Mississippi College School of Law Makes List of Nation’s Top Legal Education Institutions

MC Law attracts students who demonstrate not only the intellect needed to succeed in law school, but the character, leadership skills, and drive required to succeed in life.

One of the nation’s leading providers of education services has included the Mississippi College School of Law on its 2022 Best Law Schools list.

The Princeton Review, one of the most trusted tutoring, test preparation, and admission organizations, named MC Law to its roll call of prestigious legal education institutions after a rigorous review of the school’s institutional and student survey data, with factors including career outcomes, admission selectivity, and academic rigor.

The organization surveyed about 15,000 students and administrators at 168 law schools to determine the institutions that provide the finest career prospects, quality of life, and more.

In addition, the organization ranked MC Law No. 9 in the nation for “Most Conservative Students,” a distinction the Princeton Review calls an area “that college applicants and their parents told us mattered to them,” as determined by the responses MC Law students provided about their experiences at the school.

Dr. Patricia Bennett, MC Law dean, Henry Vaughan Watkins and Selby Watkins McRae Professor of Law, and a graduate of the school, said the Princeton Review listing reflects the overall quality of education students at the MC School of Law have come to expect.

“Being listed as one of the best law schools in the nation is a significant achievement for MC Law faculty and our students,” said Bennett, an MC Law professor for nearly three decades. “It indicates the trust our students place in the school and the value of the law degrees they earn.

“It also underscores the efforts of our faculty to ensure all our students receive the highest quality legal education and are well prepared for the future.”

With a full-time enrollment of 432, MC Law is the largest law school in Mississippi. It boasts a 79 percent acceptance rate and median undergraduate GPA of 3.11. MC Law is the only private law school in the state.

“I believe that MC law has provided me with a very high-quality education,” said Jaime Weida, a Class of 2022 J.D. candidate, president of the Law Student Bar Association, and executive editor of the Mississippi College Law Review. “When I did not understand something, my professors worked with me to help me better understand. I do not feel like I was ‘left in the dark’ to learn foreign concepts.

“However, the quality of education is not just about the academics. At MC Law, we are human beings, not just ‘another number.’ The staff, not just the professors, care about us personally. MC Law is a family!”

MC Law attracts students who demonstrate not only the intellect needed to succeed in law school, but the character, leadership skills, and drive required to succeed in life. The school’s rigorous juris doctor program combines a strong foundation in the law with opportunities to explore areas of personal interest and engage in hands-on legal work. The school also offers several different Master of Laws (L.L.M.) programs for applicants with diverse backgrounds and interests, including Traditional Studies, American Legal Studies, International and European Studies, and Advocacy.

The school’s Civil Law Program, in particular, has brought the possibility of obtaining a law degree within reach for students such as Jacob Brister, a Class of 2022 J.D. candidate and president of the Christian Legal Society and the Civil Law Society.

“The Civil Law Program and the classes offered are top notch,” said Brister, a Louisiana native. “A majority of participants in the Civil Law Program are from north Louisiana. During a student’s career at MC Law, they will have the opportunity to take classes on every subject and area of law tested on the Louisiana Bar Exam.

“Further, for students who complete a minimum of 15 hours of Civil Law courses and meet the required GPA, Louisiana students can be awarded a Certificate in Civil Law Studies upon graduation, meaning these students are prepared and qualified to sit for the Louisiana Bar Exam and practice law in Louisiana’s unique Civil Law system.”

MC Law ranks among the most affordable private law schools in the country. The school offers generous merit-based scholarships that can help make the dream of a first-class legal education a reality.

The school is located in downtown Jackson, within walking distance of the Mississippi State Capitol, the Mississippi Supreme Court, federal courts, and many of the state’s most respected law firms, putting its students in the right place to interact with lawyers, judges, and other legal experts, many of whom visit the campus as speakers or teach classes as adjunct professors.

Weida said MC Law encourages students to join organizations to build a network of attorneys in the community.

“There are a plethora of different organizations at MC Law,” Weida said. “Two of the largest are the Women’s Student Bar Association and the Black Law Students Association. Many of the MC Law alumni are still connected to the law school and enjoy coming to speak and sponsor events through student organizations.

“As a student, we are able to express our individuality through membership in these organizations.”

MC Law also offers unlimited opportunities for part-time work, clerkships, and hands-on externships with law firms, public interest organizations, government agencies, and leading companies. Students gain in-depth, practical experience in the legal field long before they graduate.

“MC Law is a premier institution,” Brister said. “From the time you step on campus, MC Law is not only striving to teach you the law to pass the Bar Exam, but MC Law is also preparing you for a successful career.

“The hands-on experience is second to none. Each professor is eager to prepare you for life outside of the classroom. MC Law also offers each student many opportunities to gain practical experience beyond the classroom. There are several clinics and externship opportunities available to students that allows them to get a taste of what life after graduation will be like.”

Mississippi College is no stranger to the Princeton Review’s listings of the finest institutions of higher learning in America. Most recently, the organization included MC among its 143 best colleges in the Southeast list released on Aug. 31, 2021.

“MC Law is more than deserving of inclusion on this list,” Weida said. “It truly cares about individuals and MC Law has grown many incredible lawyers. At MC law, you will walk in the doors alone, but by the end of your journey, you will leave having built a family.”