Michigan State University

MI · Public · East North Central

Acceptance rate: 26% (1,526 applicants)
Median LSAT: 162 (middle 50%: 158–164)
Median GPA: 3.73 (middle 50%: 3.47–3.87)
Tuition: $48,222 (per year, nonresident)
Bar passage: 77.3% (+3.4 pts vs. state average)

Deadlines

Priority: March 1, 2027
Final: Aug. 1, 2026

Essays

Personal statement (2 to 3 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font)

Personal statements may address any topic, but provide the Application Committee an opportunity to learn more about you as an applicant. The following questions may be helpful when preparing your personal statement: What motivates you to pursue a legal education? What personal or professional goals have you established for yourself? In what ways have your life experiences prepared you to succeed in law school? In what ways have you encountered and overcome instances of adversity, and how might such experiences contribute to your effectiveness as an attorney? In what ways might you contribute to diversity within the MSU Law student body and the legal profession? Are there particular reasons you have for applying to Michigan State University College of Law?

Scholarship supplemental statement (—)

If there is information that you would like for us to consider in the scholarship award process, please feel free to submit a supplemental statement.

Addendum (Brief)

Though not required, the Admissions Committee allows applicants to submit supplemental statement(s) that address extenuating circumstances affecting college performance and/or performance on standardized exams, or other contextual information that might relate to an applicant's potential for success in law school.

Editor's notes

No early decision, rolling review and scholarships announced with the offer. That combination rewards a complete file in the fall. March 1 is the priority date, but offers start in November, so the earlier pool is bigger.
Read the scholarship page before you write anything. MSU names who it wants to fund: Michigan residents, public sector, Indian Country, underserved communities, IP and legal tech. If one of those is genuinely you, say so with evidence in the statement or the optional scholarship statement.
There's no interview, so the statement and résumé carry your voice. MSU's personal statement page asks for one theme and warns against quotes, legal philosophy and clever formatting. Take the advice literally.
Seventy-one percent of the newest class came from Michigan. If you're out of state, give MSU a concrete reason, like a plan to practice in Michigan or work in one of the areas its scholarships target. Vague praise won't do it.