Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Paralegals And Legal Assistants
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Camelot, Nicholls State, Grambling State, and McNeese State.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Nicholls State, McNeese State, and Grambling State.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Camelot.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Grambling State, Camelot, Southern University at Shreveport, and Nunez Community College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Southern University at Shreveport.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Tulane University of Louisiana, Grambling State, McNeese State, and Nicholls State.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Grambling State, Tulane University of Louisiana, Camelot, and Nicholls State.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Tulane University of Louisiana.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Tulane University of Louisiana and Grambling State.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Tulane University of Louisiana, Grambling State, Nicholls State, and McNeese State.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Tulane University • New Orleans, LA
Studying Legal Studies In Business, A.B. Freeman School Of Business (completion in 2011)
• 4/29/2011
"I really can't complain. I had a wonderful undergraduate experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It's possible; if they can get into a school with a better reputation, I would advise doing so. The alumni network is not reliable. However, Tulane offers a lot that other universities can't and don't. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Not ranked as high as the ivy leagues. Tulane was ranked as high as #35 for their undergraduate business school in the past year. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My undergraduate education was comprehensive and thorough. I have a well-rounded business background which makes my degree adaptable to almost any field. |
| Instruction | 9 | The faculty at my school was engaging and always willing to help their students go the extra mile. I am completely happy with the quality of instruction. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I felt like I was always doing work. However, I still had free time to enjoy New Orleans. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The business school loves case studies (Harvard Business School style) and group presentations. They also give lectures and textbook assignments. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Class sections were offered at a variety of times, making it almost too easy to tailor the schedule to your whims. For example, I had 3 night classes and Fridays off for 6 of my 8 semesters, yet my roommate took most of the same classes as I did but scheduled hers for the mornings and was done by noon every semester. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | A plethora of study lounges, libraries and computer labs - especially for the business school. The library is nice, too. |
| Social Life | 10 | Tulane has the greatest on and off campus nightlife of any undergraduate university. I go back to my high school town with the best stories from my college years. |
| Placement Services | 3 | The "CMC" is lacking. They do not have very many important company connections, making them a weak asset in the job search. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | Alumni network is a little lacking. The alumni are sporadic with their recruiting and tend to move on to bigger and better things. |
ITT Technical Institute • Baton Rouge, LA
Studying Paralegal Studies (completion in 2011)
• 7/11/2011
"I am very satisfied with my school. The teachers are all very knowledgeable in their fields of law and taught me a lot. I am proud to have them on my resume."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend ITT Technical Institute to other students wanting to obtain a paralegal degree. It is one of the only credible schools in this area in which you can earn a full degree instead of simply a certification. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | I rated ITT Tech low as far as their reputation because the Paralegal program they offer here in Baton Rouge is only 2 years old. This means the school has not built a credible reputation with employers in the Baton Rouge area as of yet. |
| Program Quality | 8 | ITT Technical Institute provided many educated instructors and the majority of them were attorneys. The only problem was that they did not cater our classes to Louisiana Law. |
| Instruction | 9 | The paralegal education was superior to any of the other paralegal programs I have witnessed. I learned everything I needed to prepare me for work. The curriculum was relevant but did not cover Louisiana law. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The program of study was easy to understand. I still had to put in a lot of time doing homework and studying to make high grades. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The Paralegal Program at ITT Tech is very by the book. I believe the other classes they offer in the IT and ET fields are more hands-on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | This school is more flexible than most colleges since it is a technical college. Night and Saturday classes are both offered. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | ITT Tech had resources and facilities that were adequate for the paralegal program. They also provided a learning resource center with computers and printers, as well as a small library. |
| Social Life | 3 | There are not many organized "after school" programs at a technical college. They do offer positions as teacher's aides and sometimes hold small events. |
| Placement Services | 1 | This school does not do a whole lot to assist with finding jobs in the paralegal field. I think this is because their paralegal program is fairly new. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I have not contacted any of the alumni network support systems the school has. I do not believe the school has a strong alumni network support system. |
Loyola University College Of Law • New Orleans, LA
Studying Civil Law (completion in 2011)
• 8/1/2011
"I feel that I have received a great education. I feel that I learned a tremendous amount from my professors."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend my school to anyone looking to start a legal career. The fact that I was able to get a job fairly soon after graduating from the community college and I've been able to maintain it for 3 years speaks volumes about the education I received. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The schools I attended all had very good reputations. They were accredited schools. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I attended a community college in order to obtain my associate's degree in paralegal studies. It was an excellent school as it offered smaller classes and an opportunity to work one on one with the professors. After I graduated from there, I started at the law school as I already had a bachelor's degree in English from a 4 year university. The classes at the law school were significantly larger and focused more on the theory of law. When I went to the community college for paralegal studies, however, there was more of a focus on the actual mechanics of law. |
| Instruction | 9 | Throughout both my community college education and my university education, I feel that I was properly prepared for my career. The instructors were all attorneys and therefore could share their personal experiences with the mechanics of the law. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Learning the mechanics and theory of the law is not an easy task. It takes studying the material and working on your writing and research skills. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There were a lot of assignments that involved you reading from the book and studying definitions. However, there were also mandatory assignments requiring you to conduct research, draft memos, prepare pleadings, etc... | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | The schedule flexibility was pretty convenient. There were usually evening options available in addition to the day schedule. It allowed me to work while I was in school. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I had access to a large law library. I also had access to online resources as well. The professors were always willing to help students. |
