Pursuing law coursework in graduate school can be rewarding. However, you must check the dropout rate before committing to any subject of study. Dropout rates can indicate how difficult it is to continue that specific field of study. For instance, law school dropout rate in the USA is comparatively much higher than other disciplines.
Law school graduates can prosper in versatile magnitudes, such as potential business leaders, politicians, etc. On the other hand, we have examples of celebrities who dropped out of law school and pursued their fields of interest. For example, Journalist Diane Sawyer quit the University of Louisville School of Law just after one semester.
Similarly, popular comedian Demetri Martin dropped out of New York University School of Law after 2 years. He also commented that studying law seemed to be a waste of time for him. They have got their second chances. However, you may feel regretful if you can’t cope with the law school curriculum.
Hence, you must take time and consider your interest in law school. Additionally, you should know why most law students leave school in the first place. Thus, you can be cautious about them and never repeat those mistakes.
Law School Dropout Rates in the United States
Let’s check out the overall law school dropout rates across the USA before you dig into the reasons why law students leave school. According to statistics, law schools allowing LSAT scores between 155 and 159 showed a dropout rate of up to 2.0%.
However, the dropout rate can be as high as 4.7% for law schools approving a median LSAT score ranging from 150 to 154. Moreover, the dropout rate is up to 14.3% for law schools that allow students with a median LSAT score between 145 and 150.
On top of that, schools that allow students with an LSAT score equal to or less than 145 have a dropout rate of 25.3%.
Law School-Wise Dropout Rates in the USA
Apart from the above trend, we have prepared a list of dropout rates by popular law schools across the USA for a better point of view. Here it goes:
- Arizona Summit – 65.31%
- Capital University Law School – 23.27
- Florida Coastal School of Law – 38.86%
- Liberty University School of Law – 20.55%
- California Western School of Law – 17.49%
- Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School – 19.44%
- Thomas Jefferson School of Law – 26.51%
- Florida A&M University College of Law – 17.57%
- Ave Maria School of Law – 15.46%
- Touro College-Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Centre – 14.69%
- Appalachian School of Law – 13.70%
- Regent University School of Law – 12.90%
- New York Law School – 13.26%
- New England Law-Boston – 12.43%
- Southern University Law Centre – 10.20%
- Belmont University College of Law – 9.42%
- Inter-American University School of Law – 8.77%
- Mississippi College School of Law – 8.21%
- Charleston School of Law – 8.33%
- University of La Verne College of Law – 7.53%
- University of Detroit Mercy School of Law – 5.98%
- Catholic University of America – 5.21%
- George Mason University – 3.37%
- SUNY Buffalo Law School – 2.44%
- University of Miami – 1.53%
However, a few universities and law schools have a 0.00% dropout rate. They are:
- Yale University
- University of Montana
- Cornell University
- University of North Dakota
- Duke University
- University of New Mexico
- Vanderbilt University
- Northeastern University
Common Reasons Why Students Leave Law Schools
As you can see, the dropout rate of a law school in the USA can be as high as 65.31%. Why do students leave law colleges? We stumble upon the following reasons while searching for answers:
1. Overlooking Hardships
Often, students need to remember how challenging it will be to pursue a law curriculum. Apart from making time for study, some students believe they need help with costs, commitments, and other prime responsibilities. For example, students can encounter financial hardships and fail to manage money for tuition and other expenses.
On the other hand, many students have impacted their relationships and health while pursuing a curriculum at a law school. They couldn’t forecast how drastic consequences law schools could result in. On top of that, part-time students fail to balance their jobs and academics simultaneously.
In addition, unaccredited and bottom-ranked law schools have a higher dropout rate than accredited ones. This is because students need to learn what challenges await them to complete the program successfully. Mostly, they need to be taught about the anticipated hardships of a law program.
However, these bottom-ranked schools make money from students who can’t graduate. Therefore, law students should map out challenges they might encounter before entering a law school. Otherwise, it will be difficult for them to manage them, and they even feel like quitting school as soon as possible.
2. Overconfidence
Confidence is your weapon to overcome obstacles, no matter how big. However, overconfidence can disrupt consistency and distract you from your ‘never-give-up’ attitude. Since law students are more likely to be ambitious, they can be victimised by their self-optimism.
This is one of the most common reasons why students drop out of law school so often. You may lag if you keep thinking about dodging a potential task right now and plan to manage it later. Such optimism bias can lead to risks, and you can encounter harsher consequences.
For instance, you can receive poor grades, or a critical paper can fail. Many genius students get admitted to law schools, and they can get used to this optimism bias. Additionally, they assume they can top their classes, but law school hardships can slap their confidence.
As a result, they might leave law schools to avoid sour grades. How can you avoid such circumstances? Consult seniors to get a clear picture of what it feels like to be in a law college, along with academics, grades, and more. Moreover, find your niche and join a social group to discuss subjects.
3. Self Doubt
Besides overconfidence, students decide to leave law schools due to their low self-esteem. Many students feel that they can’t cope with the law program. They think of themselves as impostors or frauds. Such self-doubting thoughts can force students to leave law schools in the middle of the term.
Most law school dropout rates in the USA occur within 2 years of joining the program. What if you feel the same way after the first or second semester? Well, the burden of the law curriculum makes it inevitable. However, you can prepare yourself for it and fight your self-doubting thoughts.
The Socratic method, legal education, and intimidating textbooks can challenge your brain and ego from time to time. In that scenario, you can take a break from your campus or engage in a new activity rather than quitting law school.
4. Expectations vs. Reality
You must be a bright student in your school days. However, your experience at law school can be less sparkling. After all, law practice is duller than its media portrayal in classic dramas. Covering book after book and practising law can be tedious.
On the other hand, students might find law programs less rewarding. In addition, they might need to be more focused due to poor grades. Remember that almost every lawyer thinks they have messed up picking a law course. So, you have to keep a clear vision of what law schools can offer you.
No doubt, practising law has a challenging learning curve. If you find it impossible to keep up with the course, then you need to think about possible alternatives you can swing into. Every career has its ups and downs. Moreover, law students have a wide range of career options.
Before you reach the ultimate decision of your life, talk to your professors, seniors, etc. Figure out what lawyers do in reality. Thus, you can decide whether you want to pursue a law degree or not. After all, it’s better to sort out your interests first than wasting your effort, time, and money on law school.
Bottom Line…
The USA’s huge law school dropout rates have made one thing clear: Law degrees aren’t easy to complete. Before you join a law school, keep the points mentioned above in mind. Those factors can compel you to leave law school and your dream unfulfilled.
Hence, you must figure out what your career goals and plans are. Dropping out of law school can shatter your confidence, and you might regret the expenses so far. However, there’s no shame in dropping out of law school if situations have been really hard for you. Always remember that you can start fresh and land on your feet with what you are passionate about.
