How can I improve my chances of getting into a top law school?
Recent News
Cambridge, MA - Harvard Law School, and Stanford, will be switching standard grading system to a pass/fail grading system in the Fall of 2009.
The most significant admissions criteria are the LSAT and undergraduate GPA. A higher GPA can offset a lower LSAT and vice versa. The LSAT is often more heavily weighted than undergraduate GPA. Improving your LSAT score will greatly enhance your chances of getting into a top law school. There are several professional LSAT tutors. Kaplan is probably the most popular. Kaplan offers several different courses, some take several weeks and can costs upwards of $10,000. Depending on your financial situation the cost could well be worth it as it could translate into a better school and a much more lucrative career. There are many other very good tutorial courses as well, therefore it is important to research the LSAT courses offered in your area.
Letters of Reccomendation, Extracurricular activities and the like help in the admissions process, but are not weighted as heavily as the LSAT or undergraduate GPA. For instance, some law schools state that a great letter of reccomendation may boost an applicant put onto the wait list into a fully accepted applicant or a denial into a wait listed applicant, but it will not turn a denial into an acceptance.
Letters of Reccomendation, Extracurricular activities and the like help in the admissions process, but are not weighted as heavily as the LSAT or undergraduate GPA. For instance, some law schools state that a great letter of reccomendation may boost an applicant put onto the wait list into a fully accepted applicant or a denial into a wait listed applicant, but it will not turn a denial into an acceptance.
Honolulu, HI - The 9th Circuit Court of appeals held a special court session at the University of Hawaii School of Law and heard appeals of decisions by the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii and the federal Board of Immigration Appeals.
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|
Law School
in alphabetical
order
|
Tuition:
Resident
Non-Res
|
Acceptance | Bar Pass |
% Employed
@ 9 mos. after
Graduation
|
% Employed
@
Graduation
|
Avg. Salary | Size | 25% LSAT | 75% LSAT | Median LSAT | 25% GPA | 75% GPA | Median GPA | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Pepperdine Univ.
School of Law
|
$37,590 | 32.5% | CA:82.8% | 96.6% | N/A | $90,000 | 633 | 158 | 162 | 161 | 3.36 | 3.77 | 3.59 | |
|
Phoenix
School
of Law
|
30,184 | 56 | AZ:97 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 194 | 149 | 153 | 151 | 2.74 | 3.42 | 3.09 | |
|
Pontifical
Catholic Univ. of
Puerto Rico
School of Law
|
13,496 | 48.9 | PR:47 | 42.6 | N/A | N/A | 584 | 133 | 139 | 136 | 3.02 | 3.60 | 3.30 | |
|
Quinnipiac
Univ.
School of Law
|
38,100
|
27.6 | CT:82.7 | 93.8 | N/A | 60,000 | 388 | 158 | 160 | 159 | 3.01 | 3.67 | 3.32 | |
|
Regent Univ.
School of Law
|
27,450 | 42.8 | VA:73.7 | 82.5 | 40.6 | 50,000 | 459 | 150 | 156 |
153
|
3.07 | 3.63 | 3.32 | |
|
Roger
Williams
Univ. Sch. of Law
|
34,565 | 57 | MA:84.8 | 91.5 | N/A | 55,000 | 556 | 149 | 155 | 152 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.2 | |
|
Rutgers - State
Univ. of NJ -
School of Law
|
20,860
31,054
|
22.5 | NJ:79.4 | 95.0 | 71.8 | 98,000 | 725 | 160 | 162 | 161 | 3.09 | 3.65 | 3.30 | |
|
Rutgers
Univ.
School of Law -
Newark
|
28,230
19,226
|
26.4 | NJ:80 | 98.0 | 82.4 | 115,000 | 725 | 155 | 161 | 158 | 3.08 | 3.57 | 3.32 | |
|
Saint Louis Univ.
