Basic Facts
Q. How many students are in the School of Law?
A. Approximately 715.
Q. What is the ratio of students to faculty?
A. The ratio is approximately 10.8 to 1. We try to keep this ratio as small as possible to ensure that students receive as much attention from the faculty as possible.
Q. What is the law school's rate of attrition?
A. Our attrition rate is quite low. Out of a class of approximately 235 students we lose no more than five students each year. Emory Law has an extremely active academic assistance program, and as a result, most students who choose to leave Emory after the first year do so for personal rather than academic reasons.
Q. How old is the school?
A. The law school was founded in 1916.
Q. What is the geographic makeup of students?
A. Approximately 52 percent of our students are from the South. About 25 percent of our students are from the Northeast, 10 percent Midwest, 8.4 percent Southwest/West Coast and 4 percent international. We are a national law school located in Atlanta.
Q. What percentage of the students are female?
A. About 48 percent of the student body is female.
Q. What percentage of the students are minorities?
A. Approximately 32 percent of our students are minorities.
Q. What is the average age of the students?
A. The average age of the students in our entering class is 23.
Q. Do you give preference to students from a particular undergraduate institution?
A. No, we typically have more than 100 undergraduate institutions represented in each incoming class.
Q. Do we get to choose our classes?
A. Yes, during your second and third years. For your first year, you will be placed in a specific section and will stay with that particular section for your assigned classes. Sections in your first year are very small with fewer than 40 students; but for three out of their five first-semester classes, and four out of their five second-semester classes, students are in a class with TWO sections, or about 75-80 students.
Q. Who do I contact about Student Affairs?
A. Contact the Office of Student Affairs at 404.727.6829.
Q. Can I park on campus?
A. Parking close to the law school on campus can be difficult because there are a limited number of spaces. You can, however, purchase parking passes for the various parking decks at Emory. The ones closest to the law school, Lower Gate South and Fishburne, fill up quickly, so return your parking request as soon as you receive it in the mail. For more information call 404.727.PARK. (Note: Michael Street parking deck is the farthest away. Peavine Parking Deck is relatively close.)
Q. I've heard that Emory students are very competitive. Is this true?
A. In order to succeed in law, one must be somewhat competitive. However, while our students tend to be very competitive within themselves (trying to do their best and get the highest ranking possible) they also tend to be very helpful and friendly with other students. We have a large number of student organizations supporting students with certain ethnic backgrounds, religious affiliations, or particular areas of interest in law. These organizations work together to provide support for fellow students, and to help them along in their studies.
Q. Will I get an e-mail account through Emory? Lexis and Westlaw as well?
A. Yes, you will get a three-year e-mail, Lexis and Westlaw account while at Emory. We have e-mail stations set up around the law school building, and all the computers in the computer labs can access it as well. If you have a computer with internet access at home, you can check your e-mail from home or from any of the library tables or study carrels via web access. With the Lexis and Westlaw software, you also can access those programs from home.
Q. Do I need to have a computer? Do I need to have a laptop?
A. We strongly encourage you to have a modern Windows or Mac laptop computer
for law school. Most Emory Law students come to campus with a laptop. You
should plan on purchasing a three year warranty for the laptop. We recommend
Microsoft Office as your word-processing package. Good deals are available
exclusively to Emory students, faculty and staff through the Computer Store
at Emory or you may call 404.727.2667. The University provides anti-virus software at no charge. We do have a limited number of desktop computers available in a lab on the main floor of the library. The law school and library have wireless access throughout both buildings; however, be aware that some faculty members may elect to not allow laptop usage in their classes.