LSAC Data and Predicting Number of Applicants for Fall 2015, Part 13

The LSAC is now reporting that "As of 3/20/15, there are 291,241 fall 2015 applications submitted by 43,197 applicants. Applicants are down 2.9% and applications are down 5.6% from 2014." If this year's applicants follow last year's pattern, there will be approximately 52,679 applicants this year.  The last post in this series is here.

Comments

[Anon]

This exchange is an utter embarrassment.

[Anon]

In response to the comment above, why can't we have it both ways -- having professors who are exceptional researchers but also are invested in law students and appreciate and know what it means to actually be a lawyer.

[Former Editor]

Anon,

It is completely possible to have it both ways. And, maybe hiring preferences are even starting to move in that direction. Based on Lawsky's thread over at Prawfs there are at least a decent number (7) of folks ten years or so out of law school that got hired this year. Of course, there still seem to have been a number of K-Prof hires too, so who can tell?

[Anon]

more non-denial denials....

[Anon]

Former Editor, you're being too optimistic. Professors make the hiring decisions (not students), so they will keep hiring people that have the same profile and preferences as their own.

[Former Editor]

Anon, perhaps. Some of the hires certainly do seem to bear out your view, but others don't seem to. I think a number of professors realize that if their schools are actually going to move toward a more experiential and "practice ready" model in more than the very short term then they need to diversify their faculty profiles in terms of years of practice experience. I could be wrong, of course, and we will know more come the fall when more comprehensive data can be compiled.

By the by, I think that going forward we can all assume that anyone posting here is aware that students don't make faculty hiring decisions.

[Anon]

Yes, it my be possible to have both but it will take some time for that. There is very slow turnover of law school professors.

[Anon]

"I think a number of professors realize that if their schools are actually going to move toward a more experiential and "practice ready" model" - more fantasy from critics. This is too expensive and not really feasible given gap between academia and real world.

[Anon]

You know what else is expensive? Law school! At current prices, the so-called gap between academia and the real world you mention shouldn't exist. Things need to change.

[Anons]

It will be a gradual process but the law school of the future will blend theory with practice.