SANTA CLARA, Calif., August 31, 2010 — Santa Clara University School of Law recently welcomed an academically strong first-year class that is also diverse in experiences, ethnicity and interests.
The 247 full-time and 82 part-time students who began taking classes August 16 hail from 29 states and 14 foreign countries including China, Estonia, India, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Uzbekistan. They attended 131 different undergraduate schools, and 34 of them already have advanced degrees — including 10 Ph.D.s.
Last year’s trend toward younger first-year students continued again this year — with full-time students again having a median age of 24, versus 25 three years ago, and part-timers (who tend to be working professionals) having a median age of 25, down from 27 last year and 29 four years ago.
More than 4,900 people applied to Santa Clara Law this year, the strongest level of interest since 2004. The class includes students who have worked as opera singers, horse trainers and kickboxing instructors. Some students have graduated from culinary school.
“Santa Clara Law is pleased to welcome this new class of motivated and academically excellent students,” said SCU Law Dean Donald Polden. “The diversity of talented students who have joined us this year is a testament to the value of a rigorous legal education in tough economic times.”
Santa Clara’s specialized programs in high tech, public interest and international law continued to draw applicants. Forty-two percent of the students expressed interest in Santa Clara’s computer/high-tech law program; 38 percent indicated an interest in public interest and social justice law, and 31 percent in international law.
Other facts about SCU School of Law’s incoming first-year students:
Gender
Women 48%; Men 52%
Top ethnicities reported:
Caucasian (48%); Asian (24%); Hispanic (8%); Bi- or multi-racial (8%); African-American (3%)
Top five home states:
California, Texas, Washington, Massachusetts and Virginia
About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its more than 8,800 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, theology, and engineering, plus master’s and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, California’s oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.
About Santa Clara Law
Santa Clara University School of Law, founded in 1911 on the site of California’s oldest operating higher-education institution, is dedicated to educating lawyers who lead with a commitment to excellence, ethics, and social justice. One of the nation’s most diverse law schools, Santa Clara Law offers its 1,000 students an academically rigorous program, including graduate degrees in international law and intellectual property law; combined J.D./MBA and J.D./MSIS degrees; and certificates in intellectual property law, international law, and public interest and social justice law. Santa Clara Law is located in the world-class business center of Silicon Valley, and is distinguished nationally for its top-ranked program in intellectual property. For more information, see law.scu.edu.
