Law360 is reporting that Jacksonville’s Florida Coastal School of Law plans to offer a fast-track program in which students will earn
their J.D.s in two years, not three, by taking more credits during the school
year and by attending summer school.
Carolina Bolado, Fla. Law School
Starts 2-Year JD Program, Law360 (March 8, 2013), http://www.law360.com/articles/422106/print?section=legalindustry.
Having managed to be on the four-year plan (I attended Georgetown at night
while working full-time during the day), I can’t help but be drawn to a deal
cutting time on campus in half, sort of. Students still need to complete the
same number of credits; they just won’t be taking their sweet time to get to
the cap-and-gown part of the process. Florida Coastal’s plan to refund $10K in
tuition to students who fail the bar exam the first time out makes the deal
even more attractive. Unsuccessful students will get a stipend and additional
preparation the second time around, Law360 reports.
Even if tuition remains the same, students will save on room
and board via this do-it-faster approach. Committed ones will need to maintain
their focus, but turning a three-year slog into two may well boost enrollment
by students previously deterred by the lengthy time commitment. Whether a more
time-intensive but shorter program will generate better lawyers remains to be
seen, but law students may still appreciate the opportunity to earn a
fast-track J.D.
—Lori Tripoli
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