April 1, 2008

Applications To Cooley's Grand Rapids Campus Up 26 Percent;
Out-of-state students make up 75 percent of application base

While applications to law schools across the country and in the Midwest are flat, Thomas M. Cooley Law School's campus in Grand Rapids has seen a 26 percent increase in the number of applicants this school year.

"We’re excited, but not surprised by these numbers," said Nelson Miller, associate dean of the Grand Rapids campus. “The combination of a practical legal education and the vibrant urban setting of downtown Grand Rapids is very enticing to students from across the country.”

Approximately 75 percent of the applicants to the Grand Rapids campus this school year reside outside of Michigan.

"The number of young professionals with college degrees who are leaving Michigan is well-chronicled," said Miller. "The untold story is the number of individuals seeking advanced degrees who are moving to the region. We’re proud to be doing our part to recruit these individuals to Michigan and I’m confident that many will like the region so much that they’ll end up staying here following their studies."

Across all three Cooley campuses (Auburn Hills, Grand Rapids and Lansing), applications to attend Cooley are up 11 percent.

"Our applications remain on the rise," said Miller. "Students continue to select us for a number of reasons, including our flexible scheduling, superior facilities and excellent faculty and staff."

On average, candidates apply to 6.9 law schools.

New students can begin attending classes at Cooley in January, May and September. Most schools only allow new students to begin in September.

More than 465 students are pursuing a Juris Doctor degree at Cooley Law School’s Grand Rapids campus, located at 111 Commerce Avenue. Cooley opened its Grand Rapids campus in 2003.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the country.  Founded in 1972, it operates J.D. programs across Michigan in downtown Lansing, in Auburn Hills, and in downtown Grand Rapids. Today, Cooley Law School has more than 12,000 graduates across the nation and worldwide and also offers joint degree and Master of Laws programs. Cooley offers enrollment three times a year; in January, May and September. Additional information about Cooley can be found at www.cooley.edu.