Admissions Guide to the Boston College Law School

Boston College is a private research university run by the Roman Catholic Jesuits. This college is classified as an “RU/H Research University” based on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This means that the school maintains a high level of research activity. Boston College has eight research libraries that hold over two million printed volumes. This also includes original manuscripts and prints made by Galileo, Francis Xavier, and Ignatius of Loyola.

It was in 1926 when the Boston College Law School, also known as BC Law, was established as part of the seven graduate schools of BC. So far, it is one of the largest with about 800 students enrolled in its programs. Owing to its Jesuit background, BC Law is known for its programs concerning social justice, human rights, and public interest law. In fact, the BC Law faculty was known for its significant role in the Solomon Amendment repeal, which was presided by the US Supreme Court.

Aside from its post-graduate fellowships, BC Law is also known for its student publications, namely The Boston College Law Review, The Boston College International & Comparative Law Review, The Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review, The Third World Law Journal, The Uniform Commercial Code Reporter-Digest, and the Intellectual Property and Technology Forum, an online publication.

Degrees offered

BC Law has about 800 students enrolled in its law degree programs and around 125 faculty members. It is considered to be among the most prestigious law schools in the US with its post-graduate fellowships and programs focusing on public interest.

BC Law offers J.D., M.A., as well as Ph.D. programs. But aside from this, the Law School also has joint degree programs in partnership with other professional schools of Boston College. Joint degree programs include the J.D./M.B.A. with the Carroll School of Management, J.D./M.Ed. with Lynch School of Education, and J.D./M.S.W. with Graduate School of Social Work. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences also offers joint degrees in social sciences, natural sciences, fine arts, and the humanities.

BC Law is also known for its exchange programs and numerous programs abroad.

Alumni

BC Law has produced graduates who held significant positions in the government, the private sector, and other industries. Among the distinguished alumni of the Law School are:

* Edward P. Boland – former US Representative who authored the Boland Amendment
* Scott Brown – US Senator
* Mike Capuano – US Representative
* Paul Cellucci – former Massachusetts Governor, former US Ambassador to Canada
* Bill Delahunt – US Congressman
* John Dooley – Vermont Supreme Court justice
* Paul Hodes – US Congressman
* Dannel P. Malloy – Stamford Connecticut Mayor
* Scott Brown – US Senator

Rankings and reviews

BC Law is one of the top-rated law schools in the country. As such, the 2010 Princeton Review placed BC at the 7th spot for the category of “Best Career Prospects.” It also ranked 5th for the category of “Professors Rock (Legally Speaking).” The 2011 Law School rankings of the US News and World Report ranked BC Law at number 28 in the country. Its legal writing program and tax program placed 9th and 23rd, respectively.

BC Law graduates are also given good career prospects and outlook as the National Law Journal included BC Law in the list of top 15 law schools with graduates who get hired in top law firms. The two Boston schools included in the list are Harvard and BC.

Admission tips

In terms of admission, BC Law is highly selective. In 2009, less than 21% of applicants made it to the cut-off. So if you want to ensure admission to this law school, you have to excel in the LSAT, have a good GPA, and also do well on your interview. You can also ensure the success of your application by writing a notable law school personal statement that focuses on your interest and one that would reflect values significant to the school.

Admission facts

Admissions data for the class of 2012

* Enrollment

Applicants: 7,166
Enrolled: 264
Women: 41%
Minorities: 29%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 1: 12.6

* GPA/LSAT scores

LSAT 25/75 Percentile: 163-167
UGPA 25/75 Percentile: 3.34-3.68

Contact info

Newton Campus
885 Centre Street
Newton Centre, MA 02459

Email: bclawadm@bc.edu
Website: http://www.bc.edu/schools/law/

Photo Credits: dbking

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