Friday, August 18, 2006

$$$$$$$$$

I am still recovering from a state of complete and utter shock. About five minutes ago, I opened a letter from the Office of the Registrar for Law School X. The letter blathered on and on about budget stuff, and my eyes quickly glazed over. It wasn't until I flipped over the letter, and saw on the back in small print, that all of the budget stuff was pretty much getting at the fact that tuition has now increased to $19,500/semester!!!! This is INSANITY, I tell you...INSANITY!

But that isn't the best part. We are apparently not the most expensive degree program on campus (on a yearly basis, at least). The MBA program has the distinction of costing $41,000/year...but they only have to pay that for two years.

Even the Medical School isn't as expensive as the JD program, and I think they might even be ranked slightly higher in the USNWRs.

A little notice of this seemingly significant tuition bump would have been nice...granted, about $5000 doesn't seem like much until you realize you are paying close to $40K/year just in tuition.

Tuition costs are simply out of control. There is absolutely no other way to describe this.

Frankly, what the hell do you get for $40K/year??? Access to some famous profs and some dusty books in the library, and that is about it. Think of everything the med students get -- access to high tech labs, cadavers to dissect, starched white lab coats with their names embroidered on the right breast pocket, and stethoscopes. And they pay less tuition. First thing Monday morning, I am marching into the registrar's office and demanding at least a gavel or some other legal type object with my name imprinted on it. Then maybe I will feel a little more comfortable signing that loan promissory note that already has my name typed by the signature line.

And clink go the golden handcuffs now tightly locked around both of my wrists . . .

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is not germane to this post, however i got a link to your blog from the law school transfer group on yahoo. The question I had was whether you are aware of any schools, beside Gtown, who accept transfer apps after one semester. If you do have this info could you please let me know at srmurp@gmail.com.

Thanks. Your blog is very helpful.

mptesq said...

since demand is so great, selective law schools may charge whatever they want;

good stuff; keep it comin'

DroitFemme said...

Certainly they can charge an arm and a leg, but they can't take my spleen too. Okay, I'd rather they have my spleen than my arm or my leg. But that is besides the point. Should we really apply the basic economic theory of supply and demand to legal education? I would propose that the answer should be decisively no...legal education is still education nonetheless, and we shouldn't be penalized for having the ability to make more money after graduation than other degree programs. Many choose to pursue pro bono work, but at this rate, it is just too cost-prohibitive.