Law School Selectivity Index

Accepted’s Selectivity Index is designed to help you assess your competitiveness as a candidate at top law schools. The tool allows you to compare key admissions criteria at different law schools, including average LSAT score, undergraduate GPA, program ranking, and acceptance rate, providing valuable insight into the relative difficulty of admission at your target programs and positioning you to make more-informed application decisions.

Peruse the following table, and then read on to understand the relative importance of the criteria and how each one factors into your candidacy. Then, take our Law School Admissions Quiz to evaluate your readiness and learn how to strengthen your application strategy.

Name	U.S. News Ranking 2024–2025	Total Full-Time Enrollment	Median LSAT Score	Median Undergrad GPA	Acceptance Rate	Selectivity Score	Selectivity Index
Yale University	1	633	175	3.96	5.60%	654	100
Stanford University	1	575	173	3.95	7.30%	633	96.9
University of Chicago	3	594	173	3.94	12.80%	594	90.9
Duke University	4	754	170	3.87	10.50%	589	90
Harvard University	4	1,758	174	3.93	9.60%	618	94.5
University of Pennsylvania (Carey)	4	808	172	3.92	9.90%	607	92.9
University of Virginia	4	898	171	3.94	11.50%	596	91.2
Columbia University	8	1,357	173	3.9	12.20%	592	90.6
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	9	972	171	3.85	12.60%	575	88
Northwestern University (Pritzker)	9	763	172	3.92	15.50%	570	87.1
New York University	9	1,413	172	3.9	16.80%	558	85.3
University of California - Berkeley	12	1,022	170	3.87	14.90%	560	85.6
University of California - Los Angeles	13	1,006	170	3.92	16.80%	554	84.8
Cornell University	14	585	172	3.9	19.30%	541	82.8
Georgetown University	14	1,851	171	3.91	19.60%	538	82.2
University of Minnesota	16	675	168	3.85	39.80%	389	59.5
University of Texas - Austin	16	973	171	3.86	14.90%	562	85.9
Washington University in St. Louis	16	809	173	3.95	17.20%	566	86.5
Vanderbilt University	19	512	170	3.89	16.80%	550	84.1
University of Georgia	20	530	169	3.83	14.80%	551	84.3
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill	20	572	166	3.78	16.30%	525	80.3
University of Notre Dame	20	540	169	3.83	24.40%	489	74.8
University of Southern California (Gould)	20	644	169	3.88	12.50%	574	87.7
Boston University	24	744	170	3.86	17.80%	539	82.5
Wake Forest University	25	488	165	3.79	31.50%	428	65.5
Ohio State University (Moritz)	26	503	165	3.83	33.10%	423	64.6
Texas A&M University	26	443	166	3.97	14.60%	563	86.1
Boston College	28	765	167	3.77	13.40%	545	83.4
Brigham Young University (Clark)	28	369	168	3.94	28.80%	471	72.1
George Mason University	28	431	168	3.89	14.00%	562	85.9
University of Florida (Levin)	28	662	169	3.91	17.00%	548	83.9
University of Utah (Quinney)	28	291	164	3.85	30.20%	441	67.4
Fordham University	33	1,162	167	3.75	21.10%	494	75.6
University of Alabama	33	426	167	3.95	26.60%	484	74
Washington and Lee University	33	380	165	3.72	31.40%	421	64.4
Arizona State U. (O'Connor)	36	793	167	3.9	21.30%	513	78.4
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign	36	519	165	3.75	43.70%	348	53.3
University of Iowa	36	491	163	3.76	47.70%	321	49
University of Wisconsin - Madison	36	698	165	3.79	35.60%	403	61.6
William & Mary Law School	36	529	166	3.77	27.30%	455	69.6
George Washington University	41	1,560	169	3.85	28.70%	464	70.9
University of California - Irvine	42	467	167	3.72	18.20%	508	77.7
Florida State University	48	440	165	3.85	21.10%	501	76.6
Emory University	42	799	166	3.82	40.90%	375	57.3
Indiana University - Bloomington (Maurer)	42	530	164	3.86	46.90%	336	51.4
Southern Methodist University (Dedman)	42	663	164	3.83	32.70%	423	64.6
Baylor University	46	383	164	3.73	17.80%	503	76.9
University of Kansas	46	362	160	3.71	48.70%	305	46.6
University of Washington	48	522	164	3.74	34.70%	401	61.2
University of Colorado - Boulder	48	491	164	3.81	34.20%	411	62.9
Villanova University (Widger)	48	553	164	3.8	22.50%	483	73.9

