For 1L Sydnee Alms, selecting a law school consisted of weighing several factors, not least of which were reputation, job placement data, and location.
“The University of Colorado Law School was my top choice,” she said. “When I visited, I fell in love with the atmosphere and vibrant community. I was also drawn to the impressive connections and deep relationships that Colorado Law has with the legal community in Denver and beyond. I’m so happy to be here.”
The Class of 2020 is Colorado Law’s most diverse incoming class ever at 29.4 percent racially or ethnically diverse, and they hail from 36 states (including D.C.). Moreover, as with previous classes, the members of the Class of 2020 are highly qualified. With a median LSAT score of 161 and a median cumulative GPA of 3.65, they come from various backgrounds rich with experiences that indicate strong potential for success.
Among the 190 members of the Class of 2020 are the law school’s inaugural Leaders in Law and Community (LILAC) fellows. The new program aims to address diversity in legal education by recruiting and developing students from backgrounds underrepresented in law schools and the legal profession. Fellows receive full scholarships, mentor support, opportunities for community engagement, and more.
While the first week was a “reality check,” Alms said she is settling into law school life. She was assigned a second-year law student mentor through the Women’s Law Caucus, who she said has provided much-appreciated support and advice during the hectic first few weeks.
“Colorado Law has such a collaborative environment. Everyone wants to help us succeed,” Alms said. “Being new to the area and receiving all this support from people I just met is so encouraging and motivating.”
Other enrollment highlights of fall 2017 include:
- Applications: 3,077
- Class size: 190
- Undergraduate colleges represented: 125
- Colorado residents: 30%
- Women: 51%
- Age range: 21-38
The breakdown of diverse students is as follows:
- Hispanic/Latino: 17%
- Asian: 6%
- Black/African American: 4%
- American Indian/Native American: 2%
Eighteen incoming students self-identified as LGBT, of whom five are racially diverse and included in the numbers above.
“I am thrilled to welcome the Class of 2020 to the Colorado Law community,” said Dean Jim Anaya. “They are a brilliant group of students who join us from all walks of life. Our collective confidence in them is boundless.”
This year marks the continuation of an upward trend in Colorado Law’s admissions numbers, yielding another larger class than expected. The 2016-17 admissions cycle set the school’s record for number of applications and highest median GPA of an incoming class. In 2015-16, Colorado Law welcomed its largest class ever, at 205 individuals—a 22 percent increase from the previous year. Applications to Colorado Law increased 10 percent that year, at the same time that law school applications nationwide were down for the fifth year in a row.