The University of Iowa Law School offers a great legal education at a competitive price, especially for state residents. Iowa Law is currently ranked #26 by U.S. News and World Report.
Iowa Law is one of the finest schools in the Midwest, so if you are considering practicing in that general area, you'd be advised to consider Iowa Law. Moreover, since it doesn't receive an overwhelming number of applications, your chances of being accepted are good if you fall within their median GPA and LSAT numbers; Iowa Law's acceptance rate generally hovers around 35%.
Iowa Law's three-year Juris Doctor (J.D.) program operates from late August to early May; there is no part-time or evening program. The school has information on housing on its website.
Contact Information
320 Melrose Avenue
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 335-9133
Email: law-admissions@uiowa.edu
Website: http://www.law.uiowa.edu
Fast Facts (Class of 2011)
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Enrollment Information
Applicants: 1,502
Accepted: 569
Enrolled: 194Women: 44%
Minorities: 15%
Iowa residents: 50%Student to Faculty Ratio: 1: 13
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Class of 2011 GPA/LSAT Scores
LSAT Median: 161
UGPA Median: 3.61
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Costs and Fees (2010-2011)
Tuition: $22,554 (resident); $42,322 (non-resident)
Tuition and other required fees: $24,154 (resident); $42,922 (non-resident)
Application Procedures
Application fee: $60
Application window: September 1 - March 1 for Fall admission
Applicants may apply online through the school's website, but going through Law School Admission Council (LSAC) is recommended. In addition to the application and fee, applicants must submit:
- LSDAS report and LSAT score
- Personal statement (there are special questions to be addressed)
- Two letters of recommendation
- Transcripts
For complete information on admission procedures at Iowa Law, see Application Checklist.
Transfer Procedures
Iowa Law accepts transfer students who have completed one year of study in an ABA-accredited law school. The deadline for applying for the fall semester is June 1; in addition to the application and fee, transfer applicants must submit the following:
- Statement on your reasons for wanting to transfer
- LSDAS report
- Law school trascript
- Letter of good standing from the registrar
- Class rank
- Letters of recommendation from your current law school
For more information on transferring to Iowa Law, see Transferring to Iowa.
Degrees and Curriculum
For information on what is required to graduate with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Iowa Law School, see the school's 3L Checklist (PDF).
The first-year curriculum consists of the following courses: Contracts and Sales Transactions, Introduction to Law & Legal Reasoning Legal Analysis, Writing and Research I, Property, and Torts in the fall; in the spring, students take Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law I, Criminal Law, Legal Analysis, Writing and Research II, and one three hour elective.
Iowa Law also offers the opportunity for law students to develop joint degree programs with other university departments; the law school also offers an LL.M. program.
Study Abroad
Iowa Law offers students several opportunities to study abroad, including programs in London, Germany, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands.
Law Journals and Other Activities
Iowa Law has four law journals: the Iowa Law Review, Journal of Corporation Law, Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems, and Journal of Gender, Race & Justice.
Along with many student organizations, the law school also has several centers and programs for specific legal interests such as The Institute of Public Affairs, Law, Health Policy & Disability Center, and the Program in Law & History.
Bar Exam Passage Rate
Most Iowa Law graduates take the Iowa Bar Exam; in 2007, they achieved a 90% pass rate while the state average was 87%.
Post-Graduation Employment
Iowa Law reports that 52% of the Class of 2008 went into private practice, 14% entered the business field 36.6% percent secured work in law firms, 8.3% went to public interest or government positions, 2.6% entered the business field, and 1.5% percent entered academia.>.
The median salary for those in private practice was $100,000, while for those in public interest positions, it was $40,000. Thirty-four percent of the Class of 2008 stayed in Iowa to work.