The biggest hurdle for improving the law school tuition is the ABA accreditation standards. Namely:
Standard 304. COURSE OF STUDY AND ACADEMIC CALENDAR
(a) A law school shall have an academic year of not fewer than 130 days
on which classes are regularly scheduled in the law school,
extending into not fewer than eight calendar months. The law school
shall provide adequate time for reading periods, examinations, and
breaks, but such time does not count toward the 130-day academic
year requirement.
(b) A law school shall require, as a condition for graduation,
successful completion of a course of study in residence of not fewer
than 58,000 minutes of instruction time, except as otherwise
provided. At least 45,000 of these minutes shall be by attendance in
regularly scheduled class sessions at the law school.
(c) A law school shall require that the course of study for the J.D.
degree be completed no earlier than 24 months and no later than 84
months after a student has commenced law study at the law school or
a law school from which the school has accepted transfer credit.
(d) A law school shall require regular and punctual class attendance.
(e) A law school shall not permit a student to be enrolled at any time
in coursework that, if successfully completed, would exceed 20
percent of the total coursework required by that school for
graduation (or a proportionate number for schools on other academic
schedules, such as a quarter system).
(f) A student may not be employed more than 20 hours per week in any
week in which the student is enrolled in more than twelve class
hours.
(f) seems particularly troubling to me. How can one expect to work their way through school, if they are not allowed to work more than 20 hours a week. This seems like a really bogus restriction for a school to place on you.
I went to a public law school and graduated early (2.5 years). I walked away with substantial debt, but like Rayiner said, I saved about $10K by graduating a semester early(depending on the tuition it could have been substantially more).
We were required to sign a pledge that we would not work greater than 10 hours per week. On the other hand I had no such pledge in undergrad, graduated a early (3.5 years) and worked my way through as a server graduating with no debt from undergrad. Law school was more expensive but I think I could have worked my way through law school and ended up with no debt, unfortunately I will never know.
I can not imagine working more than 20 hours a week during the 1L year. I only did my 1L year so maybe things change in the second and third year. Did you think the first year was easy?
I think there are a lot of jurisdictions where you can still "read the law" and be admitted to the bar. I have always wanted to meet someone who took this route.
