The School of Law at Northwestern University

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Johann Lee
Application deadline February 15
Full-time program application fee $100
Part-time program application fee $100
Besides the fall semester, can enter in summer

The School of Law at Northwestern University

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 19.0% – Low
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.80
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 170

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 19.0%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 165-171
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.35-3.85
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.80
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 170

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate N/A
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) N/A
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 0-0
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 0.00
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants N/A

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.B.A.
LL.M-Certificate in Management
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
We offer a three-year JD and a two-year, Accelerated JD. Both provide traditional core courses and emphasize communication and teamwork. Students can focus on theory and research in our academic training programs, work on cases in the Bluhm Legal Clinic, explore different legal systems through International Team Projects, or cross-train in business in classes at the Kellogg School of Management.
Programs/courses offered in
appellate advocacy intellectual property law
clinical training international law
dispute resolution tax law
environmental law trial advocacy
health care law

Curricular Offerings (Overall)

Classroom course titles, beyond the first-year curriculum, offered last year 213
Seminars 75
Positions available in seminars 1,610
Positions available in simulation courses 1,113
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 381
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Our students automatically belong to the Student Bar Association, which gives them a voice in curriculum and administration. More than 50 active organizations have grown out of students’ diverse interests. Six scholarly journals are available for research, writing, and editing.
Students have the opportunity to participate on national trial teams and in national moot court competitions.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 60
Is there typically a full-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? No
Typical size of first-year “small section” N/A
Positions filled in full-time program seminars 1,233
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 900
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 351
Full-time students involved in field placements 272
Full-time students involved in law journals 413
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 28
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 117

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 0
Is there typically a part-time “small section” of the first-year class taught by full-time faculty (excluding Legal Writing)? No
Positions filled in part-time program seminars 0
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 0
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 0
Part-time students involved in field placements 0
Part-time students involved in law journals 0
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 0
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 0

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 8.4:1 – Low
Full- and part-time faculty 141
Full-time minority faculty 7.9%
Part-time minority faculty 6.2%
Total faculty 171
Total faculty (men) 63.7%
Total faculty (women) 36.3%
Total faculty (minorities) 7.0%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#12 Best Law Schools

(6) Ranking by Specialties

#12 in Clinical Training
#12 in Dispute Resolution
#17 in International Law
#8 in Law Firms Rank Schools
#4 in Tax Law
#8 in Trial Advocacy

Law Ranking Scores

Score 83
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 4.1
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 4.4
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.35-3.85
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.80
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 165-171
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 170
Acceptance rate 19.0% – Low
Student-faculty ratio 8.4:1 – Low
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 92.6% – High
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 94.0% – High
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 96.4% – High
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar IL
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 89.2%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 801

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 801

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) N/A
Gender distribution (part-time) N/A

Attrition Rates for Full- and Part-time Students (2010-2011)

First-year students discontinuing law school 5.8%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 0.4%
Third-year students discontinuing law school 0.7%
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 3.6%
Female students discontinuing law school 0.8%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Johann Lee
Financial aid phone (312) 503-8465
Financial aid application deadline February 15

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $51,920 per year
Room and board $14,040
Books $1,418
Miscellaneous expenses $6,778
Is the tuition the same for first-, second-, and third-year students? Yes
Does the university offer housing restricted to law students? No
Does the university offer graduate student housing for which law students are eligible? No
Does the university offer a public-interest scholarship program to current J.D. students? No

Grants (Full-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 21.7%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 9.5%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.0%
Median grant amount $20,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $15,000–$30,000
Full-time students receiving grants 31.2%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full N/A
Students receiving grants of full tuition N/A
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition N/A
Median grant amount $0
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $0–$0
Part-time students receiving grants N/A

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $139,101
Proportion who borrowed 73.4%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? Yes

Law School Library

Library Information Resources

Print titles (excluding nonbook titles) 245,090
Microform titles 88,945
Electronic titles 40,801
Other non-book titles 673
Total titles 375,509
Volumes (excluding microforms) 603,543
Volume equivalent microforms 219,298
Total volumes and volume equivalents 822,841
Number of volumes in the collection that are stored off site and are systematically retrievable 0
Library’s online catalog or website includes links to electronic titles or databases made available by another campus library or consortia Yes

Library Schedule of Operation

Number of hours per week library is open on a regular schedule 96
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty on a regular schedule 67
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on a regular schedule 29
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 0
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 67
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 19
Number of hours per week library is open on an abbreviated schedule 48
Number of hours per week professional staff are on duty are on an abbreviated schedule 40
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 8
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 12
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 40
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 5

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school information technology department, law school library, university information technology department
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 11
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 75
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 19
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 2
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 65
Does the law school have a wireless network? Yes
Wireless network is available in the law library, in classrooms, in computer labs, in administrative/faculty offices and work areas, elsewhere in the law school
Does the school require entering students to own a computer? Yes

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 85,807
Total seats available for library users 609
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The Pritzker Legal Research Center combines outstanding personalized service by librarians and staff with access to one of the nation’s strongest collections of resources to bring information quickly to users. Wireless technology and Ethernet connections are available throughout the law school. Our facilities include new, state-of-the-art classrooms and a fully equipped courtroom.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar IL
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 96.4% – High
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 89.2%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 285
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 92.6%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 94.0%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 1.1%
Graduates whose employment status is known 98.9%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 92.6%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 1.8%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 4.6%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 0.0%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 1.1%
Graduates whose employment status is known 98.9%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 94.0%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 2.1%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 1.8%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 1.1%

Starting Salaries of Graduates Employed Full-time (Class of 2010)

25th percentile private sector starting salary $160,000
Median private sector starting salary $160,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $160,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 90%
Median public service starting salary $60,000

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 3.7%
Percent employed in business and industry 12.3%
Percent employed in government 4.5%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 10.8%
Percent employed in law firms 61.9%
Percent employed in public interest 6.3%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.4%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 45%
Graduates employed out-of-state 51.0%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 4%
Number of states where graduates are employed 28
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 3.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 15.0%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 47.0%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 1.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 12.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 1.0%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 3.0%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 13.0%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 1.0%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations The Center for Career Strategy and Advancement assists students in focusing their goals and developing career strategies, and proactively cultivates relationships with potential employers. Traditionally, more than 700 national employers recruit our students. Nearly 80 percent of the recruiters are based in regions outside the Midwest.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 84.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 99.1%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 13.4%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 72.2%
Professional other (jobs that require professional skills or training but for which a J.D. is neither preferred nor particularly applicable; e.g., accountant, teacher, business manager, nurse) 2.2%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 83.3%
Non-professional other (job that does not require any professional skills or training or is taken on a temporary basis and not viewed as part of a career path) 0.4%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 0.0%