Law School Acceptance Rates: The Selectivity Index

How can you avoid the law school admissions errors that trip up so many applicants?

Don’t you wish you had all of the information in one place to help you apply to law school realistically and effectively? That information is now available to you through Accepted's Law School Selectivity Index. The Index is based on the most recent U.S. News ranking data and includes the following law school admissions statistics:

• Average GPA: Though it is ranked 26th by U.S. News, Texas A&M University School of Law has the highest undergraduate GPA at an impressive 3.97. Close behind is number-one-ranked Yale Law School at 3.96, and Stanford Law School, WashULaw, and the University of Alabama School of Law at 3.95.
• LSAT scores: Yale's 175 median LSAT score puts it at the top of the list. Harvard Law School is at 174 and Chicago Law School, Columbia Law School, Stanford Law School, and WashULaw all come in at a median LSAT score of 173.
• Law School acceptance rates: Yale Law School has the lowest acceptance rate at 5.6%. Stanford Law School is next with a still low 7.3% acceptance rate.
• U.S. News ranking: Stanford and Yale once again tie for first place in the 2024-2025 U.S. News ranking. Chicago Law School, University of Virginia School of Law, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Duke University School of Law, and Harvard Law School round out the top five.

Not surprisingly, based on its students' high LSAT scores, GPA, acceptance rates, and rankings, Yale is ranked #1 (100) in Accepted's Law School Selectivity Index, followed by Stanford (96.9) and Harvard (94.5).

The Law School Selectivity Index helps you determine, based on this data, how realistic a chance you have of acceptance at any given school.

Although these metrics are not the only ones used to determine admission, they do reflect how difficult it is to be accepted to different law schools. They also indicate which metrics are more important to which law schools.

Why the Law School Selectivity Index is just one tool in your application toolkit

Although helpful, the Selectivity Index has several weaknesses:

• It doesn’t reflect non-qualitative information which plays a role in the law school admissions process. Those law school applicants with strong non-qualitative attributes may be accepted when their stats are not as strong.
• It doesn’t reflect a law school’s need for diversity in their classes and community.
• It doesn’t include the importance of demonstrating fit with a specific law school’s strengths, mission, and values.

Despite these weaknesses, the Selectivity Index is an important resource for the law school admissions process. Law schools are purposeful in how they choose whom they accept, and your law school admissions statistics – your GPA and LSAT scores – are critical in determining your competitiveness and where you should apply.

Your application process needs to be equally thoughtful and purposeful. The Law School Selectivity Index will show you where your numbers fall and help you choose to apply to a mix of law schools – some where you are competitive, and some that will be your “safety” schools, and reaches.

This knowledge will help make your application process much less stressful and enhance the likelihood of your snagging a spot in next year’s law school class.

How an expert law school admissions advisor can help

Law school acceptance rates, average GPAs and LSAT scores are not everything when it comes to getting into law school. The law school admissions process is long and grueling, and competition is fierce. If you want this law school application to be the one that gets you accepted, then you’ll need to be strategic and thoughtful when you choose where to apply and how you showcase your unique perspective.

This is where our expert law school admissions consultants step in.

When you work one-on-one with an Accepted law school admissions advisor, one with decades of experience, you learn how to position yourself strategically and thoughtfully, how to use your competitive advantage to come out ahead of the thousands of other law school applicants. Start by signing up for a free consultation and find out how you can get accepted to the best law school for you!