“They are one person. They are two alone. They are three together. They are for each other.” - "Helplessly Hoping", Crosby, Stills, and Nash
This is the time of year when prospective students are deciding which law schools they will apply to, and if admitted, where they will enroll. There are many factors that students should consider, but if I could give only one reason why prospective and admitted students should choose our law school over many other fine law schools, it would be this:
We “are for each other,” in the words of Crosby, Stills, and Nash, the legendary rock band of the 1970s (Yes, I’m dating myself…. they were the soundtrack of my college years).
Some law school assets can be measured by national rankings, but even more cannot. As Albert Einstein noted, “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” So I say to our prospective and admitted students, take your own measurements.
There is no ranking of law schools that measures how much your law school cares about you personally and professionally and supports your success, yet that is the single most important measure.
The essence of who we are is best summed up by some of our recent graduates.
“We study together, laugh together, and lift each other up. Here, we do not hide notes from each other or try and set others up for failure, so we can rise in rank. Here, we work together to lift us all up and make sure we all succeed in this…Going to CSU Law was the best decision of my life.”
There is not one path. There is not even the right path. There is only your path.
“Ask yourself, am I looking for a law school that encourages relationship building among myself and lifelong peers? Am I looking for a law school with supportive faculty and staff members to help guide me throughout my rigorous academics? If you’ve answered yes, then CSU Law is your perfect fit.”
As you consider your decision, please look at the big picture because you are making a long-term decision that affects the rest of your life - not just the next few months or years.
“I chose CSU Law because I felt the support and dedication to students even before I walked into the building….During my initial visit, every faculty member had a smile on their face and their passion spread like wildfire….After leaving my tour and orientation, I felt like I would have the ability and the support to change the world."
You’re one decision away from a completely different life.
“As a student, I was assigned a professional mentor. As someone who knew nothing about the legal world until law school, my mentor has helped me tremendously in attempting to figure out my personal goals. At the class level, the entire student body has a wonderful school spirit that makes you want to succeed not just for yourself, but for your school. We help each other and cheer on each other in a way that I think is unique to the school.”
No matter how bright and talented you are, your success will be determined not only by your hard work but also by the support you receive from faculty, staff, alumni, fellow students, friends, and family.
“I was torn between my alma mater, Case Western Reserve, and CSU Law. What it really came down to for me was the connections and feeling I got when I visited CSU Law….. something special is brewing here….I can't tell you the amount of times I've gone to office hours for professors and almost invariably, the first thing they ask is how I'm personally doing….In my opinion, the connections you'll make here are unrivaled for schools in this area. I can't tell you how many meetings, interviews, and opportunities I've gotten simply by telling people I go to CSU Law.
Here students will find open doors and open minds and a level of accessibility, support, encouragement, and interaction that many law schools don’t offer.
We are for each other.
My best,
Lee
Have a great day and a great week!
The views and opinions expressed in my Monday Morning Message are solely my own and do not reflect the views and opinions of the law school or the university.
For copies of past messages, please go to this link: Monday Morning Messages
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My best,
Lee