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For the second consecutive year, the University of Illinois College of Law saw record-breaking application numbers, receiving over 3,500 applications for the 2009-2010 academic cycle.

Paul Pless

Welcome to the University of Illinois College of Law community.  We sincerely appreciate your interest in the College of Law and we look forward to getting to know you as you begin your journey towards a legal education.  As a graduate of the College I know what a remarkable place this is.  At Illinois you will find yourself surrounded by some of the very best students from around the nation and the globe.  While our class is diverse and the paths taken to the study of law are varied, you will find that the sense of community at Illinois provides you with a wonderful place to learn to love the law. 

Illinois has a long and proud tradition of providing an excellent legal education to the leaders of tomorrow.  Throughout its storied history, Illinois has remained committed to the pursuit of excellence and its command of academic vitality. At Illinois you will find a challenging, yet supportive environment where theory and practice converge; where teaching by renowned scholars is the very cornerstone of the academic experience; and where opportunities to become immersed in issues affecting our world abound.

In October, the University of Illinois will celebrate the Morrill Act (1862), the measure signed into law by President Lincoln that established the nation’s system of land-grant colleges and universities and that broadly expanded access to higher education in the United States. The University will showcase the original Act on campus – the document’s first public display outside the National Archives in Washington, D.C. To commemorate the significance of the Morrill Act in expanding access to higher education, the College of Law is waiving its application fee for the Class of 2013 and undertaking a series of initiatives focused on increasing educational affordability, including substantially enhanced commitments to scholarships and loan repayment.

The College of Law has a proud history and, with your help, has a bright future.  We welcome you to apply to Illinois, to visit our campus and to contact us with any questions you might have about our admissions process, our community, or the opportunities that a degree from Illinois will provide to you.   I encourage you to find out for yourself if Illinois is the right fit for you.

Sincerely,
Paul D. Pless ’03
Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid