Law School of the Week: Hofstra Law School

November 15, 2010

Hofstra Law School is located in Hempstead, NY. Being less than an hour away from New York City, its location offers students opportunities without the potential stress of an overwhelming environment.

What does it take to get in to Hofstra Law? Although letters of recommendation are not required, a five hundred word personal statement and LSAT scores are. In the entering full-time class of 2009, LSAT scores at the 25^th and 75^th percentiles were 155 and 159, while GPA’s were 3.27 and 3.70 at those same percentiles. Hofstra’s acceptance rate for that year was 38.5%.

Hofstra’s tuition is costly, and with the living expenses of New York City, the price tag can be even higher. Full-time students should expect to pay around $42,000 a year in tuition alone, and around $60,000 a year if other fees and living expenses are included. However, the school does offer financial aid. According to the last data reported to the ABA, 496 of the 870 full-time students received aid, although only 60 out of the 272 part-time students received aid. Hofstra also offers scholarships and grants, but one should know that most of their scholarships require that a GPA of 3.25 be maintained.

Similar to most other law schools, Hofstra’s first year curriculum consists of required classes covering topics such as torts, contracts, and property. In their second and third years, students have nearly two hundred courses to choose from. There is also the option to specialize with degrees being offered in both Family Law and American Legal Studies. Furthermore, Hofstra offers a joint JD/MBA degree and a joint JD/MA degree in Applied Social Research and Policy Analysis.

Outside the classroom, Hofstra offers several fellowships, which are an excellent way to get hands-on experience and receive further financial aid. Some of these fellowships include the Child and Family Advocacy Fellowship and the Fellowship for Health Law and Policy.

Students can also get involved in Hofstra’s clinics, such as the Child Advocacy Clinic and the Community and Economic Development Clinic.

For those interested in studying abroad, Hofstra offers four programs in the Dutch Antilles, Italy, Germany, and Australia.

According to the most recent data from the class of 2008, Hofstra’s bar passage rate (in New York) was 84.86%, and 93.6% of students were employed within nine months of graduation. However, prospective students should beware that these statistics, like many other law schools today, are subject to misleading interpretation due to incomplete or deceiving data. Given this reality, and taking into account the economic downturn that has occurred since 2008, prospective students should not expect Hofstra’s career prospects to be so promising.

All in all, Hofstra Law School is not highly competitive, and with today’s economic climate, the tuition is high and job prospects are limited. Students who are interested in the school should prepare to work especially hard, both in and out of the classroom, in pursuing opportunities so as to reduce debt and the risk of unemployment after graduation.

Quick Reference

U.S. News Ranking: 100

LSAT  Median: 157

GPA Median: 3.56

Multiple  LSAT scores: Higher score used

Application Deadlines: 04/15 (Priority RD), 11/15 (EA)

Application fee: Free online, $75 if paper application

Entering class size: combined 400

Yearly  Tuition: $41,780 (full-time), $31,259 (part-time)

Bar passage rate in NY: 83.86%

Percent of graduates employed 9 months after graduation: 93.7%

Median private sector starting salary: $160,000 (Class of 2007, 23% reporting)