| Social Life | 9 | There were usually social events held each month. I was not particularly involved in any of them as I usually had work. |
| Placement Services | 9 | The schools had a career services office that offered assistance on drafting a resume. They also advertised any career opportunities that may have been of interest to the students. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | Every school that I've attended has an alumni association. There is an emphasis of keeping on contact with graduates and helping them find careers. |
University Of New Orleans, American Bar Association Approved Paralegal Program • New Orleans, LA
Studying Paralegal Studies (completion in 2001)
• 8/17/2011
"Overall, UNO provided me with a great foundation. Unlike other paralegals who are clueless about how a law firm and/or the law really works, UNO paralegal students learn not only about the law, but also learn about how a law firm works."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The main benefit of graduating from UNO is that graduates get a certificate that is approved by the American Bar Association. This in itself holds a lot of weight with prospective employers. Also, any class you take at UNO can be transferred to just abo |
| Program Reputation | 8 | UNO is one of only a few American Bar Association Approved Programs offered in Louisiana. UNO is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and any course taken there is transferable. |
| Program Quality | 8 | UNO was a great place to earn my paralegal certificate. The program requires 60 hours in a vast array of subjects, all of which are transferable to just about any college in Louisiana. It provides a great balance and good foundation not only in the law, |
| Instruction | 10 | My professors included a judge, many attorneys, and the head paralegal from one of the largest firms in Louisiana. They made classes fun and were easily accessible before/after class, via email, telephone, etc. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I worked extremely hard and earned a perfect 4.0 average while in UNO's paralegal program. The vast majority of classes available when I attended were evening classes that met only once a week. We were graded on various assignments from creating a trial |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | At least 60% of assignments required that I actually perform tasks that I might in a law firm. For example, one assignment required that students prepare questions/answers for a fictitious case. In another class, we performed a mock trial in which the pr | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | When I went to UNO, most of the paralegal classes were only offered at its downtown New Orleans campus. While I was able to take core courses and electives online, there were no paralegal classes available online. This means I had to beat rush hour traff |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | UNO offered tons of resources for paralegal students. Each student had access to both a West Law and Lexis Nexus account. One mandatory course was even taught in the library at the Louisiana Supreme Court by the Court's highly experienced head librarian |
| Social Life | 8 | I had a lot of fun taking classes at UNO. Many of the people I encountered were a lot like me - older students who were focused on succeeding. Lectures were lively and most professors gave group assignments which helped forge friendships. |
| Placement Services | 2 | When I attended school at UNO, the only job opportunities offered were randomly posted in a lounge that barely anyone every entered. I had a job as a paralegal during school, so I never had to request any type of help in finding a job. However, I did he |
| Alumni Network | 7 | UNO often sends me emails, but I don't ever open them. Since Hurricane Katrina struck, UNO's alumni network has, sadly, not been very effective in raising school support. |
Louisiana State University • Baton Rouge, LA
Studying Paralegal Studies (completion in 1997)
• 3/14/2012
"I am very satisfied with the school. The flexibility of schedules, small student to teacher ratio, and quick duration allowed me to become career ready in a very short period of time."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I do recommend the LSU Paralegal Studies Program to others interested in pursuing a paralegal career. It is an accredited program that offers great career opportunities. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Louisiana State University has a great national reputation. The Continued Studies Program has a great reputation for offering a Paralegal Studies Program accredited by the American Bar Association. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I am satisfied with the admittance policies. I also found the class times being offered were flexible. |
| Instruction | 8 | The classes taught gave great legal background. The application classes gave a great outlook of the job duties required of a paralegal. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The classes were not difficult if you attended them. The tests were not difficult if you attended the classes and read the materials. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most classes were textbook learning. However, the legal research class offered hands on learning at the law library. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The school offered evening and night classes. I found the schedule flexible enough to maintain a full-time job while attending classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The program used the university classrooms and law library. The instructors were easy to contact. |
| Social Life | 7 | The Continued Education Program was separate from enrollment in the college and did not offer any activities. Most students were busy professionals who were strictly looking for a Paralegal education. |
| Placement Services | 7 | The program offered internships and job placement assistance. Although I did not participate in the internship program, they offered great assistance with locating my first paralegal job without experience. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The office of Continued Education provided support if needed. They were also very personable and knew all students. |
SULC • Baton Rouge, LA
Studying Juris Doctor (completion in 2011)
• 3/14/2012
"I'm happy I have a JD, but nothing has really helped me out just yet."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | All depends on if you have a job coming out. You must know people in this day in age. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | Gets laughed at by other schools in the state. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The school was there. Nothing great, nothing bad. |
| Instruction | 5 | Had some top tier professors and some were just a year or two older than me out of law school. |
| How Difficult | 3 | I did just enough to get by. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Had some decent teachers, but some just read from powerpoints and told you to read the book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Has a night school program. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | They have been upgrading over last few years. |
| Social Life | 6 | I would just go to school. Some people enjoyed the extra activities, but they were not as big as say an LSU. |
| Placement Services | 4 | They try, but attending a tier 4 school in a bad legal market is not the recipe for a well paying job. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | Not too much money flowing into the school. |
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