January 4, 2005

Cooley Law School sets application, enrollment records

Lansing, Michigan — The Thomas M. Cooley Law School has topped itself again, breaking its old records in both applications and enrollment. The innovative law school processed 5,333 applications for admission in 2004, surpassing its previous record of 5,175 applications established last year by three percent. The new mark was secured when the school received record applications in both November and December, surpassing 500 applications in each month for the first time.

Cooley joins 20 other law schools in reaching the 5,000 application mark last year. Among Michigan schools, only the University of Michigan exceeded this level.
With a January entering class topping 300 students, enrollment at Cooley will reach a record level for the winter semester. Cooley officials estimate that when the law school’s official figure is determined in February, enrollment will exceed 2,800, continuing Cooley’s reign as America’s largest law school.

According to Assistant Dean of Admissions Stephanie Gregg, over one-third of the entering January class received scholarships. “We have 108 honors scholars, seven are receiving a 100 percent scholarship and nine, 75 percent,” stated Gregg. “It’s interesting to note that over half of the 16 top scholars come from outside of the state of Michigan and of the top Michigan scholars, eight chose Cooley’s Grand Rapids location.”

Incoming Grand Rapids student Anna Rapa was surprised and pleased to be one of the 100 percent scholars.

" I'm very excited to have this wonderful opportunity to attend Cooley Law School. I plan to do public interest law when I pass the bar, and Cooley's honors scholarship is an unexpected gift that will enable me to leave law school with a minimum of debt. Because I won't be burdened with debt, I'll be able to commit all my time and energy right away to the people that I'll be serving. I'm so thankful to have this opportunity," said Rapa.

Associate Dean of Enrollment Services Paul Zelenski was particularly pleased with Cooley’s continued record-breaking applications and enrollment.

" Cooley continues to attract increasing numbers of students from across Michigan, nationally and internationally, creating one of the most diverse student bodies of any law school,” proclaimed Zelenski. “We are fulfilling the law school’s strategic goals while maintaining the historic mission of Cooley Law School.”

Founded in 1972, Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the country. Cooley has the second-largest enrollment of African-American students of any law school and the highest number of minorities overall in the United States. Cooley has three campuses across Michigan; its main campus in downtown Lansing, its downtown Grand Rapids/Western Michigan University campus in west Michigan, and its Rochester/Oakland University campus in southeast Michigan. In addition to the J.D. program, students at Cooley can also pursue an LL.M. in Tax or in Intellectual Property. Find out more about Cooley Law School by visiting the Cooley Web site at www.cooley.edu.