Although Vanderbilt University Law School in Nashville, Tennessee is located in the south, more than half of its graduates work elsewhere; Vanderbilt Law is a nationally respected school currently ranked 17th by the U.S. News and World Report.
Vanderbilt Law is also one of the most expensive schools in the country and accepted about a quarter of the applications that came its way in 2007; its graduates are often fiercely loyal to the school thanks to the collegiate atmosphere at "Vandy." Vanderbilt Law is also one of the few schools that recommends interviews.
Vanderbilt Law's three-year full-time day Juris Doctor (J.D.) program operates from late August to early May; there are no part-time or evening programs. For information on living accommodations, see Graduate Student Housing.
Contact Information
131 21st Avenue S
Nashville, TN 37203-1181
(615) 322-6452
Email: admissions@law.vanderbilt.edu
Website: http://law.vanderbilt.edu
Fast Facts (Class of 2012)
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Enrollment Information
Applicants: 4,851
Enrolled: 195Women: 48%
Minorities: 21%Student to Faculty Ratio: 1: 12.9
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GPA/LSAT Scores
LSAT Median: 168
LSAT 25/75 Percentile: 164-169
UGPA Median: 3.71
UGPA 25/75 Percentile: 3.50-3.86 -
Costs and Fees (2009-2010)
Tuition: $43,700
Total estimated budget: $66,022
Application Procedures
Application fee: $50
Application window: September 15 to March 15 of the year in which you're seeking admission.
Applicants are encouraged to submit applications online through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), but you may also download a paper application from the school's website. In addition to the application and fee, applicants must submit:
- Personal statement
- LSDAS report
- Two letters of recommendation
- J.D. financial aid application
- Application for Law Scholars Merit Award (optional)
For complete information on admission procedures at Vanderbilt Law, see J.D. Application Process.
Transfer Procedures
Vanderbilt Law accepts applications for transfer from students who have completed one year of study at an ABA-accredited law school; applications will be accepted between May 1 and July 1; interested students should submit the application and fee as well as the following:
- Personal statement discussing reasons for transfer request
- Official law school transcript
- Letter of good standing from current dean, including class rank
- Two letters of recommendation, at least one from a law school professor
- Copy of LSDAS report
For more information on transferring to Vanderbilt Law, see Transfer & Visiting Students.
Degrees and Curriculum
In order to earn a Juris Doctor degree, a Vanderbilt Law student must earn 88 credit hours, and in addition to the first-year curriculum below, must also a substantial research paper and a course in Professional Responsibility. For more detailed information, see J.D. Requirements.
The required first-year curriculum includes Contracts, Criminal Law, Property, Torts, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law I, Life of the Law, Regulatory State, and Legal Writing I and II.
Vanderbilt Law offers several joint degree programs, such as the J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.Div., and J.D./M.D. The school also has degree and certificate programs, including the Ph.D. Program in Law & Economics and the Law & Business Program as well as an LL.M. program.
Study Abroad
Vanderbilt Law offers the Vanderbilt in Venice summer study abroad program each year.
Law Journals and Other Activities
Vanderbilt Law has several student-run journals including the Vanderbilt Law Review, Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, and the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law.
Along with many student organizations, the law school also operates several research centers for specific legal interests such as the Center for Ethics, First Amendment Center, and Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies (VIPPS).
Bar Exam Passage Rate
A majority of Vanderbilt Law students take the Tennessee Bar Exam and, in 2007, achieved a 97.8% pass rate. The overall pass rate for the Tennessee Bar Exam was 78%.
Post-Graduation Employment
From the 2009 graduating class, Vanderbilt Law reports that 99% of graduates accepted employment offers before graduation. Sixty-eight percent went to law firms, 11% accepted judicial clerkships, 9% entered the public interest field, 6% took jobs with the government, 4% continued their education, and 2% entered business.