The College of Law at Michigan State University

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Charles Roboski
Application deadline April 30
Full-time program application fee $60
Part-time program application fee $60
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The College of Law at Michigan State University

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 31.8% – Medium
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.54
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 157

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 32.3%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 152-160
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.23-3.74
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.55
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 157

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 21.0%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 156-156
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 2.88-2.88
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 2.88
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 156

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A. (Eli Broad C.O.B.) J.D./M.URP.
J.D./M.A. English J.D./LL.B. (University of Ottawa)
J.D./M.A. Interdisciplinary Studies J.D./M.S.T. (Grand Valley State Univ.)
J.D/M.A. Labor Relations/Human Resources J.D./M.A. Bioethics, Humanities & Societ
J.D./M.A. Forestry J.D./M.S. Comm, Ag, Recreation, Resource
J.D./M.S. Fisheries and Wildlife
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
MSU Law has multiple focus areas, including ADR, Indigenous Law, and Intellectual Property. Students sharpen skills & build credentials through 8 legal clinics & many externships. Dual-degree programs, including the JD/LLB with the Univ. of Ottawa, provide cost-efficient interdisciplinary study. The Fieger Trial Practice Institute trains students in a high-tech court setting.
Programs/courses offered in
appellate advocacy intellectual property law
clinical training international law
dispute resolution tax law
environmental law trial advocacy
health care law

Curricular Offerings (Overall)

Classroom course titles, beyond the first-year curriculum, offered last year 156
Seminars 96
Positions available in seminars 1,865
Positions available in simulation courses 806
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 194
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Over 50 student organizations offer opportunities for leadership and service. The MSU Law Review publishes 5 issues annually and sponsors academic symposia on current legal topics. Students also hone research & writing skills in 4 other student journals. Winning Moot Court teams represent MSU Law nationally and internationally and host the annual National Trial Advocacy Competition at MSU Law.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 77
Is there typically a full-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? No
Typical size of first-year “small section” N/A
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 980
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 610
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 118
Full-time students involved in field placements 328
Full-time students involved in law journals 192
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 103
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 87

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 0
Is there typically a part-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? No
Positions filled in part-time program seminars 59
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 15
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 4
Part-time students involved in field placements 25
Part-time students involved in law journals 3
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 1
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 8

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 14.0:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 99
Full-time minority faculty 15.7%
Part-time minority faculty 2.1%
Total faculty 121
Total faculty (men) 57.9%
Total faculty (women) 42.1%
Total faculty (minorities) 9.1%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#82 Best Law Schools

(2) Ranking by Specialties

#81 in Law Firms Rank Schools
#29 in Part-time Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score 45
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.3
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 3.0
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.22-3.74
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.54
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 152-160
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 157
Acceptance rate 31.8% – Medium
Student-faculty ratio 14.0:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 87.6% – Medium
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 90.1% – Medium
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar MI
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 84.8%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 915

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 716

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 199

Attrition Rates for Full- and Part-time Students (2010-2011)

First-year students discontinuing law school 8.6%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 0.3%
Third-year students discontinuing law school 0.4%
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 3.4%
Female students discontinuing law school 2.6%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director John Garcia
Financial aid phone (517) 432-6810
Financial aid application deadline April 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $35,640 per year
Part-time: $28,512 per year
Room and board $9,548
Books $1,415
Miscellaneous expenses $1,940
Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? Yes
Does the university offer housing restricted to law students? No
Does the university offer graduate student housing for which law students are eligible? Yes
Does the university offer a public-interest scholarship program to current J.D. students? Yes

Grants (Full-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 11.5%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 22.2%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 18.9%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $23,591
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $14,563–$32,620
Full-time students receiving grants 52.5%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 1.0%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 2.0%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 4.5%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $12,333
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $8,838–$19,805
Part-time students receiving grants 7.5%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $113,809
Proportion who borrowed 83.7%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? Yes

Law School Library

Library Information Resources

Print titles (excluding nonbook titles) 39,432
Microform titles 126,322
Electronic titles 21,810
Other non-book titles 833
Total titles 188,397
Volumes (excluding microforms) 168,785
Volume equivalent microforms 163,743
Total volumes and volume equivalents 332,528
Number of volumes in the collection that are stored off site and are systematically retrievable 0
Library’s online catalog or website includes links to electronic titles or databases made available by another campus library or consortia Yes

Library Schedule of Operation

Number of hours per week library is open on a regular schedule 109
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 73
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 0
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 36
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 73
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 10
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 72
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 44
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 0
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 28
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 44
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 8

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, law school library, university information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 4
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 339
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 650
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 10
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 60
Does the law school have a wireless network? Yes
Wireless network is available in the law library, in classrooms, in computer labs, in administrative/faculty offices and work areas, elsewhere in the law school
Does the school require entering students to own a computer? Yes

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 40,566
Total seats available for library users 455
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The Law College Building is centrally located on the MSU campus and is among the most technologically advanced in the nation. The Law Library houses a collection of nearly 300,000 volumes and is linked to the MSU library collection of 4.5 million volumes. Study carrels and classrooms offer both wired and wireless connections. Housing is available on campus or in the surrounding community.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar MI
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 90.1% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 84.8%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 348
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 87.6%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown N/A
Graduates whose employment status is known N/A
Graduates known to be employed at graduation N/A
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program N/A
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work N/A
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work N/A

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 4.6%
Graduates whose employment status is known 95.4%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 87.6%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 4.6%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 2.6%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 0.6%

Starting Salaries of Graduates Employed Full-time (Class of 2010)

25th percentile private sector starting salary $50,000
Median private sector starting salary $70,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $100,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 26%
Median public service starting salary $50,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 9.5%
Percent employed in business and industry 20.7%
Percent employed in government 8.5%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 6.9%
Percent employed in law firms 44.9%
Percent employed in public interest 7.9%
Percent employed in an unknown field 1.6%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 54%
Graduates employed out-of-state 43.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 3%
Number of states where graduates are employed 27
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 5.9%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 67.2%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 2.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 8.8%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 3.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 4.3%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 5.8%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations The Career Services Office at MSU Law provides programming, advising, and networking for students and alumni. A database of over 4,000 employer contacts and an alumni base of over 8,000 practitioners serve as resources for graduates. One-on-one meetings are held with every 1L to chart their career path. Students then have a “personal” adviser throughout school and until they are employed.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 50.5%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 99.3%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 37.5%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 56.3%
Professional other (jobs that require professional skills or training but for which a J.D. is neither preferred nor particularly applicable; e.g., accountant, teacher, business manager, nurse) 7.7%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 78.3%
Non-professional other (job that does not require any professional skills or training or is taken on a temporary basis and not viewed as part of a career path) 4.3%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 69.2%