Loyola Law School in Chicago is a Jesuit school that offers a great option for those who want to work in the Midwest; it is currently ranked 78th by U.S. News and World Report, tied with the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (Boyd Law School).
Loyola Law has relatively high tuition for a school of its ranking, but it also has many scholarships and other aid available to students; admission to the school is quite competitive with a 30% acceptance rate.
Loyola Law's three-year Juris Doctor (J.D.) program operates from mid-August to mid-May; there also a part-time program, currently ranked as the 32nd best part-time program in the country by U.S. News & World Report.
Contact Information
25 E. Pearson Street
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 915-7170
Email: law-admissions@luc.edu
Website: http://www.luc.edu/law/
Fast Facts
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Enrollment Information
Applications: 4,295
Accepted: 1,279
Enrolled: 267 (203 full-time; 64 part-time)Women: 47%
Minorities: 13%Student to Faculty Ratio: 1: 14.5
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Class of 2012 GPA/LSAT Scores
LSAT 25/75 Percentile: 156-161
UGPA 25/75 Percentile: 3.34-3.60 -
Costs and Fees (2010-11)
Tuition: $37,380 (full-time); $28,060 (part-time)
Estimated budget: $58,074 (full-time); $48,754 (part-time)
Application Procedures
Application fee: $50; waived if you apply online.
Priority application deadline: March 1 in the year seeking Fall admission (full-time); April 1 (part-time).
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), but may also apply by filling out the paper application available on the school's website (PDF).
In addition to the application, applicants must submit:
- LSDAS report and LSAT score
- Personal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- Resume
For complete information on admission procedures at Loyola Law, see Apply to the J.D. Program.
Transfer Procedures
Loyola Law accepts applications for transfer from students who have completed one year of full-time study at an ABA-approved law school; generally only students in the top 25% of their law school class will be considered. Interested students should submit the application and $50 fee as well as the following:
- Essay
- Law school and undergraduate transcripts
- Letter of good standing
- Class rank
- LSDAS/LSAT report
- Two letters of recommendation
- Resume (optional)
Applications must be in by July 1 and the file completed by July 15. For more information on transferring to Loyola Law, see Transfer Applicants.
Degrees and Curriculum
In order to earn a Juris Doctor degree, a Loyola Law student must earn 86 credit units; in addition to the first-year curriculum below, degree candidates must also complete Advocacy, Professional Responsibility, and a skills course. For more detailed information, see Requirements for Graduation.
The required first-year curriculum includes Contracts, Criminal Law, Property, Torts, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Legal Writing, and a Perspectives Elective in the spring semester.
Loyola Law also offers several dual degree programs, including the J.D./M.B.A, J.D./M.S.W, and J.D./M.A. in various disciplines; the school also offers an LL.M. degree program.
Study Abroad
Loyola Law offers several study abroad opportunities, including summer programs in Rome and China and comparative law seminars in Chile and London.
Law Journals and Other Activities
Loyola Law has several student-run law journals, including the Loyola Law Journal, Children's Legal Rights Journal, and the Consumer Law Review.
Along with many student organizations, the law school also has several centers and institutes for specific legal interests such as the Beazley Institute for Health Law and Policy, Civitas ChildLaw Center, and the Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies.
Bar Exam Passage Rate
Loyola Law reports its students achieved a 94% pass rate on the bar exam in 2009.
Post-Graduation Employment
Loyola Law reports that from the 2008 graduating class, 63% went to law firms, 17% went into business and industry, 12% entered government careers, 4% pursued public interest careers, 3% secured judicial clerkships, and 1% entered academia.