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University of Michigan Law School Acceptance Rate + Guide

November 2, 2023
5 min read
Contents

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Reviewed by:

Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University

Reviewed: 11/01/23

The University of Michigan Law School is known as one of the world’s finest institutions of legal education. To find out more about the University of Michigan Law School acceptance rate and how to join this established school, read on!

University of Michigan Law School

Source: University of Michigan Law School

Aside from having a world-renowned legal curriculum, the University of Michigan Law School is known for having a beautiful campus and offering its students unparalleled resources to prepare them for prosperous legal careers. 

Through these resources, the University of Michigan has consistently produced leaders in various fields, such as law, business, and public service. Accordingly, the University of Michigan is a top choice law school for many aspiring law students. 

If it’s also one of your top choices, this guide will cover everything you need to know about how to get into the University of Michigan Law School, including its tuition costs, application deadlines, and more!

University of Michigan Law School Acceptance Rate

The University of Michigan Law School acceptance rate is 13.51%, making it a highly competitive law school! In a recent admissions cycle, they received over 6,000 applications and only accepted 845 students. 

For more admissions data, take a look at the Michigan Law acceptance rate trends from the past few years: 

Year Number of Applicants Number of Accepted Students Acceptance Rate
2023 6,439 Unavailable 13.51%
2022 6,253 845 13.51%
2021 7,693 819 10.65%
2020 5,417 886 16.36%
2019 5,629 936 16.63%

Source: ABA Required Disclosures

How to Get Into the University of Michigan Law School

Before delving into how to get into the University of Michigan, it’s worth mentioning some of the reasons you should consider applying to this law school! 

Since its creation 150 years ago, the University of Michigan has been committed to providing students with hands-on experience to ensure they are able to apply their knowledge and have a comprehensive education. 

These experiential learning efforts begin in students’ first year, where they are put in legal writing programs taught by clinical faculty and can join an advocacy clinic working with real clients. Getting hands-on experience in your 1L is rare at any school, so students are sure to have a unique learning experience if they attend the University of Michigan.

In your second and third years, you’ll be able to pick from an extensive list of clinical programs, practice simulations, pro bono offerings, externships, and internships. University of Michigan Law has one of the largest and most comprehensive clinical programs in the nation, with 19 clinics of different specialties.

 

male and female student studying on college campus

Convinced University of Michigan is an excellent law school? Here’s what it takes to join it:

A Bachelor’s Degree

Like any other law school, you’ll have to complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in order to apply to the University of Michigan. 

Luckily, you can apply to the University of Michigan with absolutely any major! Ensure you pick one that interests you so you can maintain a high GPA; the University of Michigan will weigh this score heavily in their admission decision. 

Standardized Test Scores

The other score that admissions committees will weigh heavily is your LSAT score. Ensure you take your LSAT early to avoid submitting your application late, as spots will fill up quickly!

student studying from textbook

Letters of Recommendation

While your GPA and LSAT scores may indicate your academic potential, hearing it from mentors who taught you and have seen your academic performance will substantiate your scores. University of Michigan Law requires students to submit one to three letters of recommendation as part of their application, with at least one letter written by a professor. 

To ensure you have stellar letters of recommendation, you should begin making connections with your professors at the beginning of the school year rather than waiting till the end. If your professor has not already established a connection with you, it is unlikely they will write a personal letter for you.

A Personal Statement

Personal statements can truly make or break your law school application. If written correctly, your personal statement can humanize you and impress the committee enough to take you from a maybe to a yes. On the other hand, if your personal statement is cliche, vague, or just plain boring, it can take you from maybe to no. 

Accordingly, you want to ensure you give yourself plenty of time to write and revise your personal statement before submitting it. If you’re writing a transfer personal statement, it’s a good idea to include the reasons you’re leaving your current school. 

two female students writing personal statements

Optional Essays

The University of Michigan Law School offers several essay topics for students to choose from to write one or two essays to help the committee get to know them better:

  • Essay One: Say more about your interest in the University of Michigan Law School. Why might Michigan be a good fit for you culturally, academically, or professionally? 
  • Essay Two: Describe a challenge, failure, or setback you have faced, whether long-term and systemic (e.g., socioeconomic, health, or complex family circumstances) or short-term and discrete (e.g., a workplace scenario or a particularly demanding course). How did you confront it? What, if anything, might you do differently?  
  • Essay Three: How has the world you came from positively shaped who you are today?  
  • Essay Four: Describe a quality or skill you have and discuss how you expect it will help you in your legal career.
  • Essay Five: Tell us about a time in the recent past when you changed your mind about something significant. 
  • Essay Six: We seek students who are encouraging, kind, and collaborative, even when it is not convenient or easy. Describe a recent experience where you exhibited these characteristics. 
  • Essay Seven: One of the goals of our admissions process is to enroll students who will enrich the quality and breadth of the intellectual life of our law school community, as well as to expand and diversify the identities of people in the legal profession. How might your experiences and perspectives contribute to our admissions goals? 
  • Essay Eight: Think of someone who knows you, but doesn't know you well (i.e., not a family member or a close friend). How would they describe you? Would their description be accurate? Why or why not?
  • Essay Nine: If you could have dinner with any prominent person, who would it be and why? What would you discuss?”

