UC's College of Law Sees 38 Percent Spike in First-Year Enrollment

This fall, first-year enrollment at UC's College of Law jumped 38 percent as the college earned A-level recognition as a "best value" law school. In addition, the college reports a 64 percent increase in the number of LLM students. These figures represent a 42 percent increase in the number of newly enrolled students, as compared to last year.

The school's high bar exam passage and employment rates for its students, combined with low student debt, tuition and cost of living, distinguished it from its peers.

Students new to the school this year include 101 J.D. students and 18 graduate students, 40 percent of whom are from out of state. Overall, the class represents 30 undergraduate majors from 64 colleges. Ten percent of the new class is comprised of "Double Bearcats," or students who also have an undergraduate degree from UC.

"We are all delighted by the first year class," said Jennifer S. Bard, dean and Nippert Professor of Law at the school. "Their strengths illustrate that our high-quality programs, our emphasis on learning by doing and our externship placements are gaining the recognition they deserve."

In addition to its academic advantages, students appreciate the city and its surrounding opportunities, according to Mina Jones Jefferson, the college's senior assistant dean and director of the Center for Professional Development. "Prospective students are hearing about the law school’s vibrant network of opportunity.”

She continued, “The law school is less than 6 miles from the region’s strongest law firms, legal departments of Fortune 500 companies and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is one step away from the Nation’s Supreme Court.  This proximity means that students get experience from the first day and move seamlessly between the University and legal community.”

She also noted that “Ohio is a top 10 state for legal entry-level employment and Cincinnati is the fastest growing economy in the Midwest, which means opportunity follows.” Jefferson said that there are also more non-traditional high-level jobs available primarily to those with law degrees, including human resources managers, patent examiners, providers of international tax services and hospital administrators.