School of Law
|
33,180 | 52.3 | MO:85.6 | 92 | 70.8 | 65,000 | 750 | 154 | 160 | 157 | 3.23 | 3.74 | 3.69 | |
|
Samford
Univ.
Cumberland
School of Law
|
29,556 | 40.2 | AL:89.7 | 90.1 | 66 | 62,500 | 481 | 154 | 158 | 156 | 2.97 | 3.53 | 3.24 | |
|
Santa Clara Univ.
School of Law
|
36,750 | 51.3 | CA:77.3 | 97 | 72.3 | 110,000 | 728 | 158 | 162 | 160 | 3.13 | 3.55 | 3.34 | |
|
Seattle
Univ.
School of Law
|
33,720
|
28.2 | WA:81.9 | 98.5 | 66.6 | 67,500 | 845 | 154 | 160 | 158 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.4 | |
|
Seton Hall Univ.
School of Law
|
41,160 | 42.6 | NJ:85.4 | 97 | 89.7 | 110,276 | 722 | 158 | 162 | 160 | 3.29 | 3.73 | 3.53 | |
|
SMU
Dedman
School of Law
|
36,546 | 22.9 | TX:94 | 98 | 70.1 | 114,037 | 562 | 157 | 165 | 164 | 3.28 | 3.84 | 3.78 | |
|
South Texas
College of Law
|
24,390 | 50.5 | TX:81.6 | 77.5 | N/A | 79,000 | 936 | 150 | 155 | 153 | 2.92 | 3.50 | 3.26 | |
|
Southern
Illinois
School of Law
|
28,500
10,206
|
39.4 | IL:92 | 85.4 | N/A | 46,250 | 352 | 151 | 156 | 154 | 2.98 | 3.63 | 3.25 | |
|
Southern Univ.
School of Law
|
11,212
6,612
|
37.1 | LA:62.6 | 84 | 79.4 | 92,500 | 377 | 143 | 149 | 146 | 2.52 | 3.26 | 2.89 | |
| 35,070 | 33.5 | CA:72 | 98 | 76.4 | 75,000 | 698 | 153 | 157 | 155 | 3.06 | 3.58 | 3.32 | ||
|
St. John's Univ.
School of Law
|
40,600 | 37.5 | NY:92 | 97 | 65.7 | 80,000 | 748 | 156 | 162 | 160 | 3.20 | 3.77 | 3.60 | |
|
St.
Mary's Univ.
School of Law
|
26,350 | 51.1 | TX:82.6 | 81.9 | N/A | 67,500 | 699 | 149 | 156 | 153 | 2.8 | 3.41 | 3.11 | |
|
St. Thomas Univ.
School of Law
|
27,930
|
45.5 | FL:64.5 | 83 | N/A | 60,000 | 625 | 147 | 151 | 149 | 2.75 | 3.43 | 3.09 | |
|
Stanford
Univ.
Law School
|
40,880
|
9.0 | CA:88.7 | 98.5 | 98.3 | 135,000 | 538 | 167 | 172 | 170 | 3.74 | 3.95 | 3.85 | |
|
Stetson Univ.
College of Law
|
30,500 | 31.1 | FL:87.6 | 97.7 | N/A | 75,000 | 794 | 153 | 157 | 155 | 3.20 | 3.61 | 3.40 | |
|
Suffolk
Univ.
School of Law
|
38,070 | 49.8 | MA:81.9 | 91.27 | 56.7 | 70,000 | 1021 | 155 | 159 | 157 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.3 | |
|
Syracuse Univ.
College of Law
|
43,000 | 49.6 | NY:79.6 | 96 | 62.6 | 89,700 | 643 | 152 | 156 | 154 | 3.05 | 3.49 | 3.26 | |
|
Temple
Univ. -
James E. Beasley
School of Law
|
28,062
16,118
|
41 | PA:89.7 | 94.2 | 66.8 | 108,303 | 754 | 160 | 165 | 162 | 3.26 | 3.71 | 3.50 | |
|
15,278
11,528
|
35.9 | TX:56.2 | 88.1 | N/A | 85,000 | 600 | 146 | 151 | 147 | 2.83 | 3.29 | 3.00 | ||
|
Texas Tech Univ.
