Although it is not among the five Ivy League law schools, NYU Law School, located in New York City's eclectic Greenwich Village, is one of the best law schools in the country, coming in at #5 in the most recent rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Its "academic excellence and national scholarly influence" are quite impressive, as are its job placement statistics.
While admission is certainly selective at NYU Law and you will need a stellar GPA and LSAT score to be competitive, the law school had a 23% acceptance rate in 2007, which is rather high for one of the best schools in the country.
NYU Law prides itself in commitments to both public service and diversity, and opportunities abound in both these areas under New York City's metropolitan lights.
NYU Law's 3-year full-time Juris Doctor (J.D.) program operates from mid-August to mid-May; there are no part-time or evening programs, but there is a summer session. Housing information can be obtained from the Department of Residence Services.
Contact Information
40 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012
(212) 998-6060
Email: law.moreinfo@nyu.edu
Website: http://www.law.NYU.edu/
Fast Facts (Class of 2012)
- Enrollment Information
- GPA/LSAT Scores
- Costs and Fees (2008-2009)
Applicants: 1,700 (approximate)
Enrolled: 448
Women: 43%
Students of color: 27%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 1: 10.4
LSAT Median: 171
LSAT 25/75 Percentile: 169-173
UGPA Median: 3.75
UGPA 25/75 Percentile: 3.6-3.9
Tuition and fees: $44,261
Room and board: $20,579
Application Procedures
Application fee: $75
Application deadline: Binding early decision: November 15; regular decision: February 1 for admission the following fall.
Applicants can download a paper application and mail it to the school or can submit an electronic application through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
In addition to the application and fee, applicants must submit:
- Personal statement
- LSDAS report
- One letter of recommendation
Transfer Procedures
NYU Law accepts transfer students who have completed one year and are in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school.
Transfer applicants must submit applications by July 1 of the year in which they wish to transfer and must have them completed by July 15. In addition to the $75 application fee and completed transfer application, available through LSAC, transfer applicants must also submit the following:
- Dean's certification from current law school
- College questionnaire from undergraduate institution
- Personal statement
- LSDAS report
For more information on transferring to NYU Law, see Transfer Application FAQ.
Degrees and Curriculum
In order to earn a Juris Doctor degree, a student must acquire 83 credits of law study, including several required courses. For more specific information, see General Requirements.
The first-year curriculum includes Contracts, Procedure, Torts, Lawyering, The Administrative and Regulatory State, Criminal Law, and electives from a pre-selected list of courses. Property, Constitutional Law, and Professional Responsibility are also required for graduation.
NYU Law offers the opportunity for students to earn several dual degrees, including JD/MBA, JD/MPA, JD/MSW, and various JD/MA and JD/PhD programs.
The law school also offers graduate L.L.M. and S.J.D. degrees. For more information on graduate law degrees at NYU Law see the school's website.
Study Abroad
NYU Law offers exchange programs with 16 law faculties around the world in places like Italy, Germany, Brazil, Singapore, South Africa, and Australia. For more detailed information, see NYU Law's Exchange Program Partners.
Law Journals and Other Activities
NYU Law has nine student journals, including the NYU Law Review, Journal of International Law & Politics, and Journal of Law & Liberty.
Along with many student organizations, the law school has specialized Centers and Institutes for specific legal interests including the Brennan Center for Justice, Center on Law and Security, Frank J. Guarini Center on Environmental and Land Use Law, and the Tikvah Center for Law & Jewish Civilization; NYU Law also has 27 different legal clinics available.
Bar Exam Passage RateA majority of NYU Law students take the New York State Bar Exam and, in 2007, achieved an 95.1% pass rate. The overall pass rate for the New York Bar Exam was 77%.
Post-Graduation Employment
From the 2007 graduating class, 96.3% were employed at graduation and 98.5% were employed nine months after graduation. Starting salaries in the private sector averaged $153,600, and $45,900 in the public sector.
Eighty percent of the Class of 2007 secured work in private practice, 8% went to public interest jobs, 8% received judicial clerkships, 2% accepted other government positions, and 2% entered the business field.
