Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law is a top-tier law school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1834, it is the oldest law school in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and one of the oldest law schools in the United States. The school offers a full range of legal education programs, including J.D., LL.M., and M.Jur degrees as well as joint degree programs with other Penn State colleges. The faculty members are highly experienced, distinguished scholars and practitioners who are dedicated to providing students with an exceptional legal education experience. Dickinson Law’s curriculum provides students with an extensive foundation in all areas of legal practice, including civil procedure, constitutional law, criminal law, intellectual property law, international law, labor and employment law and more. Additionally, Dickinson Law offers numerous experiential learning opportunities through its clinics and externships that allow students to gain real-world experience while still in school.
This page focuses on national rankings, acceptance rates, program costs, and merit-based scholarships of Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law, an accredited law program in the United States. Should you be interested in official name and common abbreviation of Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law, please follow this link: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/psu_pennsylvania-state-university.html
Motto: Practice Greatness
Parent school: Dickinson College · (1834–1917) · Independent · (1917–2000) · Pennsylvania State University · (2000–present)
Established: 1834 (as the Dickinson School of Law)
School type: Public law school
Dean: Danielle M. Conway
Location: Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States
Enrollment: 184
Faculty: 30
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Ranking: Pennsylvania State University (Dickinson)
Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law is ranked among the top law schools in the United States. According to U.S. News & World Report, it is ranked #66 in the nation for 2021. It is also highly ranked for its specialty programs, placing #17 for its Health Care Law program and #21 for its Intellectual Property program. The school also ranks highly in other areas such as student selectivity, faculty resources, and bar passage rate. The school boasts an impressive 77% bar passage rate, which is higher than the national average of 74%. Additionally, its acceptance rate of 59% is slightly lower than the national average of 63%. Its student selectivity score of 4 out of 5 reflects the fact that it only accepts students with a strong academic record and a commitment to their studies. The faculty resources score of 4 out of 5 reveals that it has an excellent faculty-to-student ratio and offers numerous opportunities for students to engage with professors outside the classroom setting. Furthermore, Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law offers numerous experiential learning opportunities such as clinics and externships to give students real-world legal experience prior to graduation. All these factors demonstrate why Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law is considered one of the top law schools in the United States.
| Top Law Schools of 2020 | |
|---|---|
| Score | 48 |
| Peer assessment score (5.0 highest) | 2.4 |
| Assessment score by lawyers/judges (5.0 highest) | 2.9 |
| 25th-75th percentile GPA scores for all students | 3.34-3.76 |
| 25th-75th percentile LSAT scores for all students | 154-159 |
| Overall acceptance rate | 33.6% |
| Student/faculty ratio | 10.3 |
| Graduates employed at graduation | N/A |
| Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation | 96.4% |
| School’s bar passage rate for first-time test takers | 81.4% |
| State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar | PA |
| Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers | 83.0% |
Tuition & Scholarships: Pennsylvania State University (Dickinson)
Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law offers a variety of tuition and scholarships to help make law school more affordable. Tuition for the J.D. program is currently $38,000 per year. This tuition is a flat rate, regardless of residency status, and includes the cost of books and other materials. In addition, the school offers several scholarship opportunities to offset some or all of the cost of tuition. These include merit-based scholarships ranging from $1,000-$20,000 per year as well as need-based scholarships that may cover up to full tuition in some cases. Additionally, students may be eligible for outside scholarships from organizations such as The American Bar Association and the National Black Law Students Association. There are also loan programs available through the federal government and private lenders that can assist with paying for law school expenses.
| Financial Aid Office Information | |
|---|---|
| Financial aid application deadline | 03/01 |
| Financial aid director | Susan Bogart |
| Financial aid telephone | (800) 840-1122 |
| 2019-2020 Expenses | |
| Tuition | In-state, full-time: $31,942 per year, part-time: $28,600 per year; Out-of-state, full-time: $31,942 per year, part-time: $28,600 per year |
| Room and board | $10,062 |
| Books | $1,296 |
| Miscellaneous expenses | $8,496 |
| Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? | Yes |
| Does the university offer housing restricted to law students? | No |
| Does the university offer graduate student housing for which law students are eligible? | Yes |
| Does the university offer a public-interest scholarship program to current J.D. students? | No |
| 2019 Grants | |
| Percentage of full-time students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition | 50.1% |
| Percentage of part-time students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition | N/A |
| Percentage of full-time students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full | 2.2% |
| Percentage of part-time students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full | N/A |
| Percentage of full-time students receiving grants of full tuition | 0.0% |
| Percentage of part-time students receiving grants of full tuition | N/A |
| Percentage of full-time students receiving grants of more than full tuition | 0.0% |
| Percentage of part-time students receiving grants of more than full tuition | N/A |
| 25th percentile grant amount of aid per full-time recipient | $2,500 |
| Median grant amount of aid per full-time recipient (50th percentile) | $4,850 |
| 75th percentile grant amount of aid per full-time recipient | $8,000 |
| 25th percentile grant amount of aid per part-time recipient | N/A |
| Median grant amount of aid per part-time recipient (50th percentile) | N/A |
| 75th percentile grant amount of aid per part-time recipient | N/A |
| Indebtedness | |
| Average indebtedness of 2019 graduates who incurred law school debt | $98,442 |
| Proportion who borrowed | 93.7% |
| Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2019 J.D. graduates? | Yes |
