Overview
Applicants
1,481
Acceptance Rate
85%
Median Undergrad GPA
2.90
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
445
Test Scores
LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
(enrolled students)
141 - 149
Application Process
Rolling Admissions
Yes
Application Fee
$0
CAS Service Used
Yes
Applicants accepted in terms other than fall
Yes
Transfer Applicants Accepted
Yes
Deferred Admission
Yes
Other Admission Factors
Academic
LSAT Score
Undergraduate GPA
Non-Academic
Other Factors
Selectivity Rating
Faculty Information
39
Female
13
Underrepresented Minorities
Students Say
The Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan is the largest law school in the United States in terms of enrollment. There are four Michigan campusesone in the state capital of Lansing, one in the northern suburbs of Detroit, one in Grand Rapids and one in Ann Arbor. Cooleys newest campus in Tampa Bay, Florida opened in May 2013. Cooley prides itself on flexible and accommodating scheduling. There are daytime, nighttime, and weekend classes. There are three terms year-round as well, and you can start in January, May, or September. Students tell us the price tag is very affordable. Either way, Cooley offers a lot of financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Technology is also cutting-edge, and the law library is one of the most extensive in the country.
Students here describe Cooley as an underrated lawyer-making machine. Its not the place for you if you want to imbibe legal theory, though. The school promotes practical application so you are ready to jump into your career immediately upon graduation. Real legal experience is required. Every student must complete a clinic, internship, externship, or otherwise demonstrate the equivalent in work experience. Lectures are practical and grounded instead of theoretical. Course selection is broad and specializations are available but the number of mandatory courses is a little ridiculous, and it may prevent you from taking many electives and delving deeply into a particular area of interest. Basically, Cooleys thinking is that if it is tested on the bar, it should be a required class. This law school prepares you for the bar exam. Period.
Some students love the hard-working administration. Others say that the top brass is frigid. Far and away, the biggest administrative complaint is that Cooley takes its sweet time posting grades. Like, forever. The faculty is interesting, entertaining, and knowledgeable, and its full of professors who have actually practiced law. There are also many adjunct professors. Theyre typically judges, partners at big law firms, or general counsel for major corporations. Outside of class, faculty members are very approachable. The accessibility of the professors is second to none, beams a 3L.
The rigorous academic atmosphere here is not for the faint hearted. Class sizes tend to be quite large. Professors generally employ the Socratic Method and are always seeking to test your knowledge of the material. The majority of students get Cs. Exams are tough, and an A is well earned. Cooley lowers the bar for admissions, but after that you are on your own to sink or swim, warns a 1L. Cooley is very hard to stay in. Although the school has a fully staffed academic support resource center, students uniformly promise that you will struggle to survive through all three of your years here. You better know the law, they say. If you slack off, youll fail out.
Students here describe Cooley as an underrated lawyer-making machine. Its not the place for you if you want to imbibe legal theory, though. The school promotes practical application so you are ready to jump into your career immediately upon graduation. Real legal experience is required. Every student must complete a clinic, internship, externship, or otherwise demonstrate the equivalent in work experience. Lectures are practical and grounded instead of theoretical. Course selection is broad and specializations are available but the number of mandatory courses is a little ridiculous, and it may prevent you from taking many electives and delving deeply into a particular area of interest. Basically, Cooleys thinking is that if it is tested on the bar, it should be a required class. This law school prepares you for the bar exam. Period.
Some students love the hard-working administration. Others say that the top brass is frigid. Far and away, the biggest administrative complaint is that Cooley takes its sweet time posting grades. Like, forever. The faculty is interesting, entertaining, and knowledgeable, and its full of professors who have actually practiced law. There are also many adjunct professors. Theyre typically judges, partners at big law firms, or general counsel for major corporations. Outside of class, faculty members are very approachable. The accessibility of the professors is second to none, beams a 3L.
The rigorous academic atmosphere here is not for the faint hearted. Class sizes tend to be quite large. Professors generally employ the Socratic Method and are always seeking to test your knowledge of the material. The majority of students get Cs. Exams are tough, and an A is well earned. Cooley lowers the bar for admissions, but after that you are on your own to sink or swim, warns a 1L. Cooley is very hard to stay in. Although the school has a fully staffed academic support resource center, students uniformly promise that you will struggle to survive through all three of your years here. You better know the law, they say. If you slack off, youll fail out.
