These represent some of the frequently asked questions about the law school. We hope you find answers to your questions. If not, please feel free to contact the office.
Q: Admissions: What are your admissions requirements? 
A: You must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university before attending law school. Prior experience indicates that the most reliable indicators of success in law school are the applicant's undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score. Great weight is given to the GPA and LSAT by the Admissions Committee. Other factors also weigh heavily in admissions decisions.
Q: Apartments
A: The Office of Residence Life assists students with finding housing in Ada and with placement in on-campus apartments. For more information, call 419.772.2430.
Q: Application fees? 
A: Our hard-copy application fee is $40. However, if you visit our website at www.law.onu.edu, you can apply free online!
Q: Areas of practice? 
A: Half of our students go into private practice. Others choose to practice in government positions, judicial clerkships, business law, and public interest law.
Q: Career placement 
A: 98% of our 2006 graduates were employed within 9 months of graduation.
Q: Clinics. 
A: For information about our clinical programs, go to http://www.law.onu.edu/ and click on Academics, and then Clinical Programs. This includes a summary and description of the different clinical programs we offer.
Q: Day care? 
A: During the school year the university operated a child development center with full and half-day sessions for 3-5 year olds. The center is open from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Nursery schools and the Head Start program also are available in the community.
Q: Debt - what is the average debt? 
A: The average debt of our law students after three years is $75,000.
Q: Demographics - men to women, age, minorities. 
A: In the entering 2006 class, 54% were men with 46% women. Our ages range from 20-57. And we have an average of 15% minorities.
Q: Fees and tuition. 
A: Tuition for 2007-2008 is $27,560. That includes Student Bar Association Dues are $40, and there is a tech fee of $210 per year.In addition, Law Review Dues are $20, the Parking Decal is $45
Q: Financial aid? 
A: 89% of our current law students are receiving some type of financial aid.
Q: Geographical location? 
A: 43% of our graduates stay in the East North Central region. 27% in the South Atlantic region, and 8% are in the East South Central region.
Q: GPA averages. 
A: The median GPA for the 2007 class is 3.3. The 75th percentile is 3.7, and the 25th percentile is 3.1.
Q: Library? 
A: Our law library has 407,000 volumes, 30,000 square feet, 320 seats, and 30 computers, which is very competitive for a school our size. For more information, and hours of operation go to http://www.law.onu.edu/ and click on Library and Research.
Q: Location? 
A: Ohio Northern University is located in Ada, OH. Ada is in between Toledo and Dayton, 20 minutes east of Lima. The town itself has 5500 residents, making it a small college town. Depending on how you study best, it may be a very desirable study atmosphere for you.
Q: LSAT averages? 
A: The median LSAT for the 2007 entering class is 154.
Q: Scheduling/classes 
A: The first year at any law school usually consists of courses like criminal law, property, torts, etc. After your first year at ONU you meet with an advisor and work towards the area of law that you are interested in. You can take classes in any area that interest you.
Q: Scholarships? 
A: Depending on your combination of your LSAT score,GPA, employment history, academic achievements and community involvement, you may qualify for a scholarship that is renewable for 3 years with a 3.0 GPA in law school.
Q: Student/faculty ratio. 
A: We currently have approximately 320 students in our law school, which provides us with an 11:1 student faculty ratio.
Q: Summer Starter Program? 
A: We have a Summer Starter Program for people with a lower LSAT score (usually in the mid 140s) and a higher GPA (over 3.5). This program consists of 2 classes totalling 8 credit hours, that are attended for 8 weeks prior to the first semester of law school. Students are tutored 3 times a week and tested every 2 weeks. It's a great way to get a jump start in law school to make sure that you do well.
Q: What are the three years like? 
A: The first year is the most anxiety filled. The second year is more academically demanding, and the third has the additional pressures of preparing for the bar and for employment after graduation, so each has its claim as the most difficult.
Q: What percentage of your student body are out-of-state? 
A: 66% of the student body comes from outside Ohio. We have 49 states represented.
Q: When will I hear from ONU College of Law with a decision? 
A: We make every effort to be in contact with all applicants within 4-6 weeks of applying, but this is not necessarily with a final decision.
Q: Is there a suggested reading list?
Q: Are laptops required or recommended? What specifications?
A: Most students do bring laptops to law school. Both PCs and Macs are used. Click here for technical recommendations.
