by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
Florida Coastal School of Law ushered its latest class of graduates Saturday from the study of law into the practice of it. But as the last members of the class of 2005 walked down the aisle, the school was already hard at work finding the class of 2008.
FCSL Dean Peter Goplerud said the school is hoping to fill a class of about 450 students through the spring and fall admissions process. That’s the number the school needs to keep in line with a 15-percent-growth target set by Goplerud.
Goplerud has had to rein in the school’s growth lately. An enrollment of around 900 students has put a strain on FCSL’s current Beach Boulevard campus.
But FCSL’s administration has planned for the growth and is moving to a new campus. The 220,000 square-foot office building at 8787 Baypine Rd. in Baymeadows will more than double the size of the current campus. The extra class space and a 1,400-space parking garage should allow FCSL to expand its enrollment to around 1,400 students in the next five years.
With limits set on growth, and with the school sporting the state’s best bar-passage rate last year, FCSL can afford to be a bit more selective in its admissions process.
Goplerud said the school is walking the fine line between becoming more selective and staying accessible to a wide range of students. FCSL made a name for itself by accommodating non-traditional law students.
“We’re always looking to improve the diversity of our student body,” said Goplerud. “So, while we’re continuously becoming more competitive, you want to be realistic in terms of how much of a jump do you want to take.”
FCSL will admit a spring class in January, but Goplerud said it will be the school’s last. Like many law schools, FCSL will only admit students in the fall starting in 2006. That will allow the school to set up class and faculty schedules for just one class, said Goplerud.
“There’s a lot to be gained in terms of efficiencies in scheduling and availability of faculty for courses,” he said.