Pick the essay topic(s) you feel most drawn to and ensure you share an experience or trait that will make you stand out as an applicant!


University of Michigan Law School Admission Requirements

We’ve gone over the general admission requirements you’ll need to apply to University of Michigan Law, but here are the specifics to help you create your target scores.

University of Michigan Law School LSAT Requirements

The University of Michigan Law School’s LSAT requirements are high. The median Michigan LSAT score is 171. The Michigan Law LSAT 25th to 75th percentiles for the most recent class were 166 and 172, respectively.

To achieve these high LSAT scores, students must create a comprehensive study schedule, complete several practice tests, and consider using prep books. If self-studying doesn’t quite cut it, be sure to enlist the help of experts who know how to boost your score by 12 points!

You should also make sure that you’re aware of current LSAT test dates so that you don’t miss any deadlines!

students sitting in lecture hall

University of Michigan Law School GPA Requirements

Unsurprisingly, the University of Michigan also has high GPA expectations of its prospective students, as the median Michigan Law GPA is 3.85. The 25th percentile GPA for the class of 2026 was 3.59, and the 75th percentile was 3.92.

If you have a lower GPA, you’ll need to bulk up the rest of your application to compete with these numbers!

University of Michigan Class Profile 

The Michigan Law ranking is #10 in the best law schools in the nation. As such, it reflects a wide variety of backgrounds and viewpoints in its student body! 

To get a better idea of the types of students there are at University of Michigan, here is the entering class profile for the class of 2026:

Admission Category Statistics
Students Applied 6,439
Students Enrolled 302
Median LSAT 171
Median GPA 3.85
Women 51%
Men 47%
Non-binary 2%
Students of Color 38%
Median Age 24.7

Source: The University of Michigan

The class of 2026 also came from 20 countries and 45 states, proving how diverse the University of Michigan community is!

University of Michigan Tuition

The Michigan Law tuition and fees total $69,584 for in-state residents and $72,584 for non-residents. However, including other personal expenses, the total cost of tuition is closer to $95,000 annually. 

Here’s a full breakdown of the Michigan Law cost of attendance: 

Michigan Residents Non-Residents
Tuition and fees $69,584 $72,584
Rent, utilities, and food $18,788 $18,788
Books and supplies $1,300 $1,300
Personal expenses $3,656 $3,656
Transportation $400 $400
Loan origination fees $220 $220
TOTAL $93,948 $96,948

Source: University of Michigan Law School

University of Michigan Law School Financial Aid & Scholarships

If you’re worried about affording your education, don’t worry. Michigan Law offers a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and loans. There are also other external scholarships and work-study programs available!

University of Michigan Application Deadlines

To get a better idea of how long the application process will take, here is an overview of the application timeline:

Event Deadline/Timeframe
Applications Open August 28
Early Applications Close November 15
Regular Applications Close February 29
Application Review Within 3 weeks of submission
Application Decision Within 10 weeks of file completion

Source: University of Michigan Law

Keep track of these important deadlines to ensure there are no delays in your application! Since the University of Michigan uses rolling admissions, you’re encouraged to submit your application as early as possible, especially since you may be disadvantaged if you submit supplemental materials past the deadline. 

FAQs: University of Michigan Law Schools

If you have any remaining questions about the University of Michigan Law School, read on to find your answers.

1. How Hard Is It to Get Into the University of Michigan Law School?

As a T14 law school, the University of Michigan is extremely competitive. It has a low acceptance rate of 13.51% and high LSAT and GPA requirements.

2. What GPA Do You Need for the University of Michigan Law?

You should aim to have a GPA of around 3.85 to get into the University of Michigan Law School. 

3. What LSAT Score Do I Need for the University of Michigan?

An LSAT score of 171 will be considered competitive when applying to the University of Michigan.

4. How Prestigious Is Michigan Law?

As one of the top ten law schools in the country, the University of Michigan is extremely prestigious, and many students have it as their top choice law school!

5. How Old Are Most University of Michigan Students?

The average age of the most recent entering class was 24.

6. What Is the University of Michigan Known for?

While the University of Michigan ranks high in various specialities of law, it ranks the highest in legal writing and contracts/commercial law. 

Final Thoughts

After reviewing how to get into the University of Michigan Law School and the University of Michigan Law School acceptance rate, you can hopefully decide if this prestigious school is the perfect fit for you to kickstart your legal career! Good luck as you make your decision!

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