one another but to always "respect" one another and learn from them.” – 1L student
“I had a number of admits but I believe I made the right decision to come to CSU Law. The faculty are top notch, and the hybrid-online program is competitive and thorough. You get to come as you are, and you get to belong. I can't think of anything better.” – 1L JD Online Student
“CSU|LAW's JD online program allows me to balance a career, my family, my hobbies, and my goals. Not only can I balance law school, but I also have a supportive faculty every step of the way and classmates who make the experience engaging each day.” – 1L JD Online Student
“When deciding which law school to go to, the most important factor to consider….is whether the law school will have your back. I have unexpectedly run into challenges outside of law school, but I feel restored at CSU Law despite law school being challenging. That is solely because of the unwavering support I receive from the Deans/Admin, staff, faculty, and students; without them, earning my legal education would not be possible.” - 2L Student
As you consider your decision, please look at the big picture because you are making a long-term decision that affects the rest of your life - not just the next few months or years.
You’re one decision away from a completely different life.
Have a great day. Have a great week.
The views and opinions expressed in my Monday Morning Message are solely my own and do not reflect the views and opinions of the law school or the university.
My best,
Lee