WMU - Cooley Law School, Tampa Bay Campus

I started attending this school Fall 2014. I left in Spring 2016 after being accepted into another law school, where I received my law degree. :)nnMy time at Cooley was horrifying. As a 1L, I felt unprepared and thrown to the sharks. They say that's law school and law school is suppose to be difficult, but it was not suppose to be like this. There were no resources other than supplements in the library. They have the Academic Resource Center (ARC), however, they do not teach substantive material. This means if you are lost in a particular subject, ARC cannot help you. You are expected to go back to the same professor who confused you. lolnnThere are limited professors as well. So if you don't vibe w/ a professor's teaching method, you are up S-creek because you are stuck. Also, the staff is not diverse, so that lead to one-sided prospectives on law.nnThe grading is on a minus scale. Example A and A-. B and B-. So, if you don't master the subjects right away, your GPA will suffer. nnHigh academic dismissal rate. During my year and a half there, I saw so many students get dismissed and those students really worked hard (not all). For those that don't know, when you get dismissed, you loose the money, All credits (even from passed classes), you must wait 2 years (unless you are approved to comeback), and if you decide to go to another law school, you will have to disclose this. I was never dismissed, but the thought was scary. nnTest were rough. Really rough. Also, they would test on small things that aren't tested on the bar, and make it worth so many pts. on your exam. nAlso, if for some reason you can't test, they made you wait an entire semester to take the test, not a few days, lol. So when the new term comes up, you must study for that class and your new classes in the new semester. Imagine studying for more than 5 law classes a semester. nnThe good thing about the school is that you will have no choice but to learn. So I did like that. I felt prepared once I started at my new law school. Cooley also didn't give me a hard time about getting testing accommodations for my learning disabilities. The students were also helpful. nnFor these reasons, Cooley gets a solid 2 stars. I do not recommend this school under any circumstances. Even if they accept you with low LSAT scores and give you a scholarship. Take it agin and go somewhere else. Don't risk getting dismissed from a Tier 3 law school. And obviously, this is not everyone's experience, however, I believe this is a common experience from many students who attend or attended this school. Best of luck! :)

I can't wait to begin my journey here at Cooley, I've heard that the entrance requirements are lower than average and that is what to expect upon graduation. I'm so honored to even be considered to go to school here it will be my pleasure one day to use an Ivy League graduate as a stepping stone in a court room as to what can happen as long as you are devoted, and in my case, I put God first in everything. I look forward to the opportunity to display what Cooley can teach me. God willing I get accepted.

I recently completed my first year of study here, and overall, I'm very pleased.nnSome general info about the school:ntPart of the school's mission is to provide "broad access to those who seek the opportunity to study the law, while requiring that those to whom that opportunity is offered meet WMU-Cooley's rigorous academic standards." ntToward the end of fulfilling the first half of its mission, Cooley has a relatively liberal admissions policy, offers evening and weekend classes, and allows students to attend part-time while working. Also, to be candid, practically this means Cooley will accept and accommodate students that many other law schools would not. Nevertheless, the school also lives up to the second half of its mission: Professors expect students to develop a familiarity with subject matter and proficiency in analysis comparable to that of competent members of the Bar with a reasonable amount of exposure in the field. Cooley's academic standards are truly rigorous, but the school provides students with all of the tools they need to achieve excellence. Professors are willing to meet with students outside of class time, and there is an office called the "academic resource center" (ARC) that also helps students with skills development as they begin and throughout their studies. ntCooley's Tampa branch is fairly new, so the facilities are modern, and the classroom and courtroom technology is state of the art. Parking is never an issue, and the library has plenty of space, including a number of group study rooms. ntSome students dislike that the school requires first-year students participate in a couple not-for-credit courses. I personally didn't mind as I found they made the transition into law school easier and helped me start planning my legal career.

Cooley Law School has given me an opportunity to attend law school while working full-time (40 hours a week). The only other law school in the immediate area is Stetson Law. While I don't have anything negative to say about Stetson, Cooley Law School accommodates my schedule better given it's class offerings in the evening and some classes on the weekend. I am just completing my first year of law school at Cooley and my experience with professors, advisors and other classmates has been nothing short of positive and productive. Although the admissions process is not as selective as other Law Schools, the course work is rigorous and challenging. The professors have real world experience as former judges, prosecutors, partners and general counsels for private and public corporations both domestically and internationally. Cooley does a great job in positioning students for internships in the public, private and corporate domain. As with any school, whether it's law school or undergrad, the student needs to take advantage of every opportunity being offered. Cooley provides the tools and opportunities necessary for every student to succeed. The student body is very diverse and active with networking opportunities, student competitions, social events and class review sessions. Overall, Cooley is an excellent opportunity for everyone including working professionals like myself to attend law school, where other schools would not have the same flexibility.

This school has a great mission to open up the law industry to a more diverse set of people. I've met several current students and was very impressed by them.