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Cornell Law School Acceptance Rate

By Eric Eng

By Eric Eng

Stack of books open on a table in a library.

Cornell Law School Acceptance Rate

What Are the Requirements For Cornell Law School?

In the middle of New York State’s Finger Lakes region, in Ithaca, New York, is Cornell, a global hub of learning. For students who appreciate both depth and breadth in their legal studies, the Law School’s small classes, extensive curriculum, and eminent professors, along with the benefits of being a part of one of the top research universities in the world, make it the perfect choice. Even though the Cornell law school acceptance rate is one of the Ivy League law schools’ highest admission rates, getting accepted is still difficult.

To boost your chances of being admitted to Cornell Law School, start working on your application.

What are the requirements for Cornell Law School? Firstly, the applicant must be a baccalaureate degree holder from an accredited college or university or an international equivalent.

Then, the applicant must submit he following elements that make up an application at Cornell Law School:

  • LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) registration
  • LSAT, GRE, or GMAT score
  • Electronic application through LSAC
  • $80 non-refundable application fee online
  • Transcripts and letters of recommendation submitted through LSAC for processing

All statements provided on any part of the application must be completely accurate. Cornell will assess a random selection of applications each year to make sure judgments are grounded in fact.

You must also keep the school informed of any changes that occur after you submit your application (enrolled students must submit any modifications to the character and fitness section of the application by October 1 of the 1L (first year) of law school).

How Many Years Is A Cornell Law Degree?

How many years is a Cornell law degree? After you have earned your spot in the Cornell law school acceptance rate, the next thing you would combat is the years of study in law school. There are several distinct degrees and programs of study available at Cornell Law School. Let’s briefly examine each program available and how long each takes to complete.

  • The three-year J.D. degree program is what most people think of when they think of law school. After completing the three-year program, students will be ready to apply for the bar exam and engage in ethical and responsible legal practice.
  • The one-year master of laws (LL.M.) program. Students enrolled in the general LL.M. are completely assimilated into the academic and social life of law school. Cornell’s LL.M.s are welcome to join almost all student groups and take classes alongside J.D. students.
  • The J.S.D. degree program (sometimes known as the “JSD degree”) is a doctoral program that offers students the option to undertake original research on the legal issues that most interest them while learning more about domestic, international, and comparative law. Unlike other legal programs, Cornell Law’s J.S.D., which is equivalent to a Ph.D., is awarded by Cornell University, not the Law School. The J.S.D. program follows Cornell’s Graduate School standards and often offers J.S.D. candidates full financing for three years, which makes the degree more challenging.
  • A master’s degree in legal studies specifically created for business people is the Master of Science in legal studies (M.S.L.S.) program (20 Month Part-Time Program; 30 Total Credit Curriculum).
  • There are numerous dual degree programs abroad. Students at Cornell Law School have the option of earning a Cornell J.D. in addition to a graduate law degree from one of Cornell’s partner universities, a combined degree with an international concentration, or a specialty.
  • J.D./Master en Droit, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University – Students accepted by Cornell with concurrence from Paris 1 spend two years at Cornell and then another two years at Paris 1 as part of this four-year J.D./Master en Droit program. Students who are accepted by Paris 1 and choose to attend Cornell do so for two years before spending one year at Paris 1.
  • J.D./LL.M., Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University – Two years are spent at Cornell, and one year is spent in Paris 1 for those enrolled in the three-year J.D./LL.M. program. The language of instruction at Paris 1 is French. After matriculation, students who have been accepted to the J.D. Master en Droit program can apply to transfer to the J.D./LL.M program.
  • J.D./LL.M. in International and Comparative Law – Students at Cornell Law have the chance to complete both a J.D. and an LL.M. in three years, which includes the Cornell-Paris 1 Summer Institute.
  • Numerous J.D. joint degree programs are available through the school, giving students the chance to explore a wide range of subject areas. As an illustration, Cornell Law School provides two distinct JD/MBA programs. Additionally, it offers the JD/MILR degree, which enables lawyers to complete four semesters of coursework to earn a Master of Industrial and Labor Relations (MILR). The JD/MPA program, which is provided in cooperation with the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs, is another famous dual degree (CIPA).
  • Through Cornell’s 3+3 Pathway, undergraduates from St. Lawrence University, Hobart William Smith Colleges, and Cornell University have the option to complete their senior year of study at Cornell Law School. In essence, the student’s senior year course requirements will be satisfied within the first year of law school. Participants can complete this expedited curriculum in six years and earn both their bachelor’s and J.D.

How Much Does It Cost To Go To Law School At Cornell?

Legal education is a wise investment in your future. Aside from making sure to get into the Cornell law school acceptance rate, you must also make sure that you are financially prepared to shoulder the costs of attendance to make this investment.

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You can guarantee manageable loan debt after graduation by taking the initiative now and making wise judgments in terms of finances prior to attending law school. So, how much does it cost to go to law school at Cornell? Check out the estimated cost for this academic year at Cornell Law.

Tuition and Estimated Living Costs for Academic Year 2023-2024

Tuition $77,508
Student Activity Fee $85
Room $11,562
Board $6,992
Books and Supplies $2,700
Personal $2,420
Travel $3,042
**Cornell Health Insurance Fee $500
Total Tuition and Estimated Expenses $104,809

**Remember that the Cornell Health cost is included in the sum mentioned for J.D. health insurance. Budgets could be raised if necessary to cover the true cost of the Cornell student health insurance premium. All students are obliged to have health insurance.

