National Jurist - January 2009 - (Page 21)

issues are among the top reasons people choose online law schools, Currier said. He noted that students also enjoy a diverse base of classmates, well-qualified faculty and the latest technology. Avoiding the same debt faced by the traditional law student ranks high among distance learners. For example, tuition at Abraham Lincoln University School of Law in Los Angeles is $7,500 per year plus fees and materials. Concord’s tuition is $9,250 per year, making its total tuition cost for its JD degree — at about $38,000 for a four-year degree — less expensive than one year at many private law schools, Currier notes. The average student at Abraham Lincoln is 45 years old and chose law school to gain more professional experience. Students range from paralegals to area police department employees to other professionals looking for basic legal training. more than 20 percent of students in postsecondary education are taking at least one class online. And high schools are the fastest growing segment in the online education. “The people that will be coming to law school will have experience with distance learning. And many of the surveys show that students like it, and it is effective when properly done,” Currier said. “We understand that this is a different way of doing legal education, and we have to demonstrate that it’s effective and it works.” — Barry Currier, dean of Concord Law School “It’s pretty efficient,” said Garfield Earl, enrollment manager of Abraham Lincoln University School of Law. “You can study in small spurts, and it doesn’t interrupt your lifestyle.” As far as technology goes, Concord notes that its typical course includes live, synchronous classes, video-streamed lectures, reading and writing assignments and exams. The professors can both hear students and engage an instant messagingstyle conversation during a class, which allows them to use the classic Socratic method of teaching. Currier notes that studies show that January 2009 THE NATIONAL JURIST 21 http://law.fiu.edu http://law.fiu.edu http://law.fiu.edu http://law.fiu.edu

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of National Jurist - January 2009

National Jurist - January 2009 Contents Hot Button: Affirmative Action Entertainment: A Road Trip Through Law School News: American Justice, Kaplan Survey, Part-time Ranking The Firm Report: Diversity Law School Online No label No label Fordham Student Honored for Public Interest Work Former Law Student's Life Lives on After Her Death Most Influential People in Legal Education Most Innovative Law Schools Your Guide to Studying Abroad Career Hotline Texas Tech Law Grads Explore Dispute Resolution Evaluating First-Year Exams Disturbing the Peace

National Jurist - January 2009

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