Although college grads and disgruntled workers often turn to higher degree programs during difficult economic times, as of late February the total number of law school applicants rose by less than 1%, according to an article at The National Law Journal. However due to ongoing deadlines, a surge in applications could occur later in the year. An 11.5% increase in the number of people who took the LSAT in February indicates that there may be a late wave of applications.
Many law school admissions deans say that the full effect of the dismal economy will not be evident until the 2010 admissions season. DePaul University College of Law Dean Glen Weissenberger says, “It’s going to take some time for people to realize how bad the economy is.” Weissenberger notes that while applicant numbers remain virtually unchanged, the quality of applicants did change. DePaul’s evening program saw an increase in high-quality applicants, indicating the applicants’ reluctance to leave their jobs.
