Y. law school ranks high in a nationwide survey

PROVO — When Morgan Fife was accepted to Brigham Young University's law school three years ago, he had a difficult decision to make.

More prestigious law schools had accepted him, including the University of Chicago and Columbia University.

Instead, Fife decided to stay in Utah and attend BYU.

"Because BYU wasn't ranked as high, I think I expected less from my professors than what I received," he says now. "As far as learning goes, it's been an excellent experience."

According to a survey released earlier this month of 15,000 U.S. law students, BYU's J. Reuben Clark Law School has one of the most rewarding academic programs in the country.

The survey, conducted by the Princeton Review, also ranked the

law school's students as some of the most competitive and politically conservative in the country.

The Princeton Review, which is well-known locally for consistently ranking LDS Church-owned BYU as the most "stone-cold sober" school in the country, ranked the law school in the top 10 in three different categories.

In the "Best Overall Academic Experience" category, BYU ranked sixth. In this category, students were asked about the quality of instruction, accessibility of professors, the range of courses and the balance of legal theory with practical lawyering skills in the curriculum. They also were asked to assess how tolerant and intellectually challenging the school is.

According to one student who filled out the survey, "Professors who otherwise might seek a career at a more prestigious school come here because of the unique opportunity to be among others of their own religion."

In the "Most Competitive Students" category, BYU ranked seventh. Students were asked how many hours they study outside of class every day and how much time they think their classmates spend studying.

Fife said he spent as many as eight hours a day outside the classroom studying the first year. Since then, he says he has become more efficient — now he spends about four hours a day studying outside of class.

Fellow third-year student Jordan Garn said that's about how much time most students at the law school spend studying every day.

"I think because BYU's reputation isn't as high as some other schools, students here have to work a lot harder to get the best jobs," Fife said. "But that's a good thing — it forces us to learn."

Not surprisingly, BYU also ranked third in the "Students Lean to the Right" category, a nod to the student body's conservative politics.

For a complete list of rankings, see princetonreview.com.

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E-mail: jhyde@desnews.com