To describe the "typical" student at Western New England College School of Law would be almost impossible. The 2008 first-year class at the School of Law comes from over 100 colleges and universities and from 30 U.S. states, several provinces in Canada, and China. Some join us directly from their undergraduate studies; others may have worked a number of years before enrolling. Our students hold a variety of academic degrees, come from a broad range of social and economic backgrounds, and have chosen to pursue a law degree for any number of personal reasons.
Approximately 50 percent of our students are women, and our minority student population continues to grow, now with about 15 percent students of color in the first year class. While the majority of our students hail from the eastern part of the United States, Western New England College School of Law continues to attract an increasing number of individuals from all parts of the U.S., as well as from other countries. The typical first-year student has also been employed for one or more years between college and enrolling in law school. The majority of part-time students work throughout their law school careers.
We believe that the broad range of our students' ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and work experiences are what contribute to an exceptionally dynamic and stimulating learning environment from which all can benefit.
The School of Law faculty and administration strive to enroll a diverse class every year. We find that everyone benefits when classrooms are comprised of students of different ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and work experience. The students are serious in their ambition to become lawyers, but they have not lost sight of quality-of-life issues, as evidenced by their voluntary participation in many of the community-serving student organizations supported on campus.