#1
It is late for most on-line summer college classes. They mostly start in May or the first week of June and run for approximately 8 weeks.
Your son should enroll in on-line classes offered by a public community college in his official state of residence (so he pays in state tuition)
Here in Connecticut 3 credit undergraduate courses in the community colleges (which are all accredited institutions) cost approx $600 for in state students.
He should take:
Freshman English and Composition (highest priority)
US History I
Western Civilization I
Political Science such as American Government
He will find these invaluable if he intends to attend Law School.
Do NOT waste the money to take these Freshman courses at 4 year colleges, the cost will be at least double (for public colleges) to quintuple for private colleges. None are the for profit colleges which are just a rip off.
There is much interaction with the professors in on-line classes (I know, I teach several each year at both college and Law School levels). Some professors use Discussion Boards which require students to post theri work and comment in other students’ work. Others are live via Skype.
An English Composition course usually has the student share their papers with the Professor via Google Docs and the Professor can make corrections on-line and the student can see each version of the work.
Writing is key for lawyers, and the chances are a Yeshiva student does not write well enough to do well in law school and the job market without brushing up on their skills. Some law schools have entrance exams as well as using standardized tests. This allows the entrance committee to examine a potential student’s writing ability before making a decision.
BTW>>>I own a small law firm (about 20 attorneys) and usually hire 1 or 2 associates each year. I have found those former Yeshiva students with BTL degrees to be fine for doing legal research and suggesting ways to handle situations based on rulings and precedents, BUT not able to draft client letters and write appeals briefs. My paralegals do a far better job.
As to whether your son will make a great living in Law, the boo days are long over. The internet has killed much of the bread and butter work. Far too many things can be accomplished with on-line forms without paying an hourly rate of $250-500.
I allowed and encouraged my children and their spouses to enter the field because I own the firm, they don’t have to work the thousands of billable hours a Wall Street firm requires of new associates. They don’t have to worry about becoming a partner. They will end up with the firm and my client list. No non-family member will ever become a partner while it is my firm.