If you’re thinking about applying to law schools in the United States, you’re probably curious about the greatest universities and colleges. The American law school standings are by far the most steady, having rarely moved in the last 20 years. The ranking of the first ten universities, which varies somewhat from year to year, is frequently the sole variance. You could argue that the only thing that counts is that you were accepted into a top law school in the United States, regardless of which one. Some of you, but on the other side, must follow your family legacy and attend a specific college, one from which all of your close relatives have graduated. For others, getting into one of the top three or top five schools from the rankings is crucial. One thing is certain: American law colleges and universities have a long and illustrious history of superb classroom instruction. While these annual rankings are vital to keep in mind, you should make your ultimate decision on a number of variables determined by your judgment. You can pick your favorite law school from our list and apply for them. This choice will decide the future of law.
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1. Yale University Law School
The Yale Law School has a February 28 deadline for applications. The full-time program fee structure at Yale University‘s Law School is $85. Its full-time tuition is $68,117. There is a 4.4:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Traditional grades no longer happen at this top-ranked Ivy League law school. In reality, during their first term at Yale Law School, students receive no evaluations at all; after that, they are rated solely by honors, pass, poor pass, credit, or failure. The average class size is less than 20 people. There are no specialization areas at Yale, although students can personalize their course choices to their preferences. Joint degrees are available in collaboration with Yale’s other vocational and graduate institutions, notably the prestigious School of Management. These colleges also allow students to take courses without having to combine two majors. Students who are particularly motivated can complete an expedited, combined J.D./MBA in three years, the same time it takes to complete a regular J.D.
Founded: 1824
Tuition: 19,000 USD
ACT Avg: 33
SAT Avg: 1515
Acceptance Rate: 9.7%
GPA: 4.19
Rank: 1
Contact: +1 203-432-4992
Financial Aid: The Horizon Grant, The Yellow Ribbon Program
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2. Harvard University Law School
Harvard University‘s law school has a February 1 application period. The full-time program fee structure at Harvard University’s law school is $85. Its full-time tuition is $67,081. There is a 7.1:1 student-to-faculty ratio. At Harvard Law School, chances to put classroom instruction into practice begin early. First-year undergraduates can put their legal talents to the test by assisting local musicians in understanding copyright rules or defending state prison inmates at disciplinary proceedings, among other things, through the school’s Student Practice Organizations. HLS legal clinics, the largest of any school in the world, are available to older students. Before graduating, all candidates must perform at least 40 hours of pro bono (voluntary) work. Instead of a typical grading system, students at HLS earn a designation of honors, pass, poor pass, or fail. The HLS facilities are integrated into the university campus in Harvard Square, a focus of college experience in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with restaurants, pubs, and stores. On-campus dorms, suites, and flats are available to students, although more than 60% of them live off-campus.
Founded: 1817
Tuition: 67,720 USD
ACT Avg: 33
SAT Avg: 1520
Acceptance Rate: 15.6%
GPA: 3.86
Rank: 2
Contact: +1 617-495-3109
Financial Aid: You can apply for scholarships here.
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3. Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School is the law school of Columbia University, a New York City-based private Ivy League university. Columbia Law School is universally acknowledged as one of the most renowned law schools in the world, and U.S. News & World Report has consistently ranked it among the top five law schools in the United States. The Columbia Law School has a February 15 deadline for applications. The full-time program application fee at Columbia University’s Law School is $85. Its full-time tuition is $74,995. There is a 5.2:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Founded: 1858
Tuition: 74,995USD
ACT Avg: 33
LSAT Avg: 172
Acceptance Rate: 18.4%
GPA: 3.75
Rank: 3
Contact: +1 212-854-2640
Financial Aid: The Appel Fellowship, Jagdish Bhagwati Fellowship
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4. University of Chicago
Graduate degrees in specialized fields are not available at the University of Chicago. LLM students are not required to study any academic programs at Chicago, nor are there any programs they are not permitted to take. As a result, students have the freedom to design their own programs. LLM students frequently plan their course and seminar calendars to reflect certain practice areas such as corporate/security, proprietary information, antitrust/business regulation, or financial activities. Most, on the other hand, supplement their scholastic experience with courses in constitutional law, legal theory, law and economics, and comparative law. There are no classes in the program developed expressly for LLM students, save from an optional LLM writing class and two optional core courses on agreements and constitutional law. The majority of LLM students will take all of their classes with JD students. The University of Chicago Law School has a March 1 application period. The application fee for full-time programs at the University of Chicago Law School is $85. Its full-time tuition is $69,975. There is a 5.2:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Founded: 1890
Tuition: 69,975USD
ACT Avg: N/A
LSAT Avg: 170
Acceptance Rate: 17.5 %
GPA: 3.98
Rank: 4
Contact: +1 773-702-1234
Financial Aid: David M. Rubenstein Scholars Program, James C. Hormel Public Interest Scholarship
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5. New York University Law School
The deadline to apply to New York University’s School of Law is February 15. The full-time program admission cost at New York University School of Law is $85. Its full-time tuition is $71,304. 5.8:1 is the student-to-faculty ratio. The Lawyering Program at NYU Law provides law students with hands-on training in real legal skills beginning their first year. Learners can put their skills to the test in more than 30 legal clinics and roughly 25 on-campus facilities during their second and third years, in addition to lively Colloquia seminar lectures that consist of a series of workshops on a certain subject. Students can receive dual degrees with foreign universities such as the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and World Relations, or joint diplomas with other NYU schools such as the highly renowned Stern School of Business. Students can participate in over 50 student organizations and live on the residential campus. The school also provides international student exchange programs, which allow law students to study at more than 15 universities throughout the world.
