Not sure if you meet the eligibility criteria of NYU? We’ve got it all sorted for you. Read this blog to know about what it needs to make it to one of the best law schools in New York.
How to get into NYU Law: NYU law school acceptance rate & more!
NYU is one of the most challenging colleges to get into in the United States, which of course, makes that their law school admissions are also super demanding. Ranking at number 7 in the entire world, the NYU School of Law is up there with the best.
Got NYU on your list but wondering how hard it is to get into NYU law school. Keep scrolling to get the answer to this question!
1. About NYU School of Law
New York University or better known as NYU, is a private research university in New York (duh.. where else would it be?). Having established its law school known by the name NYU School of Law in 1835, it is the oldest law school in New York, and not just that, it is also the only surviving law school in the whole state. (hmm.. now that sounds interesting)
New York University School of Law is situated in the heart of Greenwich Village. It offers its students a top-notch legal education in one of New York City’s most culturally significant neighborhoods. It is ranked at an impressive number 7 by the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU for short), so of course, being one of the country’s most prestigious and historically important schools does not come with a small price. Yep, it is indeed one of the most difficult law schools to get into in the United States.
Numerous degree options are available to students at NYU. A Juris Doctor (J.D.), the traditional degree associated with attending law school in the United States, is what most students pursue. In addition, NYU offers a one-year Master of Laws (LL.M.) program, which is most frequently pursued by foreign-trained attorneys and JD holders seeking to focus on a particular area of the law. The Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD) program at NYU also trains students for careers in legal scholarship.
The varied curriculum at NYU is one of the reasons, so many students strive to make it to this law school. Compared to other top law schools, NYU Law School offers the highest caliber lectures and courses in a wide range of specialized legal topics. Law degrees are offered in a variety of fields by NYU Law School, including but not limited to Cities and Land Use, Constitutional, Civil Rights and Democracy, Corporate and Commercial, Criminal Justice, Environmental, Family, Gender, & Sexuality, Global, and International, Human Rights, Immigration, Intellectual Property and Innovation, Labor, and Employment Law and Security, Legal Theory, History and the Social Sciences, Litigation and Procedure, Regulation and Public Policy and Taxation. (long, long list here)
The vast range of courses provided by the NYU School of Law attracts thousands of aspiring students with an incentive to apply here. Thus, even if you are unsure what direction you would like to take once you get in, the endless options will make it easier for you to decide; you don’t have to worry about your options being restricted at NYU School of Law. Now that we’ve made a case for why NYU School of Law is one of the best choices you can make, let’s see how hard it is to get into it.
2. Is Getting into NYU School of Law Really That Tough?
Goes without saying, YES, it is really THAT tough, but of course, not impossible. Getting into NYU School of Law is by no means an easy task, and it would be a mistake to say otherwise. The admission process is one of the most competitive in the country, and even a high GPA does not necessarily guarantee admission into the NYU School of Law. Let’s first look at the basic requirements needed to get your application rolling and a few statistics about the student population.
3. LSAT Scores and GPA
As per the fall 2022 entering JD class profile, the LSAT scores for specific percentiles were as follows:
75th percentile: 174
50th percentile: 172
25th percentile: 169
Compared to 2021, which had the following LSAT scores for specific percentiles:
75th percentile: 174
50th percentile: 172
25th percentile: 170
The scores are quite similar. Compared to the students from colleges like Harvard and Yale (with an average LSAT score of 173), the LSAT scores of NYU School of Law students are not far behind.
Moving on to the undergraduate GPA requirements, we can observe, as per the fall 2022 entering JD class profile, the undergraduate GPAs of specific percentiles are as follows:
75th percentile: 3.94
50th: percentile: 3.88
25th percentile: 3.72
These undergraduate GPAs compared to the ones for specific percentiles in 2021 are as follows:
75th percentile: 3.93
50th percentile: 3.86
25th percentile: 3.73
So, we can see that there is not much of a difference in the undergraduate GPAs required for admission across the two academic years. Compared to undergraduate GPAs that are prevailing in colleges such as Harvard and Yale, the average undergraduate GPAs are considerably lower for NYU School of Law.
