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Amid declining job market, Villanova boosts law scholarships

Villanova University Law School said Tuesday that it would double the number of full scholarships available to members of the incoming 2014 class, to as many as 50.

The law school at Villanova University. ( Charles Fox / Staff Photographer )
The law school at Villanova University. ( Charles Fox / Staff Photographer )Read more

Villanova University Law School said Tuesday that it would double the number of full scholarships available to members of the incoming 2014 class, to as many as 50.

The scholarships would cover the full three years of law school, said dean John Y. Gotanda.

Law schools nationwide have been under pressure to recruit new students as applications have fallen in the face of declining job opportunities for newly minted lawyers, and many have cut their enrollments in recognition of that trend. Another approach has been to increase the amount of student aid, as Villanova has done.

Establishment of the program, which will cost the university about $6 million over the next three academic years, means nearly a third of the incoming class will be attending law school on a full scholarship.

The program, called Innovation Scholars, was announced along with some changes to the law school curriculum that Villanova said focuses on helping law students apply their legal training to practical business problems.

"These new [scholarship students] will find in Villanova a law school that is responding to the new market realities for their degrees," Gotanda said. "We have listened to our students and to the law firm, corporate, and government employers. The strategic changes we have implemented demonstrate our commitment to produce graduates who have the legal skills combined with the business acumen needed to serve their clients."

Applicants for the scholarship program will need an undergraduate grade-point average of 3.6 or higher and an LSAT score of 157 or higher, the university said.

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