Santa Clara University

SANTA CLARA, Calif., August 15, 2011—Santa Clara University School of Law today welcomes its newest class of first-year students to the 100-year-old institution.  

The 226 full-time and 75 part-time students, who begin classes today, hail from 26 states and 11 foreign countries including Canada, China, Mexico, and Pakistan. They attended 111 different undergraduate schools, and 36 of them already have advanced degrees— including 3 Ph.D.s and one DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery). 

“We are excited to welcome our newest Santa Clara Law class to campus,” said Santa Clara Law Dean Donald Polden. “While they sought us out for our rigorous legal education and leadership focus, we look forward to benefiting from their excellent academic achievements and their rich and varied personal experiences and backgrounds.”

As in recent years, the full-time students have a median age of 24, versus 25 four years ago. Part-time students (who tend to be working professionals) have a median age of 26, up from 25 last year.

More than 3,700 people applied to Santa Clara Law this year.  Santa Clara’s specialized programs in high tech, public interest, and international law continued to be a draw for applicants. Thirty-nine percent of the students expressed interest in Santa Clara’s computer/high-tech law program; 36 percent indicated an interest in public interest and social justice law, and 27 percent in international law.

Other facts about SCU School of Law’s incoming first-year students:

Gender
Women 47%; Men 53%

Top non-Caucasian ethnicities reported:
Asian (21%); Hispanic (13%); Bi- or Multi-racial (4%); African-American (2%)

Top home states:
California, Washington, Texas, and Oregon

About Santa Clara University School of Law
During this academic year, Santa Clara University School of Law is celebrating its first 100 years of educating lawyers who lead. Founded in 1911 on the site of California’s oldest operating higher-education institution, Santa Clara Law 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 975 students an academically rigorous program, including graduate degrees in international law and intellectual property law; a combined J.D./MBA degree; a combined J.D./MSIS degree; and certificates in high technology 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.

Media Contact:
Deborah Lohse | SCU Media Relations | dlohse@scu.edu | 408-554-5121