School of Law
|
19,272
11,584
|
43.4 | TX:87.1 | 92.1 | 40.7 | 77,000 | 692 | 151 | 157 | 154 | 3.34 | 3.75 | 3.55 | |
|
Texas
Wesleyan
Univ. Sch. of Law
|
24,660 | 45.8 | TX:85.8 | 82.7 | 54.4 | 62,000 | 475 | 152 | 156 | 154 | 2.89 | 3.40 | 3.16 | |
|
The Catholic
Univ. of America,
Columbus
School
of Law
|
36,400 | 34.3 | MD:79.6 | 93.7 | 70.1 | 80,000 | 950 | 156 | 160 | 158 | 3.08 | 3.57 | 3.33 | |
|
The George
Washington
School of Law
|
40,100 | 19.8 | NY:93.9 | 97.1 | 95.1 | 123,549 | 1412 | 163 | 168 | 166 | 3.4 | 3.86 | 3.63 | |
|
Thomas
Jefferson School
of Law
|
16,875
|
45.5 | CA:54.5 | 80 | N/A | 54,000 | 581 | 148 | 151 | 150 | 2.75 | 3.23 | 2.99 | |
|
Thomas M.
Cooley Law Sch.
|
26,836 | 73.8 | MI:79.9 | 73.3 | N/A | 52,000 | 535 | 145 | 154 | 147 | 2.75 | 3.35 | 2.9 | |
|
Touro
College -
Jacob D.
Fuchsberg
Law Center
|
36,490
|
43.4 | NY:78.4 | 74.4 | N/A | 62,500 | 513 | 149 | 153 | 152 | 2.90 | 3.43 | 3.07 | |
|
Tulane University
Law School
|
35,500
|
35.6 | LA:82.6 | 95.8 | 78.2 | 115,000 | 752 | 159 | 164 | 162 | 3.35 | 3.75 | 3.59 | |
|
Univ.
of Arizona -
James E. Rogers
School of Law
|
32,500
19,500
|
30.8 | AZ:86.5 | 94.9 | 78.8 | 90,000 | 453 | 157 | 164 | 161 | 3.23 | 3.73 | 3.5 | |
|
Univ. at Buffalo
Law
Sch., The
State Univ. of NY
|
20,000
13,200
|
38.5 | NY:85 | 98 | 73.8 | 63,500 | 766 | 154 | 159 | 156 | 3.19 | 3.65 | 3.45 | |
|
Univ. of Akron
School of Law
|
26,805
17,213
|
31.6 | OH:78 | 91.8 | 75.2 | 85,000 | 308 | 156 | 160 | 159 | 3.16 | 3.76 | 3.51 | |
|
Univ.
of Alabama
School of Law
|
22,170
11,190
|
30.8 | AL:97.2 | 98.8 | 83.7 | 68,353 | 492 | 160 | 165 | 164 | 3.31 | 3.84 | 3.63 | |
|
Univ. of Arkansas
at Little School
of
Law
|
20,508
10,185
|
26.1 | AR:85.6 | 87.7 | N/A | 52,200 | 292 | 151 | 156 | 154 | 2.94 | 3.68 | 3.31 | |
|
Univ. of Arkansas
School of Law -
Fayetteville
|
20,301
10,145
|
26.1 | AR:83.3 | 88.6 | N/A | 50,000 | 407 | 151 | 159 | 155 | 3.17 | 3.7 | 3.44 | |
|
Univ.
