The University of Mississippi - School of Law

Students at Ole Miss love the combination of “a down-home, small-town atmosphere where everyone knows your name” and a law degree that is “given much credit within the state.” Though “academically strenuous,” the school’s “laid-back atmosphere “prevails, and students praise the “easily accessible” staff, the “large student mall with plenty of couches and chairs for discussions between classes,” and the “professors with awesome senses of humor.” By all accounts, Ole Miss is not a school that “makes you feel like they are trying to weed you out.” As one student explains, “I love the dynamics of the classes and the size of the student body. It is nice to be friends with 2Ls and 3Ls and not feel like a freshman again.” “Everyone in the administration is incredibly friendly and helpful,” a classmate adds. “If you have any question, even if it has nothing to do with their particular job, they will do everything they can to get you the right answer.” Professors here hail from “a broad diversity of backgrounds” and “are all extremely knowledgeable and very experienced.” Not only do they “present the material in an entertaining way,” they “take a special interest” in students, “which can help build up [students’] confidence and help them to excel.”
The professors at Ole Miss are a major reason why its students say the school is a “great value.” “It is not nearly as expensive to go to school here as the other schools to which I applied or was accepted,” says one student. “I can still get pretty much any job I want coming out of Ole Miss, yet I have zero debt.” Other students, however, temper such expectations, noting that while Ole Miss’ “Career Services Office is always there to help with a résumé or to provide Tylenol during exams,” securing a job outside of Mississippi can be an uphill battle. That said, this situation seems to be on the upswing thanks to the school’s “great relationship with alumni” and also in that “Ole Miss changed their grading curve [a few years ago] and that has significantly helped those who are looking to get a job out of state.”
Students consistently report that the faculty is one of the school’s “greatest strengths.” “They take away the mundane, stereotypical experience of law school and present the material in an entertaining way without compromising the integrity of the institution,” says one student. Many feel that “there is a lot of potential in the legal writing and research classes”; however, they are damaged by “the lack of communication between...departments.” Others would like “more classes to choose from,” particularly in the area of entertainment law. Students are divided on the school’s aesthetics, finding that the “great library” is “extremely up to date with the latest technology” while the building itself is “not very pretty” and “somewhat outdated.” A 1L provides some perspective, explaining that “the law school building would be aesthetically pleasing at most major schools, but when compared to the columned architecture and tree-lined walkways of the rest of the campus, you can immediately tell it is a relic of the early 1970s. Instead of being ‘postmodern,’ it simply looks out of place.” However, “a new state-of-the-art building” “will soon be under construction.”

Ole Miss students emphasize that theirs is a “relaxed learning environment,” one that “promotes collaboration between students instead of the cutthroat competition that you hear about at other law schools.” The school divides 1Ls into sections of “about sixty students.” While this can be “good for making friends” and forming “study groups and TV nights,” it can at times seem “like high school all over again with the distinct social circles.” “In true Southern form,” law students at Ole Miss “like to work hard and play hard,” and “Life at the law school is very social. Everyone is a part of LSSB (Law School Student Body) and participates in “bar reviews.” Also, students attend Ole Miss football games and tailgate every weekend in the fall.” When they do take a break, Ole Miss students find themselves in a pleasant location. The university’s campus is “beautiful,” and hometown Oxford is “a unique place” with “a healthy social scene.” Though most will tell you that “drinking is a big part of social life” here, popular opinion states that “you can absolutely have a good time without drinking.” “There are two great new movie theaters, and there are plans to open a ‘New Square,’” says one student. “Oxford is constantly growing, and hopefully there will be a lot more for students to do soon.” One thing that students agree could be improved a more “diverse student body.”