What Is the Acceptance Rate For Cornell Law School?

What is the acceptance rate for Cornell Law School? The Cornell law school acceptance rate is 17.4%, which makes the school incredibly competitive and one of the hardest to get into. While there was an 18% decrease in applications from the previous year, there was a 24% increase from the 2020 admissions cycle.

About 4,915 applicants submitted applications in 2022 to be part of the Class of 2025. Eight hundred fifty-seven (857), which constitutes 17.4% of the applications received admissions offers, yielding a 1L class with 211 students.

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The average undergraduate GPA for the Class of 2025 was 3.87, while the median LSAT score was 172. Your prospects of admission are undoubtedly considerably greater if your stats fall within that range since 75% of the class had an LSAT score at or above 174 and a GPA at or above 3.94.

How Can You Increase Your Chances Of Getting Into Cornell Law School?

One of the many reasons Cornell Law School is famous around the world is because it is an Ivy League institution. With the Cornell law school acceptance rate decreasing every year, it has continuously been ranked among the top law schools in the nation. Thousands of students apply to Cornell’s demanding law programs, but relatively few get accepted. Students often ask, “How can you increase your chances of getting into Cornell Law School?”

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You must be aware of the admissions standards, statistics, and selection criteria of one of the top law schools in North America if you hope to be among the fortunate few who are admitted. However, it is important to note that when you apply through the Early Decision option, the admissions committee views your commitment to attending Cornell law school as a positive aspect of your application.

This is true even though the school insists that it applies the same admission standards during the Early Decision and Regular Decision processes.

Despite this, unless Cornell is your top choice, you must think this through because the Early Decision is binding.

Selection Factors

According to Cornell Law School’s website, its community is distinguished by frequent and meaningful engagement between its faculty, staff, and students. The admissions committee seeks applicants who exhibit academic promise and who can also contribute to the described highly collaborative environment.

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They have a comprehensive admissions procedure that considers all the parts of your application that must be submitted to help them decide which students are most likely to match the bill.

Transcripts: Your undergraduate GPA and grades are crucial factors in the admissions process to law school. Your GPA is not everything, but many admissions officers view it as a strong predictor of success. They frequently use it to gauge the type of learner you were and will continue to be.

To determine the type of student you are, the admissions committee may also examine your transcripts for patterns or trends in performance. Therefore, if you’re still finishing college, you should employ high-yield study strategies and make every effort to raise your GPA.

Keep in mind that the median GPA for Cornell’s most recent matriculants was 3.87; you should aim for a GPA of at least that level.

LSAT/GRE/GMAT: One of the rare law schools that accept scores from all three standardized examinations is Cornell Law School. One of these three exams is the only one for which you must submit your results. You should be aware that if you take the LSAT more than once, the higher score will generally be used if it is at least three points higher than a previous score. The school will not accept LSAT scores that are older than five years.

To explain the various LSAT scores and why they should consider the higher score, Cornell asks applicants to submit a law school addendum.

Resume:  Cornell considers your extracurricular and community involvement, employment history, and other life experiences in addition to your academic potential. You should include this information on your resume for law school.

In this document, you should mention any volunteer work, group or collaborative projects, and other relevant experiences and talents that would help you stand out as a candidate. Although Cornell does not specify requirements for the resume, stick with a one-page document that gives a summary of your work experience.

Admission Essay: Every applicant to Cornell must submit a personal statement for law school. The subject of the essay is completely up to you, and the advised length of a personal statement for Cornell law school is two pages. Utilize this essay to introduce the admissions committee to the real you—the person behind the academic record and extracurricular activities. You should discuss your background, the reasons you opted to study law, and why did you choose Cornell.

Remember that both the substance and the organization of your personal statement will be taken into consideration.

You have the option of submitting a law school optional essay in addition to the personal statement to incorporate any pertinent material that you are unable to provide in any other part of your application. You may, for instance, decide to write an addendum to rectify your subpar undergrad grades or a diversity statement for law school to explain how your viewpoint will benefit the Cornell legal community.

Letters of Recommendation: At least two letters of recommendation are needed for Cornell, however, additional letters may be submitted by applicants. The letters should be written by professors who taught the applicants if they are currently completing their undergraduate studies or if they graduated less than two years ago. Those who graduated more than two years ago, however, may substitute professional references.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that the admissions committee is primarily interested in your academic aptitude and likelihood of success in the legal profession because you are applying to an academic school. Choose recommenders who have openly endorsed your goal of becoming a lawyer and who know you well enough to speak about your skills and abilities with concrete examples.

You should also make sure that every letter of recommendation you include with your application has details. It’s a common misconception among students that the more letters of recommendation they have, the stronger their application will be.

Interviews: Not every applicant is given an interview by Cornell Law School. The admissions committee can invite you to an interview; you are strongly advised to accept. The interview process for law school is a fantastic opportunity to introduce yourself and your qualifications to the admissions committee.

Instead of waiting for an invitation, you should start preparing for a law school interview as soon as your application is submitted. Start by familiarizing yourself with typical law school interview questions and practicing your answers in advance. By preparing in advance, you can lessen the likelihood that you will forget something important and feel more assured on the day of the interview.

The Cornell law school acceptance rate might appear to be overwhelming at first. Nevertheless, you can work on each component of your application and make sure to compile an impressive one to get into Cornell Law School.

Moreover, AdmissionSight has programs that could help not just college applicants but post-graduate candidates as well. Feel free to set up an initial consultation with AdmissionSight experts to discuss your preparation for law school as early as now.

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