of Baltimore
School of Law
|
34,873
22,327
|
40.9 | MD:75.3 | 94.9 | 93.9 | 65,000 | 657 | 153 | 157 | 155 | 3.05 | 3.57 | 3.35 | |
|
Univ. of California
Berkeley
School
of Law
|
39,142
26,897
|
12.0 | CA:85 | 99 | 99 | 160,000 | 864 | 163 | 170 | 167 | 3.64 | 3.9 | 3.79 | |
|
Univ. of California
Davis
School of Law
|
40,756
28,511
|
28.8 | CA:84 | 95.6 | 78.8 | 93,274 | 579 | 161 | 167 | 164 | 3.45 | 3.79 | 3.63 | |
|
Univ.
of California
Hastings
College of Law
|
35,345
24,120
|
26.5 | CA:82.4 | 92 | 67.5 | 128,488 | 1276 | 160 | 165 | 163 | 3.36 | 3.74 | 3.57 | |
|
Univ. of California
Los
Angeles
School of Law
|
41,624
31,103
|
17.5 | CA:85.7 | 99.4 | 94.9 | 130,000 | 1024 | 163 | 169 | 167 | 3.54 | 3.72 | 3.85 | |
|
Univ. of Chicago
Law School
|
41,157
|
16.2 | IL:97.7 | 99 | 96.4 | 135,000 | 607 | 169 | 173 | 171 | 3.49 | 3.76 | 3.63 | |
|
University
of
Cincinnati
College of Law
|
33,102
18,982
|
35.1 | OH:91.8 | 96.2 | 72.8 | 90,000 | 356 | 157 | 162 | 160 | 3.39 | 3.87 | 3.63 | |
|
Univ. of Colorado
Law School
|
31,278
18,594
|
25.2 | CO:92 | 95.4 | 88.6 | 80,000 | 535 | 160 | 165 | 164 | 3.33 | 3.83 | 3.66 | |
|
University
of
Connecticut
School of Law
|
38,976
18,480
|
14.1 | CT:86.7 | 95.5 | 74.4 | 74,000 | 621 | 160 | 164 | 162 | 3.24 | 3.65 | 3.46 | |
|
Univ. of Dayton
School of Law
|
31,350 | 50.7 | OH:78 | 88.1 | N/A | 55,892 | 424 | 149 | 154 | 152 | 2.96 | 3.5 | 3.23 | |
|
Univ.
of Denver
Strum College
of Law
|
33,780 | 34.06 | CO:65.7 | 95.9 | 67.4 | 65,000 | 855 | 155 | 160 | 159 | 3.15 | 3.66 | 3.4 | |
|
Univ. of Detroit
Mercy School
of Law
|
30,210
|
46.6 | MI:92 | 86 | N/A | 62,500 | 591 | 146 | 154 | 150 | 2.95 | 3.36 | 3.16 | |
|
Univ.
of District of
Columbia - David
A. Clarke
School of Law
|
14,700
7,350
|
18.7 | MD:53.8 | 66.9 | N/A | 61,876 | 237 | 148 | 153 | 151 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 3.05 | |
|
Univ. of
Florida,
Fredric G. Levin
College of Law
|
30,173
9,404
|
34.3 | FL:77.9 | 96.8 | 77.7 | 80,000 | 1290 | 156 | 162 | 160 | 3.44 | 3.83 | 3.65 | |
|
Univ. of Georgia
School
of Law
|
23,940
13,090
|
24.9 | GA:91 | 98.1 | 87.9 | 100,000 | 642 | 159 | 165 | 163 | 3.42 | 3.86 | 3.67 | |
|
22,824
13,080
|
17.6 | HI:82.2 | 94.3 | 64.4 | 72,500 | 330 | 155 | 160 | 158 | 3.09 | 3.62 | 3.36 | ||
|
Univ. of Houston
Law Center
|
26,752
19,222
|
29.3 | TX:88.5 | 96.3 | 76.8 | 80,000 | 785 | 158 | 163 | 162 | 3.3 | 3.79 | 3.5 | |
|
Univ.