To sum it up, if you hope to stand any chance of gaining admission into the NYU School of Law, you should have a minimum GPA of 3.72 and an LSAT Score of at least 169. (it sounds super tough, but believe us, once you make it to this law school, your hard work will really be worth it)
4. Demographics
As per fall 2022 entering JD class profile NYU School of Law’s current class size is 376 students, which are all full-time students (there are no evening or part-time students). These students come from over 100 colleges while also representing 37 states and DC. Fifty-seven percent of students are women, and 45 percent of students are students of color.
If you’re worrying about having a gap year, then nearly 68 percent of these students have been out of college for 1 to 4 years, and 13 percent of students have been out of college for five or more years. On top of that, 14 percent of the students already hold advanced or professional degrees. From these statistics, we can observe that the class of NYU Law School is quite diverse, and there is representation from all different sorts of backgrounds which makes the experience of attending NYU Law School all the better.
5. Acceptance Rates
Now coming to the part which most aspiring students are interested in, the acceptance rate at the NYU Law School as of 2019 was 33.1 percent. Although this is much lower than the national average, it is still much higher than the acceptance rates at many of the top law schools in the country, which are only 21.1 percent on average.
Annual variations are significant, but they frequently depend on factors that neither a student nor a school can control. For instance, only a certain number of students can attend NYU Law School (or any other law school). Of the 5,716 applicants, NYU Law School extended offers to 1,892.
However, if there were fewer applicants each year, the acceptance rate (as a percentage of the total) would probably be much higher. So, you may fulfill all the requirements of being qualified for admission into the NYU School of Law, but you might not get in just because the school cannot cater to students beyond a specific number.
The admission statistics for 2020, 2021, and 2022 show acceptance rates of 23.6 percent, 14.5 percent, and 29.43 percent. The drop-in acceptance rates in the years 2020 and 2021 can be attributed to the effects of the global pandemic that restricted access to education for many students due to several reasons, such as financial hardships and accessibility. In 2022 however, the acceptance rate has moved closer to what it was in 2019 as the lockdowns have been lifted, and New York City is now open for all. However, these acceptance rates also depend on the total number of applicants and how many accepted students actually joined the school.
6. Additional Experience and Skills to Help Boost Your Chances
Although academic excellence is an important part of your application and strengthens your chances of getting into the NYU School of Law that is not all they are seeking in prospective students. Let’s be honest; no college wants students who cannot offer anything more than good grades.
Read More: UC Berkeley School of Law: All You Need to Know
As we have already seen above, a large percentage of students have been out of college for one year or more. If this time is spent gaining work experience in study, it reflects better on the overall application. A good CV being part of your application helps boost your chances of acceptance. For example, if you are interested in criminal law and want to pursue that as part of your studies, it will make your application stand out. If your CV has relevant experience (for example, interning or volunteering at a law firm), it will make your application stand out and appeal to the school.
Work experience is not the only way to improve your chances, however. You should consider taking the initiative to increase your understanding of the legal industry. Even taking EdX courses on various legal topics can demonstrate dedication, drive, and self-control, all of which are necessary for success in law school, which can reflect on your personal statement positively.
Extracurriculars can also help you stand out as a candidate for acceptance into the NYU School of Law. Colleges now look for students who are not only academically gifted but also students who portray a wide variety of interests. For example, if you were part of the debate team of your college or know how to speak another language, these factors would stand out in your application. Extracurricular experience shows that you as a person are the more well-wonder and diverse. It gives the impression that this aspiring student is more than just about academics and has discovered themselves.
7. NYU School of Law: Prominence and Outcomes
NYU Law School is well-known for its academic publications. The New York University Law Review, NYU Annual Survey of American Law, NYU Journal of International Law and Politics, Review of Law & Social Change, New York University Environmental Law Journal, Journal of Legislation & Public Policy, Journal of Law & Liberty, Journal of Law & Business, and the Journal of Intellectual Property & Entertainment Law are all are some of the most well-known journals published by NYU. These articles, some of which have been published consistently for over a century, are cited in international legal proceedings and academic studies.
JD graduates from New York University who work in the private sector make, on average, $190,000. The starting salary for graduates working in the private sector is $65,000. Nearly 68.2 percent of New York University’s law graduates work for law firms immediately, while 4.4 percent work as judicial clerks. Of graduates, 20.5 percent work in the public interest. Ninety-eight percent of New York University graduates succeed on their first attempt to pass the bar.
