Western New England

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Application requirements

Deadline

Aug 01, 2026

Recommendations

2 to 4

Updated for 2025-2026 application cycle

**Applicants are welcome to submit one or more statements relevant to any of the issues below. There is not a strict page limit for these addenda, but each individual response should generally not exceed 1000 words. Please include your name and the question number at the top of each page of your response.

1: Why WNE Law**

Please share more about your interest in Western New England University School of Law. Specifically, please share what makes WNE Law a good fit for you academically, professionally, or socially.

2: Statement of Unique Perspective

We are committed to enrolling a diverse student body. If you believe you have developed a unique perspective especially useful to the study or practice of law, please submit a statement explaining the factors that contributed to the development of that perspective (e.g. academic or professional background, community identity, ideology, culture, religion, unique upbringing).

3: Overcoming Adversity

If you have overcome significant adversity, please share what challenge(s) you faced, how it affected you, and what lessons you learned from the experience. Adversity may include but is not limited to socio-economic challenges; educational challenges; health issues; disability; language barriers; immigration status; first generation to college status; surviving abuse; microaggressions you have experienced; or complex family circumstances such as addiction, an incarcerated parent, homelessness, and/or living in foster care.

4: Academic Performance

If you believe you have encountered obstacles that may have impeded or affected your ability to maximize your academic potential, you may submit an additional statement describing or explaining these obstacles and their effect on your academic performance, including grades and standardized test scores. If applicable, please explain the circumstances involved in any significant fluctuations in your LSAT scores (i.e. an increase or decrease of five or more points). This information can be helpful to the admissions committee, as it provides additional context to your academic record.

Please give careful consideration to the questions in the following section and make certain to provide an accurate and complete answer to avoid problems with your bar application later. It is advisable to consult your student records from institutions you previously attended to ensure that your response to these questions considers all possible disciplinary interactions that might be on record.

If you answer affirmatively to any of the below questions, you must submit a statement reciting, in detail, the facts and circumstances of each reported event. The statement should include dates, exact name and location of courts (if any), and final disposition of all matters. Failure to provide sufficient description and/or explanation of reported events may prompt the Admissions Committee to request additional information from you, thereby causing a delay in the processing of your application.

In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Bar Examiners may ask additional questions beyond those listed on this application. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners. As indicated above, admission to any law school does not guarantee admission to a state bar in that each state has its own admission criteria and process.

Please note that in regards to answering affirmatively to questions involving academic or criminal records, the Board of Bar Examiners may ask for more detailed or additional information. Inconsistencies between your law school application and your application to the Bar may cause difficulty with bar admission. Failure to make a complete disclosure when answering the below questions may also subject a student to disciplinary action.

Have you ever been placed on academic warning or probation at any postsecondary institution?
Have you ever been academically dismissed from any postsecondary institution?
Have you ever been suspended, warned, placed on disciplinary probation, disciplined, or expelled from any postsecondary institution? Please include all campus or dorm violations for which there was a written warning.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony without the conviction later being vacated, sealed, or expunged?
Is any felony charge currently pending against you?
Within five years of the date preceding this application, have you been convicted of a misdemeanor, including an act of domestic violence? Exclude first misdemeanor convictions for drunkenness, simple assault (this does not include domestic violence), speeding, minor traffic violations, affray, or disturbance of the peace. For purposes of this question, minor traffic violations include any moving traffic violation other than reckless driving, driving to endanger and motor vehicle homicide. Also exclude any convictions that were later vacated, sealed, or expunged.
Have you ever been disciplined or suspended from the practice of any licensed profession?

Thank you for your interest in Western New England University School of Law. Prior to submitting your application, please carefully review the information below.

MISSION STATEMENT
Over a century ago, we were founded to educate law students from populations that were underrepresented in the legal profession. Today, we teach a diverse student body drawn from all walks of life in a rigorous program that blends theory, skills, and ethical values. We prepare students to serve the future needs of society with knowledge, competence, and compassion, ensuring that the practice of law can be both a profession and a vocation.

NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

Western New England University School of Law is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. The School of Law does not discriminate to preclude students on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, or military status in admission or retention, access, treatment, or employment in its programs and activities.

SUBMISSION DEADLINES
Our priority deadline is March 15. However, we will continue to accept and review completed applications on a rolling basis throughout the summer. Applications will not be accepted after July 31.

APPLICATION REVIEW
The Admissions Committee will begin reviewing applications in late fall and release decisions on a rolling basis. Most applicants will receive a decision within six weeks of submitting a completed application.

