The Aspen Advisor Week in Review for March 1, 2019
This week’s roundup of articles highlights the increase of law school applicants within recent years. As outlined in “The Political Mood and Law School Applications,” 87% of law school students report that the current political climate in the U.S. is what drives them towards a degree in law and 57% intend to use their degree to further political or public policy issues that they care about. The article “’Trump Bump’ Fueling Soaring Law School Applications” points out that while law students might have good intentions in getting their law degree, it is important to realize that law school is a big commitment. Kathryn Rubino of the Above the law blog warns students that Trump may be in office for 8 years, “but law school debt is forever.” Professionals in the field are urging students to take a more introspective approach to understanding their motives for attaining a degree in law.
Aspen Authors in the News
In Prisoners of Politics, Rachel Barkow Argues for Rational Criminal Justice Reform
Her recommendations are informed by her experience serving on the US Sentencing Commission as well as her leadership of NYU Law’s Center on the Administration of Criminal Law.
Bar Exam
Leading California Bar Prep Course Expands to LA
BarMD Helps Exam Repeaters Pass the California Bar at 3X Higher Rates than the State Average
Law School Students
Trump's Tough Student and Work Visa Policies are Pushing Legal Immigrants to Canada
International student applications and enrollment to U.S. institutions declined in 2018, for the second year in a row, a recent report has found.
How to Decide Which Sports Management and Law Courses to Enroll On? A US Perspective
This article provides an insight into how the sports law and management programs have been developing in the United States of America as well as give practical considerations for students looking to select and undergraduate or postgraduate degree in these fields.
Khan Academy's Free, Online LSAT Prep Proves Popular with Test Takers
The Law School Admission Council and Khan Academy say their nine-month-old free online LSAT prep program is getting heavy use among minority groups that are underrepresented in law schools and the legal profession.
Public-Interest Lawyers Who Sued Over Student-Loan Forgiveness are One Step Closer
A judge said the government’s changing approach to whether some borrowers qualify was ‘arbitrary and capricious’
Legal Education
The Political Mood and Law School Applications
The current political environment is motivating law school applicants, surveys find.
College of Law Program Provides High School Students with Passageways to Law School
Feb. 22 was just another day of school at the S.J. Quinney College of Law, except the students in attendance were high school students from around the Salt Lake Community. They were learning about what law school is like through participation in an annual program called “Passageways to the Law.”
Florida Coastal and ABA Ask Court to Dismiss Accreditation Lawsuit
Florida Coastal School of Law, the last of three for-profit InfiLaw schools to remain open, has asked that the court dismiss, with prejudice, its lawsuit against the American Bar Association, with the parties agreeing to bear their own costs and fees.
Michael McGinniss Named Dean of UND Law School
After an unsuccessful external search, UND has named a professor as the new dean for the law school, the university announced via its UND Today blog Tuesday.
'Trump Bump' Fueling Soaring Law School Applications
According to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2018 survey of law school admissions officers, 87 percent say the current political climate was a significant factor in the increase in applications over the past year.
Other Publishing News
Cengage Unlimited Hits 1 Million Subscriptions
Cengage has sold one million Cengage Unlimited subscriptions in seven months, the publisher announced Monday. The subscription model offers students access to more than 22,000 digital textbooks and course materials for $119.99 a semester, or $179.99 a year.