Career overview
Median Starting Salary
$47,025
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
52%
Career Services
On campus summer employment recruitment for first year JD students
Yes
On campus summer employment recruitment for second year JD students
Yes
# of Employers that Recruit on Campus Each Year
25
Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Law firms
Business & industry employers
Prosecutors
Courts
Governmental agencies
Legal Services programs
Graduates Employed by Region
65%
MidWest
11%
South
10%
Mid-Atlantic
4%
Mountain
4%
South West
3%
Pacific
2%
International
1%
New England
Prominent Alumni
John Engler
Former Governor of Michigan
Bart R. Stupak
U. S. Representative
Jane Markey
Judge, Michigan Court of Appeals
Hon. Hiroe Makiyama
Councillor, House of Councillor, Diet of Japan
Bill Neilsen
Director of Industry Outreach, Developer of XBOX360 and Bing for Microsoft
Dates
Financial Aid Rating
Sep 1
Financial Aid Statistics
Expenses per Academic Year
Tuition
$44,950
Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$9,000
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$2,000
Fees
$40
Student Body Profile
Average Age at Entry
32
Demographics
17% are full time
83% are part time
52% female
48% male
Campus Life
Students Say
Cooley accepts just about anyone and everyone. The student population is a mixture of students who didnt get in any place else and students who are on full scholarships because their LSAT and GPA were so high. An overwhelming majority of students are enrolled part time. Diversity of all kinds is a fabulous strength. Well more than half the future attorneys here come from some state other than Michigan. About one-third represent an ethnic minority. There are nontraditional students from many different professions. Age, background, and socioeconomic status really run the gamut. Cooley is so diverse that one could not even attempt to discriminate without confusing him- or herself, declares a 3L. On the one hand, the vast assortment of students makes for excellent class discussions. On the other hand, people divide into cliques easily outside the classroom.
The five campuses each have their own identity. In Lansing, students have a beautiful building downtown by the capitol. However, the surrounding area is largely bleak and depressing. The Grand Rapids campus is similarly located in a refurbished old building in the heart of downtown, and its not in the greatest neigh-borhood, either. The decidedly suburban Auburn Hills campus is a nice and new facility tucked away in a wooded compound that feels like a generic corporate headquarters. Ann Arbors building was designed by renowned architect and Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice, Alden B. Dow. The stunning new Tampa Bay campus is situated on 8.8 acres in suburban Riverview.
Social life can be hit or miss. Cooley is home to a tremendous number of student organizations, and most students are nice people. However, there isnt much of a community. A lot of people come to class and then leave immediately after, explains a 1L. Building a social life takes effort. The fact that grades are impossible during the first few terms certainly doesnt help. Those who are social butterflies mostly ended up failing out after one or two semesters, cautions a 2L. People get along, but its best to focus on studying.
The five campuses each have their own identity. In Lansing, students have a beautiful building downtown by the capitol. However, the surrounding area is largely bleak and depressing. The Grand Rapids campus is similarly located in a refurbished old building in the heart of downtown, and its not in the greatest neigh-borhood, either. The decidedly suburban Auburn Hills campus is a nice and new facility tucked away in a wooded compound that feels like a generic corporate headquarters. Ann Arbors building was designed by renowned architect and Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice, Alden B. Dow. The stunning new Tampa Bay campus is situated on 8.8 acres in suburban Riverview.
Social life can be hit or miss. Cooley is home to a tremendous number of student organizations, and most students are nice people. However, there isnt much of a community. A lot of people come to class and then leave immediately after, explains a 1L. Building a social life takes effort. The fact that grades are impossible during the first few terms certainly doesnt help. Those who are social butterflies mostly ended up failing out after one or two semesters, cautions a 2L. People get along, but its best to focus on studying.
More Information
% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%
Admissions Office Contact
Contact
Dr. Paul Zelenski
Associate Dean of Enrollment and Student Services
Associate Dean of Enrollment and Student Services
Address
300 South Capitol Avenue
Lansing, MI 48933
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone
517-371-5140
Email
admissions@cooley.edu
