LL.M. Programs
speaking up and impacting a program’s policies and practices.
Call for town hall meetings and open dialogue. In- ternational students might call upon the admin- istration to hold town hall meetings in which LL.M. students and the administration engage in a conversation about pressing issues. At the meetings, LL.M. student leaders can advocate for their colleagues. A benefit of this approach is that the administration and students are in the same room together, and the administra- tion may be more inclined to listen, and respond favorably.
Are there really U.S. law school LL.M. programs that are “cash cows” or “diploma mills”?
46
In Chapter 6 of LL.M. Roadmap, and elsewhere in this article, I define “cash cow” and “diploma mill”, and I provide examples of characteristics. In Chapter 7 of LL.M. Roadmap, I list out 218 criteria that I believe U.S. LL.M. programs should possess, and that I believe international students should consider when they are choosing a LL.M. program. Prospective students, armed with an awareness of their own aspirations and needs, and armed with comprehensive, reliable infor- mation about different schools, are in solid posi- tions to determine whether a school or program meets the cash cow or diploma mill definition. Prospective students are also in a good position to determine whether they would personally be satisfied attending and graduating from a cash cow or diploma mill program. I cannot imagine recommending to a prospective student that they attend an overwhelmingly deficient school. But I recognize that there very well may be an “ideal” school for virtually any international stu- dent who has the financial and other means to attend. It is no secret that some LL.M. programs admit the overwhelming majority of students who apply with minimum qualifications, and that sometimes admission decisions may be motivat- ed more by whether the student (or the student’s
family or government) can afford the expensive tuition, rather than motivated by the applicant’s academic prowess or potential.
A Final Note to Prospective LL.M. Students
Each international student who travels to the U.S. to earn a LL.M. degree does so for different reasons, but every student must study hard, per- form well on their exams, and comply with rules and regulations. They also should set reasonable expectations and post-LL.M. goals.
Schools must develop and implement policies and practices geared towards satisfying stu- dents’ reasonable expectations, and then meet those expectations. This will increase the likeli- hood that students (and graduates) will be able to meet their post-LL.M. goals, and that schools will reach their own goals of educating students while staying solvent.
As a prospective student you should seek to enter a LL.M. program that has a proven track record of meeting the needs of its students who share your interest and aspirations.
While enrolled in your U.S. school and after you receive your LL.M., you could become a source of information for future generations of prospec- tive students seeking to study for a LL.M. de- gree. Find a credible method of providing honest and accurate information about your experiences with your law school, and your experiences with your program’s faculty, staff and students. Report on the local community in which your school is located and other aspects of your exposure and experience, as this might offer helpful insights to a future student. Be honest and fair in your reporting. Tell stories that U.S. law schools and their LL.M. programs may be unwilling or unable to tell.
By telling an accurate story, you can help the next generation of LL.M. students make in- formed choices. Not only will you provide a very helpful service, but also you may make network-
ILSA Quarterly » volume 20 » issue 1 » October 2011
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