Overview

Applicants
393
Acceptance Rate
42%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.52
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
48

Test Scores

LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
147 - 152

Deadlines

Application Deadlines
August 1

Application Process

Rolling Admissions
Yes

Application Fee
$0

CAS Service Used
Yes

Applicants accepted in terms other than fall
Yes

Transfer Applicants Accepted
Yes

Deferred Admission
Yes

Other Admission Factors

Academic

LSAT Score
Undergraduate GPA
Essay / Personal Statement

Selectivity Rating

Faculty Information

Student/Faculty
8:1
Total Faculty
30

26
Female
3
Underrepresented Minorities


Students Say

Nestled in the remote and 鈥渆xtremely small鈥 town of Ada, the Claude W. Pettit College of Law at Ohio Northern University routinely boasts a high bar-passage rate鈥73 percent of students passed in February 2015. Plus, its 鈥渃areer and internship placement [are] excellent,鈥 and in 2013 it lead the state in graduates who went on to land JD-required jobs. ONU is also known for its 鈥渃ongenial atmosphere between students and teachers鈥 and its 鈥渟mall class sizes [that] enable you to interact more and [give] the professors the opportunity to [get to know] you on a first-name basis鈥濃攊n fact, the school boasts a cozy student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1.
Another plus is ONU鈥檚 commitment to affordability. As part of The ONU Law Promise, the law school reduced its tuition for the 2014鈥15 academic year (by a not-too-shabby 25 percent, at that) and a whopping 98 percent of students receive some form of financial aid, making this school a bona fide budget-friendly option.
As for classes, one student listed the 鈥渁cademics themselves鈥 as a strong suit, and tons more expressed wholehearted enthusiasm for ONU鈥檚 鈥済reat teachers鈥 who are 鈥渆xtremely knowledgeable and willing to help students learn as much as they can鈥 and who 鈥済enuinely care about the students.鈥 Plus, the professors鈥 commitment goes beyond the lecture hall: They 鈥渄evote more time to getting you networked with the appropriate legal communities鈥 and 鈥渁re easily accessible . . . outside of class.鈥 One student even called the faculty 鈥渁 hidden gem in rural Ohio.鈥 However, some students did wish that the school鈥檚 120-plus classes offered 鈥渓arger variety鈥 and lamented that the 鈥渁dministration can be a bit disorganized at times.鈥
ONU offers a fair amount of opportunities for experiential learning, with an 鈥渋ncredible . . . law review,鈥 a moot court that allows students to develop mock trial experience, 10-plus subject-specific clinics (such as bankruptcy, public defense, and family law) that offer guaranteed placement, and externships that pair students with judges, whom they aid with research, writing, or other court-related duties. These and 20-plus additional organizations regularly 鈥淸bring] in speakers to network and build connections鈥 and invite 鈥渁lumni [to] come to the school every year to speak to the current students,鈥 who may even 鈥渙ffer jobs to many students here after graduation.鈥 One student reported that 鈥渕ost [of] my peers are very happy with the pipeline [that] ONU has built for us into the legal community of our choosing.鈥 Another chimed in to say that the revamped career services department does a 鈥渇antastic job,鈥 with 鈥渕ore people [having] jobs and internships than ever before.鈥
While ONU鈥檚 classes, professors, and hands-on learning opportunities definitely pass muster, students are quick to point out a slight lag in updates to the facilities: The classrooms are 鈥渂land and outdated鈥 and communal spaces are described as 鈥渓acking,鈥 鈥渂ut [overall] they meet every need we have.鈥 Conversely, 鈥渙ur library and research facilities are extensive and easy to access and understand鈥 and students receive 鈥渢horough teaching鈥 on how to make good use of these resources.

Career overview

Pass Rate for First-Time Bar Exam
84%
Median Starting Salary
$56,000
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
89%
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
89%

Career Services

On campus summer employment recruitment for first year JD students
Yes

On campus summer employment recruitment for second year JD students
Yes

# of Employers that Recruit on Campus Each Year
30

Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Ohio Attorney General's Office, Columbus OH Hardin County Prosecutor's Office, Kenton OH Hancock County Public Defender's Office, Findlay OH Law firms in Lima, Findlay, and Vandalia OH Court systems in Pennsylvania (judicial clerkships) JAG programs

Graduates Employed by Area

43%
Private Practice
21%
Government
9%
Business/Industry
9%
Judicial Clerkships
4%
Public Interes
2%
Academic

Graduates Employed by Region

62%
MidWest
19%
South
7%
Mountain
7%
Pacific
5%
Mid-Atlantic

Prominent Alumni

Michael DeWine
Ohio Governor

Gregory Frost
U.S. District Judge Southern Ohio

Benjamin Brafman
Senior Partner at Brafman & Ross, New York City

Greg Miller
U.S. Attorney for Northwest Florida

Jessica Price Smith
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Northern District of Ohio

Dates

Financial Aid Rating
Aug 1
Application Deadlines
Oct 1

Financial Aid Statistics

Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$37,563

% Students Receiving Some Aid
98%

Expenses per Academic Year

Tuition
$30,130
Estimated On-Campus Room and Board
$9,500
Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$7,317
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$2,000
Fees
$970

Student Body Profile

Total Enrollment
147
Parent Institution Enrollement
3,039

Number of Foreign Countries Represented
30
Average Age at Entry
25

% Out-of-State
54%
% International
2%

Demographics

21.00%
% Under-represented Minorities

100% are full time
0% are part time
51% female
49% male

Campus Life

Students Say

Law students looking to bunker down and study free of distraction, look no farther than ONU鈥攆or better or for worse. 鈥淭he small town of Ada offers the atmosphere to focus on your schoolwork,鈥 a student confirmed. And while some students find Ada 鈥渁 depressing, miserable place to live and study鈥 and deem it 鈥渨ay too boring,鈥 others say that it has 鈥渢he most charming small town atmosphere you could dream of,鈥 love the community鈥檚 鈥渘ice slow pace,鈥 and point out the 鈥渟mall family-owned restaurants that offer great food, several bars where law students often meet, a small movie theater and bowling alley, and great pizza places.鈥
The town鈥檚 tiny size also creates a real sense of community, as there is 鈥渘ot a lot to do, activities-wise, but [the students] really get to know each other鈥 and the town 鈥渇osters a more team-like environment.鈥 Plus, 鈥渢he school and the professors 鈥 make the atmosphere welcoming as they sponsor and host several social activities for the students.鈥 All this coziness can lead to a bit of 鈥渄rama,鈥 鈥渃ompetition,鈥 and even 鈥渃ut-throat鈥 vibes, according to some students. But others report that 鈥渢he environment is much more healthy than that of other law schools鈥 and that 鈥渄irty tricks are not tolerated.鈥
With state capital Columbus just an hour-and-a-half鈥檚 drive away and a few other mid-size towns even closer, it鈥檚 certainly possible to seek out entertainment and professional opportunities outside Ada鈥檚 gates. The key? Know what you鈥檙e getting into and if it鈥檚 right for you. 鈥淪ome people find that they wanted a large city where you can do anything or get anything any time. That is not Ada.鈥

More Information

% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%

Admissions Office Contact

Contact
Hailey Russell
Director of Law Admissions

Address
Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law
119 Tilton Hall of Law
Ada, OH 45810-1599

Phone
419-772-2211

Email
lawadmissions@onu.edu


Articles & Advice