Founded: 1835
Tuition: 71,304USD
ACT Avg: 32
LSAT Avg: 170
Acceptance Rate: 23.6%
GPA: 3.69
Rank: 5
Contact: +1 212-998-6100
Financial Aid: Furman Academic Scholars Program, ASPIRE Scholarship
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6. University of Pennsylvania (Carey) Law School
Professional students at the University of Pennsylvania can take a multidisciplinary approach to their studies. Students from Penn Law can register in programs from other academic institutions, and students from other professional schools can take Penn Law programs as well. Students can build an area of concentration by getting a certification in East Asian Studies or Gender and Sexuality Studies by taking a few more courses. Law students can complete both a J.D. and another degree in three years, such as an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, a master’s in bioethics from the School of Medicine, or a master’s in cities and urban planning from the School of Design.
Founded: 1850
Tuition: 47,600 USD
ACT Avg: N/A
LSAT Avg: 170
Acceptance Rate: 14.5 %
GPA: 3.69
Rank: 6
Contact: +1 215-898-7483
Financial Aid: Fullbright Scholarship, Kübler Scholarship
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7. University of Virginia Law School
The School of Law, like all other academic departments of the University of Virginia, runs on a strict, student-run honor code. Students make a promise not to lie, cheat, or steal, and anyone found guilty by a peer jury is expelled. Each class comprises roughly 350 students, with somewhat more boys than females in the student body. In four years, students can acquire a combined degree from the Darden School of Business, such as a J.D. and an MBA.
Special school institutes such as the Center for Oceans Law and Policy and the Center for National Security Law allow students to customize their curriculum. The school now includes an animal law department thanks to a $1 million contribution from former “The Price Is Right” host and animal rights supporter Bob Barker. There are over 60 on-campus organizations to check out and roughly 20 hands-on clinics where students may put their legal knowledge to the test.
Founded: 1819
Tuition: 52,900 USD
ACT Avg: N/A
LSAT Avg: 169
Acceptance Rate: 19.9 %
GPA: 3.86
Rank: 7
Contact: +1 434-924-7354
Financial Aid: You can apply for scholarships through FAFSA
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8. Stanford University
Stanford Law School takes an interdisciplinary, student-centered, future-focused approach to a law degree. Faculty, staff, pupils, and alumni all encourage and motivate one another to pursue law as a means of learning, excelling, and contributing to society. Faculty at the Law School has developed online course materials for use in law classes on campus, including a ground-breaking course on comparative anti-discrimination law developed in collaboration with UC Berkeley, as well as modules to support the school’s robust clinical education program.
Founded: 1893
Tuition: 47,460 USD
ACT Avg: N/A
LSAT Avg: 171
Acceptance Rate: 9.1 %
GPA: 3.89
Rank: 8
Contact: +1 650.723.2465
Financial Aid: Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program, Yellow Ribbon Program
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9. Duke University School of Law
Duke Law School is one of the world’s top law schools, with a reputation for great faculty and research, a curriculum that emphasizes professional growth, and a cross-disciplinary commitment to research and education. Students come to Duke Law from every state in the United States and around the world, and alumni work in some of the world’s most prestigious law firms and corporations. One of the reasons students select Duke Law is the cooperative atmosphere, which fosters growth not only through rigorous research but also through cooperation and support.
Founded: 1868
Tuition: 61,000 USD
ACT Avg: N/A
LSAT Avg: 169
Acceptance Rate: 20.2 %
GPA: 3.78
Rank: 9
Contact: +1 919-613-7006
Financial Aid: Mordecai Scholars
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10. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
Beginning in the summer, students at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor Law School can receive a head start on their legal studies. Summer Start, an early education program that transitions learners into Michigan Law and provides them with more course choices later in their educational life, will enroll about a fourth of students. The Law School has about 315 pupils in a typical year, with a nearly equal number of male and female students.
Founded: 1859
Tuition: 64,198 USD
ACT Avg: N/A
LSAT Avg: 171
Acceptance Rate: 27.9%
GPA: 3.84
Rank: 10
Contact: +1 734-764-1358
Financial Aid: Teach for America Award, City Year National Service Scholarship
