<p>My questions are about Michigan law admissions.</p>
<p>1) Is there any advantage given to Michigan undergrad students? If so , how much?</p>
<p>2) Do they prefer a candidate sitting out a year after undergrad and working expanding their experience vs going straight to law school?</p>
<p>3) Is 80-90% of your chances tied into your undergrad gpa and lsat scores? </p>
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<li><p>Yes, Michigan professional programs (Engineering, Law, Medical etc…) give preference to Michigan students. The numbers are clear. Michigan Law school admits 75-100 Michigan students each year. That is far more than any other. The average credentials of Michigan students who are admitted into Michigan law are slightly lower than applicants from other universities. And Michigan is not unique. Most universities’ professional programs give preference to their own applicants. I am not sure how you can expect anybody to answer the “how much” question. Admissions is not a science. Even the admissions office will never answer that question. </p></li>
<li><p>I don’t think Law schools care much about work experience, but I don’t think good professional experience can hurt. It certainly adds an additional dimension to the candidate’s profile.</p></li>
<li><p>Yes. 87.4% to be precise! Seriously, remember, this is not a science! It varies from applicant to applicant. In most instances, GPA and LSAT will be the first thing Law school admissions look at. A high GPA and strong LSAT score is non-negotiable. However, most applicants will have high GPAs and LSAT scores, and most law schools will take a close look at the applicant’s ECs, essays, motivation for wanting to become a lawyer, background, demographics etc…Law school admissions is a holistic process, not much unlike undergraduate admissions. </p></li>
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<p>I do know that some law schools have stated that they find candidates with a year or two of post-undergrad work experience to be stronger applicants and, eventually, stronger law students. Wisconsin, for example, says as much on their website (<a href=“http://www.law.wisc.edu/prospective/criteria.htm”>http://www.law.wisc.edu/prospective/criteria.htm</a>). </p>
<p>Michigan does apparently weight meaningful work experience in a candidate’s favor, although the school does not make as explicit a statement as Wisconsin. Try reviewing “How is my application evaluated?” at <a href=“Admissions | University of Michigan Law School”>Admissions | University of Michigan Law School. </p>
<p>(For what it’s worth, the lawyers I’ve met strongly encourage aspiring law students to take a year off to work, saying that it helps clarify your goals, recharges you to begin study again, and gives you insight as an attorney that you might not otherwise have)</p>