Temple University Beasley School of Law

Temple University Beasley School of Law

Temple University Beasley School of Law

1719 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122
(215) 204-5949
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Rankings:
TippingTheScales (2013): NR
U.S. News (2013): 56
AboveTheLaw (2013): NR
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TEMPLE LAW STUDENTS SAY…

Academics & Programs: Temple University School of Law is “a public school in Philadelphia” that “prepares students to become real practicing attorneys.” Without question, “Temple’s greatest strength is its focus on the practical.” There are five areas of specialization here. “The public interest program offers a broad range of opportunities.” “International programs are fabulous.” The diversity and sheer number of clinics is ridiculous. However, students assert that the year-long and very intensive trial advocacy program here is Temple’s most awesome feature. “The trial advocacy program is top-notch, making the best litigators in the nation,” vaunts a 2L. Under the guidance of judges and practicing trial attorneys, students in the program spend many hours conducting depositions, arguing motions, and honing “real-world lawyering” skills. Other perks here include five law journals and a flexible evening program that is “well-suited for students with personal and professional commitments.” A vast range of course offerings is yet another plus. “There are a lot of different directions you can take your law school experience.” “For Pennsylvania residents,” says a 1L, “you can’t beat the value and experience that Temple can provide.”
Temple’s “very dedicated” professors receive high marks. “Temple Law is not composed of a faculty of faces,” beams a 1L, “but instead it is comprised of personalities, teachers, and mentors.” Faculty members are usually “engaging, whether they use the Socratic Method or not,” and they “spend a considerable amount of time emphasizing the practical aspects of their area of law.” “For the most part, professors are very accessible outside of class” as well. Some students are very happy with the top brass. They say that the deans “make sure that every type of support you need to succeed” is available. “The administration knows and cares about me,” adds a 3L.
Most students say that career prospects are good, particularly if you plan on staying in the City of Brotherly Love after graduation. Temple has an “amazingly strong network” locally. Basically, “Temple Law lawyers run the city,” and the school “has a wonderful reputation in the greater Philadelphia area for turning out capable lawyers” in the private, public, and government sectors.
Campus Life/Facilities: The facility here is a “big concrete block” that really is pretty hard to like. “You could literally spend a whole day in the school without looking out a window,” submits a 2L. The school’s location is “really convenient” and defenders of the neighborhood say that it “has a true Philadelphia feel to it.” “The campus itself is very well maintained, lit well at night, and is very safe with a police force larger than some cities’.” Some students tell us that “inside, the law school is very nice.” Others describe the interior as “kind of gritty.” The library is “adequate,” but it “sounds like a bowling alley” and it’s “not a very good study environment,” though administrators are in the process of adding more group study areas. Technology isn’t the worst but students say it’s not the best, either. Fortunately, plans are in place to upgrade all the computers in the library and all the computers in the computer lab were recently updated and replaced.
Across the board, students here appreciate that their peers and are “generally very friendly and intelligent” as well. Day students are typically twenty-something, “from upper-middle-class backgrounds.” The evening program is a lot more diverse in every way and the people enrolled in it say it’s “like a brotherhood.” Though the formerly tough curve made students more competitive, today some students say “competitiveness is not extremely high” at Temple, and among first-years there is “a lot of section pride.”
Outside the confines of the classroom, “students get along very well.” According to one view, “Temple is primarily a commuter school, so there is not a great sense of community.” Other students describe the social environment as “pretty collegial and tight-knit.” “There’s an excellent sense of community,” they contend, and there are “plenty of opportunities to socialize.” Certainly, “there are a ton of organizations to get involved with to meet people with similar interests.” “Guest speakers that come to Temple are amazing” as well. Students who enjoy the social and extracurricular scene also report that “there is always something happening on the weekends somewhere,” and they point out that “Philadelphia in general is quite fun.”
* The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University.

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