of Idaho
College of Law
|
20,962
10,882
|
43.7 | ID:47.5 | 92 | N/A | 44,000 | 307 | 151 | 159 | 155 | 3.03 | 3.66 | 3.36 | |
|
Univ. of Illinois
College of Law
|
36,000
28,000
|
30.2 | IL:88.8 | 92.6 | 78.4 | 125,000 | 587 | 160 | 167 | 164 | 3.18 | 3.8 | 3.49 | |
|
Univ.
of Iowa
College of Law
|
34,684
16,758
|
34.6 | IA:90.0 | 92.8 | 79.9 | 95,000 | 633 | 159 | 163 | 161 | 3.41 | 3.86 | 3.64 | |
|
Univ. of Kansas
School of Law
|
26,376
15,033
|
35.9 | KS:87.0 | 95.5 | 67.5 | 55,000 | 491 | 155 | 160 | 158 | 3.09 | 3.77 | 3.50 | |
|
Univ.
of Kentucky
College of Law
|
25,570
14,392
|
33.9 | KY:90 | 99.2 | 77.5 | 44,500 | 426 | 157 | 162 | 160 | 3.29 | 3.84 | 3.63 | |
|
33,490
|
40.7 | CA:60.9 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 356 | 150 | 153 | 151 | 2.77 | 3.30 | 3.01 | ||
|
University
of
Louisville's
Brandeis School
of Law
|
28,292
13,744
|
38 | KY:85 | 96 | 55 | 55,000 | 323 | 153 | 158 | 156 | 3.07 | 3.71 | 3.45 | |
|
Univ. of Maine
School of Law
|
28,860
18,360
|
46.9 | ME:92.5 | 91.8 | N/A | 60,000 | 254 | 154 | 159 | 157 | 3.06 | 3.69 | 3.38 | |
|
Univ.
of Maryland
School of Law
|
33,323
22,044
|
16 | MD:87.5 | 98.0 | 79.9 | 85,000 | 678 | 160 | 166 | 162 | 3.47 | 3.84 | 3.6 | |
|
Univ. of Memphis
Cecil C.
Humphrey's
School
of Law
|
34,176
12,304
|
29 | TN:94.1 | 96.1 | 36 | 56,519 | 418 | 154 | 158 | 155 | 3.05 | 3.62 | 3.33 | |
|
Univ. of Miami
School of Law
|
36,594 | 50.9 | FL:85.8 | 93 | 72.4 | 103,500 | 1250 | 155 | 160 | 158 | 3.23 | 3.64 | 3.42 | |
|
Univ.
of Michigan
School of Law
|
44,310
41,330
|
20.7 | NY:94.8 | 98.8 | 97.2 | 135,000 | 1148 | 166 | 170 | 169 | 3.49 | 3.80 | 3.64 | |
|
University of
Minnesota
Law School
|
32,303
21,900
|
24.7 | MN:97.89 | 98 | 87 | 100,000 | 850 | 163 | 167 | 166 | 3.29 | 3.82 | 3.61 | |
|
University
of
Mississippi
School of Law
|
20,987
9,817
|
30.7 | MS:92.2 | 82 | 59.6 | 66,500 | 517 | 154 | 159 | 156 | 3.19 | 3.67 | 3.40 | |
|
Univ. of Missouri
School of Law
|
15,990
15,246
|
35.8 |
MO:96.49
|
91 | 54.9 | 56,655 | 449 | 156 | 160 | 159 | 3.24 | 3.71 | 3.51 | |
|
Univ.
of Missouri
School of Law -
Kansas City
School of Law
|
29,170
15,220
|
50.4 | MO:98.31 | 91.2 | N/A | 50,000 | 467 | 152 | 156 | 155 | 3.03 | 3.64 | 3.33 | |
|
Univ.
of Montana
School of Law
|
22,596
10,174
|
42.3 | MT:94.9 | 94.1 | N/A | 45,000 | 252 | 151 | 158 | 155 | 3.12 | 3.75 | 3.44 |
University of LaVerne
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Pepperdine Univ. - Univ. of Montana