Applying with Confidence and Avoiding Common Law School Admissions Mistakes

The law school admissions process is highly competitive, and at Accepted, we understand that having all the most critical admissions data in one place is crucial to navigating the application process successfully and increasing your odds of acceptance. Accepted’s Law School Selectivity Index gives you easy access to key admissions statistics to help you apply strategically and realistically. This index includes the following data points:

Average GPAs: Students at the Texas A&M University School of Law have the highest average undergraduate GPA at 3.97, though the school is ranked 26th in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. The next highest average GPAs are found at Yale Law School (3.96), Stanford Law School, WashU Law, and the University of Alabama School of Law (3.95).
LSAT Scores: The school with the highest median LSAT score is Yale Law School with 175, followed by Harvard Law School with 174, and a cluster of top schools – the University of Chicago Law School, Columbia Law School, Stanford Law School, and WashU Law – with 173.
Acceptance Rates: Yale Law School has the lowest acceptance rate at 5.6%, with Stanford Law School following at 7.3%.
U.S. News & World Report Rankings: Yale Law School and Stanford Law School are tied at #1 in the 2024 rankings, with the University of Chicago Law School, the University of Virginia Law School, the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Duke Law School, and Harvard Law School rounding out the top five.

Given its high LSAT scores, average GPA, and selectivity, Yale Law School ranks #1 (100) in Accepted’s Law School Selectivity Index, followed by Stanford Law School (96.9) and Harvard Law School (94.5).

The Law School Selectivity Index provides a valuable benchmark against which to measure your odds of being accepted to various law schools. Although admissions decisions involve multiple factors beyond these metrics, the Selectivity Index highlights the level of competitiveness at different institutions and can thereby help applicants apply strategically.

Why the Law School Selectivity Index is Just One Piece of the Puzzle

Although the Selectivity Index is a useful resource, it has limitations:

It does not account for qualitative factors, such as one’s personal statement, recommendation letters, work experience, and leadership roles, and these factors can help applicants with lower-than-average GPAs or LSAT scores stand out.
It does not measure fit, including alignment with a law school’s strengths, mission, and values, and these elements are crucial in the admissions process.

Despite these limitations, the Selectivity Index remains a valuable tool for law school applicants.

To maximize your chances of acceptance, use the Law School Selectivity Index to develop a balanced list of schools to apply to, including institutions in each of the following categories:

Target schools, where your statistics align with the median statistics
Safety schools, where your statistics are higher than the median statistics
Reach schools, where your statistics are lower than the median statistics but you still have a compelling candidacy

This approach will help reduce your stress and increase your chances of securing a seat in the next incoming law school class.

How an Expert Law School Admissions Consultant Can Help

A candidate’s GPA and LSAT scores are crucial, but they are not the only factors that determine whether the applicant will be accepted to law school. The law school admissions process is rigorous, and competition is fierce. To stand out, you need a strategic approach that highlights your strengths and unique perspective.

By working one-on-one with an experienced Accepted law school admissions advisor, you gain valuable support and insights to assist you in crafting compelling personal statements and essays, showcasing your strengths and overcoming weaknesses, and positioning yourself competitively within the applicant pool.

Schedule a free, 30-minute consultation today, and discover how Accepted can help you secure admission to the best law school for you!

About the Selectivity Index

The Selectivity Index uses data from the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings, including median LSAT scores, median undergraduate GPAs, and acceptance rates for the schools’ full-time program entrants.

The Selectivity Index for each school is calculated as follows:

First, the Selectivity Score is determined using the following formula:
(LSAT Score) x (GPA) x (1 – Acceptance Rate)
Then, the Selectivity Index is calculated using the following formula:
100 x Selectivity Score / (the highest Selectivity Score)

Selectivity Index