My job requires me to travel. Can I complete the Evening Program?
The Evening Program, like the Day Program, has an attendance policy. A student may miss nine hours of class in a three-credit hour course, six hours in a two-credit hour course, and three hours in a one-credit hour course. Travel exceeding these absences will generally not be excused. Students are encouraged to discuss their class schedules with their employers and limit travel as much as possible. Because of the constancy of the evening schedule (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., students can plan travel easily to minimize absences from classes.
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I have terrible undergraduate grades but have a masters degree. Will that help me?
The median undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) for the Evening Program is 3.40 (as computed by the Law School Admission Council), which includes those students with advanced degrees. About one-third of Evening Program students have an advanced degree. Your cumulative undergraduate GPA (as computed by LSAC) is the most important academic criterion for admissions purposes because it is the one criterion that all applicants have in common. Your advanced degree is a plus factor, meaning that it could give you an edge over an applicant with a similar UGPA and LSAT. It is not, however, a substitute for your undergraduate performance. Anything about your graduate study that you feel will particularly help you in law school should be highlighted in your personal statement.
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I went to school ages ago. All my professors are retired or dead! Do I need an academic letter of recommendation?
Since many of our applicants have been out of school for ten years or more, we are asked this question frequently. A helpful letter of recommendation is one that comments honestly and thoroughly on the applicant's ability to express him or herself in written and oral form. Generally, academic contacts know your written or oral communication abilities. Your recommender should be able to tell us how they know you and comment on your written and oral communication skills. An unhelpful recommendation is one that comments generally on an applicant's character and demeanor. We are most interested in learning about your ability to do well in law school and in the legal profession upon your graduation. For more information about Letters of Recommendation, go to http://www.nccu.edu/law/admissions/requirements_recomm.html.
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Can I take classes at Duke University School of Law and/or UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law? What about taking class in the Day Program at NCCU School of Law?
UNC, Duke and NCCU law schools participate in an inter-institutional agreement that permits students to enroll in electives at any member school without additional tuition. Permission of the Dean is required to take classes at UNC or Duke law schools or in the Day Program at NCCU. Required classes need to be taken at NCCU in the admitting program.
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How much studying will I have to do?
The study commitment for law school is significant. Students prepare 2 to 3 hours outside of class for every hour in class. The average Evening Program class load is 9 hours, meaning students should schedule between 18 and 27 hours per week of study time every week. When papers, exams, or projects are due, students can expect the out-of-class study demands to increase.
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Is there time for anything else!?!
The program is designed for working adults, most of whom already have family obligations to juggle. There is no doubt that attending law school part-time is very demanding and will have an impact on other aspects of your life. Some students have adopted or given birth to children, changed jobs, or had other substantial life changes while in the program. It can be done successfully with family support and discipline.
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What about summer jobs?
Most Evening Program students are employed full-time and are unable to participate in summer clerkship and internships due to these work demands. Because many Evening Program students are currently employed in fields that they will combine with their law degree, often the traditional avenues of seeking summer employment used by full-time students are unnecessary. However, the Office of Career Services serves all Law School students and will provide assistance to Evening Program students who can arrange to access its services during regular business hours. For information on the services provided by the Office of Career Services, go to http://www.nccu.edu/law/career/index.html or call 530-6115.
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What about our professors? Are they different in the Day and Evening Programs?
Teaching excellence is the hallmark of NCCU School of Law. Tenured faculty teach in both the Day and Evening Programs. Professor Beckwith, who teaches several classes in the evening, recently won a campus-wide teaching award. Most evening classes will have around sixty students. Although when the school first opened in 1940, it borrowed professors from UNC-Chapel Hill, several NCCU law professors have taught at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law in recent years, earning high marks for their teaching excellence. A recent American Bar Association visit to the campus noted the high quality of our teaching. A steady and experienced cadre of adjunct professors also teaches in the Evening Program, including the Honorable Mark Martin, North Carolina Supreme Court Justice (Appellate Advocacy, NC State Constitutional Law). In short, the quality of the teaching at NCCU School of Law is outstanding, day and evening.
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I have been a leading professional in my field for many years. Do I really have to take the LSAT?
Yes. As with most law schools, we only consider applicants who have taken the LSAT and we require that the LSAT score be from the last three years. The Law School will accept February test scores for admission the following fall. Without an LSAT, your application will be considered incomplete and therefore, denied.
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Can I apply to both the Day and Evening Programs?
Yes. You can apply to one or both programs using the same application and one $40 application fee. Be sure to indicate on your application to which program(s) you are applying. Applicants who do not indicate a program preference on the Application for Admission will only be considered for the Day Program.
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