2010
Law School Enrollment Exceeds Expectations
The first public law school in Massachusetts has exceeded the application and enrollment goals.
The University of Massachusetts School of Law-Dartmouth, the first public law school in Massachusetts, has exceeded the application and enrollment goals established by leaders at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
Less than four months after being approved by the Board of Higher Education, University officials said they are impressed by the numbers of students applying and by the academic credentials of this year's applicants. More than 400 students have applied to the school and 127 have enrolled, exceeding goals set during the approval process. In addition, the school has received nearly 1,000 inquiries about enrolling in fall, 2011.
Of those committing to attend the School of Law, 23 are from UMass campuses and nine are from the state colleges. Others are coming from institutions including Boston University, Skidmore, UCLA, Providence College. Two-thirds of the students committing to attend are residents of Massachusetts, better than the originally projected 50 percent.
"There has been an overwhelmingly positive response and we are looking forward to welcoming the first class of the University of Massachusetts School of Law-Dartmouth in September," said Jean McCormack, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. "We have been very impressed by the quality of the students who are stepping up to be a part of Massachusetts history."
The University of Massachusetts School of Law-Dartmouth is also in the process of awarding the 25 Public Interest Fellowships, which will give students interested in serving in public interest law the opportunity to halve their tuition in exchange for working in the community or public interest for the first four years of their careers.
"We have always believed that there was a need for a public law option in Massachusetts, and the level of interest and excitement that we are seeing certainly validates that belief," said Jack Wilson, president of the University of Massachusetts. "The application surge that we have seen over these past few weeks augers well for the future of our new law school. UMass Law clearly is on the path to success."
Less than four months after being approved by the Board of Higher Education, University officials said they are impressed by the numbers of students applying and by the academic credentials of this year's applicants. More than 400 students have applied to the school and 127 have enrolled, exceeding goals set during the approval process. In addition, the school has received nearly 1,000 inquiries about enrolling in fall, 2011.
Of those committing to attend the School of Law, 23 are from UMass campuses and nine are from the state colleges. Others are coming from institutions including Boston University, Skidmore, UCLA, Providence College. Two-thirds of the students committing to attend are residents of Massachusetts, better than the originally projected 50 percent.
"There has been an overwhelmingly positive response and we are looking forward to welcoming the first class of the University of Massachusetts School of Law-Dartmouth in September," said Jean McCormack, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. "We have been very impressed by the quality of the students who are stepping up to be a part of Massachusetts history."
The University of Massachusetts School of Law-Dartmouth is also in the process of awarding the 25 Public Interest Fellowships, which will give students interested in serving in public interest law the opportunity to halve their tuition in exchange for working in the community or public interest for the first four years of their careers.
"We have always believed that there was a need for a public law option in Massachusetts, and the level of interest and excitement that we are seeing certainly validates that belief," said Jack Wilson, president of the University of Massachusetts. "The application surge that we have seen over these past few weeks augers well for the future of our new law school. UMass Law clearly is on the path to success."