University of Georgia School of Law
The University of Georgia School of Law has been named the best value in legal education by National Jurist.
“Over the past five years, buoyed by private donations and holding the line on tuition, the aggregate annual indebtedness of our students has been reduced by more than $5 million, and for the 2018-19 academic year almost 40% of our J.D. student body did not borrow funds to support their legal education,” Law Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge tells UGA Today.
THE RANKING
National Jurist ranks law schools annually. To determine law schools with the best ROI, it considers outcome-driven metrics such as bar passage, employment rates, average indebtedness, tuition, and cost of living.
While this year’s full rankings have yet to be released, UGA Law has ranked consecutively high in terms of ROI in past years’ rankings.
“The first-rate training our students receive helps them secure jobs, posting one of the nation’s top employment rates and best in the state earlier this year,” Rutledge tells UGA Today. “For the second straight year, roughly 95% of our students passed the bar within 12 months of graduation. This sort of success, coupled with a laser-like focus on student debt, allows our grads to make professional career choices based on their passions, not their finances.”
THREE-PART STRATEGY
Part of why UGA Law ranks so highly in value is due to the law school’s recently-implemented three-part strategy of halting tuition increases, examining expenditures, and increasing scholarship support.
According to UGA Today, more than 70% of UGA Law’s JD Class of 2022 received some type of scholarship aid, with 100% of first-generation college grads in the first-year class and all enrolled military veterans receiving financial assistance.
“The School of Law provides students a strong foundation so they can become future leaders serving state, nation and society,” Rutledge tells UGA Today. “We remain committed to advancing our vision to be the nation’s best return on investment in legal education. I’d like to thank President Jere Morehead, Provost Jack Hu as well as our alumni and alumnae, donors, faculty, staff and students who all support this vision.”
Sources: UGA Today, National Jurist
