Cooley Law School continues to grow, draws 600 students to downtown Grand Rapids

Drawing aspiring attorneys and paralegals to downtown Grand Rapids increases the odds of the city retaining these young professionals. That makes Cooley Law School a catalyst for change in the heart of West Michigan.

According to excerpts from the story:

GRAND RAPIDS - The advantages of year-round law classes have helped Thomas M. Cooley Law School steadily grow its Grand Rapids presence. Don LeDuc, president and dean of Cooley Law School, said enrollment is currently at 600 students at the Grand Rapids campus. He expects the independent college’s enrollment will swell to nearly 800 students within two years.

Cooley started offering classes in Grand Rapids in 2003, and the 2009 fall semester will mark the third year for the full law program in downtown Grand Rapids. Three semesters of year-round classes are offered at Cooley so that students can take classes part-time and still graduate in three years, compared to four years going part-time at other universities.

Financially, the college takes in what would be four years of income in three years. Offering classes year round opens up enrollment three times a year — in January for afternoon and weekend classes, in May for evening classes and in September for day classes.

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