From the School

Seton Hall Law University School of Law is a uniquely collegial community of talented faculty, students and alumni who value commitment to service and excellence. Students enjoy close relationships to professors and each other throughout their law school experience and beyond. Our strong network of dedicated alumni and great law school professors are invaluable and accessible resources to our students.

What is the Seton Hall Law difference? Our "One Student At a Time" approach to teaching and engagement. The phrase "student-centered" can mean many things. At Seton Hall Law, it describes our focus on each student as an individual — someone with their own history, responsibilities, and aspirations. Seton Hall Law focuses on the whole person, urging our students to balance their personal and professional lives. Our faculty and professional administrators partner with students to discover their passion in the law.

First-year applications are considered for Fall Semester admission only. In order to apply, you must have or plan to obtain a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university or a foreign equivalent prior to your anticipated date of enrollment. The application is available electronically at www.lsac.org, and all supporting documentation must be submitted through a valid Credential Assembly Service (CAS) account.

Admission to Seton Hall Law is selective and competitive with an entire student's profile taken into consideration including academic background, professional expertise, personal statements, and standardized testing results.

April 1 is the General Admission and Financial Aid priority deadline as well as the final deadline for the Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEO).

Overview

From The School


Applicants
1,531
Acceptance Rate
49%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.65
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
207

Test Scores

LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
155 - 163

Deadlines

Application Deadlines
April 1

Application Process

Rolling Admissions
Yes

Application Fee
$65

CAS Service Used
Yes

Applicants accepted in terms other than fall
No

Transfer Applicants Accepted
Yes

Deferred Admission
Yes

Other Admission Factors

Academic

LSAT Score
Undergraduate GPA

Selectivity Rating

Overall


Faculty Information

Student/Faculty
14:1
Total Faculty
80

43.98
Female
7.5
Underrepresented Minorities


Students Say

Seton Hall University School of Law is a private, mid-size bastion of legal education, where you’ll get an excellent foundation in both the theoretical and the practical aspects of law. Concentrations are available in health law and intellectual property. The Center for Social Justice is “a great resource” that provides “ample opportunities to get hands-on legal experience.” It consists of five clinics, and it’s among the most comprehensive clinical and pro bono programs in the region, which is quite impressive considering the competition. Opportunities to participate begin during first year. “Very cool study abroad trips” in places such as Cairo, Zanzibar, and Geneva are another nice perk.
The classroom environment at Seton Hall Law is “very conducive to discussion.” “There aren’t many horrible professors,” and “Most rave about their professors.” Students say the faculty is full of some of “the wittiest, most passionate, brilliant, best-looking legal minds in the country.” “Each of the first-year professors I’ve had has been really impressive,” reports a 1L. “Some of them are pretty idiosyncratic, which provides for some good entertainment outside the classroom, and behind their backs.” The faculty is “very accessible,” as well. Many students also find the administration “generally helpful.” The support staff goes out of its way to accommodate and even anticipate student needs,” says a 2L. “It is reliable and makes few mistakes.” Other students charge, “The administration at this school is a tsunami of disorganization.” We also hear a number of complaints about the legal writing program, which a 3L calls “abhorrent.”
“There’s very much an on-your-own-feel to finding a job,” and some students with middling grades feel “left out in the cold.” Nevertheless, most students are pretty satisfied with their job prospects. State and federal court houses “are very close,” and “the school has a strong connection to the New Jersey judiciary, so a lot of students get judicial clerkships at graduation.” The alumni network is notably loyal, and “Seton Hall Law has a good networking system set in place.” “We have the run of New Jersey,” boasts a 2L. However, students who want to work in Manhattan have only moderate success. “You can see the city from the library,” observes a 1L, “but it seems more like a beautiful dream than a reality for most students.” That’s not necessarily a drawback, though. “There are plenty of pretty great law firms right here in Newark.”
The facilities here are definitely above average. “There can be no debate about that.” Not everyone loves “the modern-esque style of the interior,” and “The classrooms are more functional than aesthetically pleasing,” but upgrades are “constant,” and students have few serious grievances. Technology is “particularly smooth.” “The library is fantastic,” declares a 3L. “It provides especially good electronic resources, even in obscure areas.” “I love how everything is in one place,” adds a 2L.

Career overview

From The School


Pass Rate for First-Time Bar Exam
82%
Median Starting Salary
$51,721
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
95%
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
94%

Career Services

On campus summer employment recruitment for first year JD students
Yes

On campus summer employment recruitment for second year JD students
Yes

# of Employers that Recruit on Campus Each Year
50

Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Graduates are hired by law firms including the nation's most prestigious firms, corporations, government offices, public interest organizations, and state and federal judges.

Graduates Employed by Area

41%
Judicial Clerkships
12%
Business/Industry
7%
Government
2%
Public Interes
1%
Academic

Graduates Employed by Region

90%
Mid-Atlantic
2%
South
2%
New England
1%
International

Prominent Alumni

Michael Chagares
Judge on Third US Circuit Court of Appeals

Christopher Christie
Governor of the State of New Jersey

Paulette Brown
President, American Bar Association & Partner, Locke Lord

Peter Larson
Former Chair & CEO of Brunswick Corp.

Mariellen Dugan
Senior Vice President & General Counsel, NJ Resources Corporation

Overview

From The School


Dates

Financial Aid Rating
Apr 1
Application Deadlines
Mar 15

Financial Aid Statistics

Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$53,000

% Students Receiving Some Aid
95%

Expenses per Academic Year

Tuition
$65,020
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$1,400
Fees
$1,760

Overall

From The School


Student Body Profile

Total Enrollment
525
Parent Institution Enrollement
9,824

Number of Foreign Countries Represented
5

% International
1%

Demographics

20.00%
% Under-represented Minorities

82% are full time
18% are part time

Campus Life

Students Say

The population of future attorneys at Seton Hall Law is reasonably diverse in pretty much every respect except geography. Students report that they have “serious drive, ambition, and talent.” While the curve is “severe” and “things get a little competitive during finals time,” the academic atmosphere is generally “friendly, fun, and helpful.” “Student life at Seton Hall Law delicately balances that line between competition and teamwork,” explains a 1L.
Outside of class, there are frequent seminars and tons of organizations and activities. Attitudes concerning the surrounding city of Newark are seriously mixed. Detractors call it “a notoriously terrible city” that’s “lacking in sophistication and charm.” “Newark may be the least desirable place to go to law school in the country,” reckons a 2L. Other students insist that the Brick City’s reputation is unwarranted. “Just because Newark looks crappy doesn’t mean it’s dangerous,” they say. “I feel like a lot of the kids from New Jersey just hate Newark because they bring their prejudices with them,” claims a 2L. “Downtown Newark is as safe—if not safer—than any block in NYC. It is a professionally developed area” full of courts and multiple government offices. Whatever the case, the school is “about two blocks from Penn Station, so it’s easy enough to commute from a nice area.” Despite the commuter ambience, students tell us that there’s “a very vibrant social community” at Seton Hall Law. Events sponsored by the student bar association are “pretty awesome,” and students “regularly” go out en masse in Hoboken or New York City.

More Information

% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%

Admissions Office Contact

From The School



Contact
Peter Eraca
Assistant Dean for J.D. and Graduate Admissions

Address
One Newark Center
Newark, NJ 07102

Phone
973-642-8747

Email
admitme@shu.edu


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