All completed applications are carefully reviewed in their entirety to determine whether the applicant possesses the academic preparation and motivation to successfully complete a rigorous law school curriculum. Committee members attempt to gauge each applicant's prior academic performance, expected performance, and writing skills. While LSAT scores and undergraduate GPA are important factors, the Committee also considers your personal statement, LSAT writing, letters of recommendation, resume experiences, and supplemental materials. All admitted applicants are automatically considered for a merit scholarship, including our full-tuition Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Scholarship, and will be notified of any merit award in their letter of acceptance.

Please note that the application form collects data regarding gender identity, citizenship status, and race and ethnicity but this information will not be taken into consideration during the admissions process. This information will only be used for reporting purposes at the end of the admissions process. WNE Law encourages all academically accomplished students interested in pursuing a legal career to apply for admission.

CHARACTER AND FITNESS
Any applicant who answers one of the Character and Fitness questions on the application in the affirmative must include an addendum fully explaining their response, including any and all attendant circumstances. If applicable, we recommend that applicants also explain how they have grown or changed from this experience.

OPTIONAL ADDENDA
We strongly encourage applicants to submit one or more optional addenda if they wish to convey additional information to the Admissions Committee. As provided in the specific prompts, the contents of optional addenda may include, for example, clarification of your educational record or obstacles you have overcome in the pursuit of higher education. Applicants may also submit a statement of unique perspective, explaining to the Committee what background, experience, and perspective they will bring to the classroom and community experience at the School of Law. Applicants may also submit a writing sample detailing adversity they have overcome in their academic career and/or personal life.

DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS
Applicants to the JD/MBA, JD/MSA, JD/MSOL, JD/MSEM, or JD/LLM programs may apply to both programs through this application. Applicants to these dual degree programs must submit an addendum to this application addressing the following question:

"What strengths will you bring to the master's program and how will they help you succeed in your graduate studies? Discuss any circumstances that you feel account for any perceived weaknesses in your application."

Applicants may be offered admission to the JD program and conditional admission to the master's program, pending satisfactory completion of the criteria detailed in their admission letter.

Applicants interested in the JD/MSW and JD/MRP programs will be considered for JD admission only and are required to apply separately for the master's program through the following offices: Office of Graduate Admissions at Springfield College (JD/MSW) and Graduate Student Service Center at UMass Amherst (JD/MRP). If an applicant indicates an interest in one of these programs, their contact information will be shared with the appropriate admissions office. Applicants should also contact those offices for more information.

SCHOLARSHIPS
All applicants are automatically considered for a merit scholarship. Merit awards range in value up to our full-tuition Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Scholarship. Applicants will be notified of any merit award in their letter of acceptance. Full-time recipients are eligible for their awards for three years, and part-time recipients are eligible for four years. Merit scholarships renew automatically each year provided that the recipient remains in good academic standing (minimum cumulative GPA of 2.30).

Each year, a small group of applicants will be selected to participate in the Public Interest Scholars Program and awarded a scholarship of up to $10,000. The program offers mentorship in the public interest space, as well as exclusive professional development opportunities. Scholars learn about public interest law via elective courses and speaker engagements at the Law School and put their knowledge into action through pro bono projects. Scholars will also receive a one-time summer stipend for an approved public interest internship. Applicants may apply for the Public Interest Scholars Program via this application form. Applications for the Public Interest Scholars Program must be received by February 15. Scholars will be notified of their acceptance to the program and scholarship award by April 1.

ADMISSION CONTINGENT UPON TRUTHFULNESS
The School of Law's decision to admit an applicant is contingent upon the truthfulness of the information contained in their application, including material submitted on the applicant's behalf. Discovery of false information subsequent to admission is grounds for immediate dismissal at any point in the applicant's course of study. Such dismissal shall result in forfeiture of all charges paid and academic credits earned. Applicants and students are subject to the provisions of the Academic Standards and the Student Honor Code, available on request.

BAR ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
There are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to any state bar after graduation from law school. Admission to law school in no way guarantees admission to the bar in any state. State bar examiners will review all aspects of an applicant's history. Therefore, prior to enrolling, if an applicant has any concerns regarding state bar admission, they should contact the Board of Bar Examiners of the state(s) in which they might practice to determine those requirements. Each state has a bar admissions office, such as the Board of Bar Examiners in Massachusetts, the Connecticut Bar Examining Committee in Connecticut, and the Board of Law Examiners in New York. The National Conference of Bar Examiners provides the address and website of each state's bar admissions office. Applicants should consult the bar admission office in the jurisdiction in which they intend to apply for admission as to the specific forms and requirements for that particular jurisdiction.