Why Western Michigan University?
Cooley Law School, formerly affiliated with Western Michigan University, emphasizes practical legal education and offers a wide array of clinical experiences and flexible study options across its Michigan and Florida campuses.
Western Michigan University is a broadly accessible JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 48.2%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.09 GPA and 148 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 2.67–3.45 GPA and 146–151 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 191 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Michigan, Florida, and New York — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, Western Michigan University admitted 2 transfer students into the 2L class. 1 1L transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- Unranked
- Not numerically ranked by US News
- Median GPA
- 3.09
- 25th–75th: 2.67–3.45
- Median LSAT
- 148
- 25th–75th: 146–151
- Acceptance rate
- 48.2%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 191
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 2
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students Western Michigan University admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
- Median
- —
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
1 1L transferred out of Western Michigan University in the same cycle — context for how portable Western Michigan University's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Michigan
- 2Florida
- 3New York
Where the most recent graduating class concentrated employment, per the school's ABA 509 employment summary. Use this as a signal of where the alumni network and OCI recruiting pipeline are strongest.
Signature clinics
Clinical programs that define Western Michigan University's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Western Michigan University" essay where they align with your interests.
- Cooley Innocence ProjectIdentifies, provides legal assistance to, and works to secure the release of individuals who may be wrongly convicted, often using DNA evidence.
- Public Defender ClinicProvides legal representation to indigent clients in criminal and juvenile cases in Michigan and Florida.
- Sixty Plus, Inc., Estate Planning ClinicOffers free estate planning legal services, including drafting wills and powers of attorney, to senior citizens.
- Debt Relief ClinicProvides debt-related legal assistance for issues like medical bills, predatory lending, and collections practices to underserved individuals.
- Access to Justice ClinicProvides legal representation for expunging criminal convictions and other general civil practice matters, including family and consumer law.
- Immigrant Rights and Civil Advocacy ClinicAssists indigent immigrants with immigration claims and civil claims such as custody and landlord-tenant issues.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- Cooley Law Review— Publishes scholarly articles on a variety of legal topics and sponsors a lecture series and annual symposium.
- Cooley Journal of Practical & Clinical Law— Publishes scholarly articles providing practical insights into modern legal issues.
Faculty highlights
Well-known faculty grouped by primary specialty. If a professor's scholarship aligns with your interests, name them in your essay and reference a specific paper or course.
President and Dean
- James McGrath
Associate Dean of Experiential Learning and Practice Preparation
- Tracey Brame
Associate Dean and Tenured Professor
- Tonya Krause-Phelan
Torts and Remedies
- Richard C. Henke
Legal Writing and Law Review Advisor
- Mark Cooney
No-Fault PTSD Cases
- Bradley Charles· also Legal Writing
Associate Professor
- Joseline Jean-Louis Hardrick
Professor Emeritus
- Norman Stockmeyer· also Property Law
What makes Western Michigan University distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·The law school ended its 10-year affiliation with Western Michigan University in November 2023, and is now known as Cooley Law School.
- ·Requires all students to participate in a clinic or externship for real-world practice experience.
- ·Offers flexible scheduling options including full-time, part-time, evening, weekend, and accelerated two-year programs.
- ·Maintains two campus locations: Lansing, Michigan, and Temple Terrace, Florida.
- ·Known for its distinctive, oversized diplomas, a tradition since its founding in 1972.
Using this for your "Why Western Michigan University" essay
Strong "Why X Law School" essays are concrete and specific to the school — not interchangeable templates. Use these facts to anchor your essay, then layer on what you've found from the school's own faculty pages, clinical program descriptions, and journal listings.
Important note: admissions committees actively reject AI-written personal statements and "Why X" essays. Use this page as research material to write your own essay — never as a template to copy. Authentic, specific, personally-grounded reasoning is the only thing that wins these essays.
Frequently asked about Western Michigan University
What is the median GPA and LSAT at Western Michigan University?▾
Western Michigan University's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.09 and a median LSAT of 148. The 25th–75th percentile range was 2.67–3.45 GPA and 146–151 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is Western Michigan University's acceptance rate?▾
Western Michigan University's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 48.2%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does Western Michigan University offer?▾
Western Michigan University's notable clinical programs include: Cooley Innocence Project, Public Defender Clinic, Sixty Plus, Inc., Estate Planning Clinic, Debt Relief Clinic, Access to Justice Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does Western Michigan University publish?▾
Western Michigan University's notable student-edited journals include: Cooley Law Review, Cooley Journal of Practical & Clinical Law.
Where do Western Michigan University graduates work?▾
Western Michigan University graduates concentrate employment in Michigan, Florida, New York, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does Western Michigan University admit?▾
Western Michigan University admitted 2 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.
Schools similar to Western Michigan University
Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.
About to start at Western Michigan University?
Case Cub is the AI study platform built for the 1L grind: case briefs, issue spotters, flashcards, outline generators. Walk into your first finals already practiced.
Try Case Cub free →Sources (5) — verify any fact above
- https://www.cooley.edu/academics/experiential-learning/clinics
- https://www.cooley.edu/academics/concentrations
- https://www.cooley.edu/faculty-directory
- https://cooley-law-review.scholasticahq.com/about
- https://www.cooley.edu/news/cooley-and-wmu-end-10-year-affiliation
Generated from public sources via search-grounded AI on 4/27/2026. If any fact looks wrong, click through to verify and let us know.