The School of Law at George Mason University

Law School Admissions

Application

Director of admissions Alison Price
Application deadline April 1
Full-time program application fee $35
Part-time program application fee $35
Besides the fall semester, can enter in N/A

The School of Law at George Mason University

Admissions & Enrollment (Overall)

Acceptance rate 23.7% – Low
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.72
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 164

Admissions & Enrollment (Full-time)

Acceptance rate 24.3%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 157-165
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.27-3.78
Median undergraduate GPA for full-time program entrants 3.73
Median LSAT score for full-time program entrants 163

Admissions & Enrollment (Part-time)

Acceptance rate 5.9%
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 155-165
Undergraduate GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.14-3.76
Median undergraduate GPA for part-time program entrants 3.59
Median LSAT score for part-time program entrants 164

Law School Academics

Academic Program Details

Academic calendar Semester
Joint degrees offered
J.D./M.P.P.in Public Policy
Special programs offered to J.D. students (as provided by the school)
Mason integrates economic and quantitative methods and requires extensive research and writing. Field programs include the Legal Assistance to Servicemembers,regulatory, patent, immigration, mental health and VA litigation programs. Special initiatives include the Patent and Homeland & National Security Programs, Law & Economics Center and Center for Infrastructure Protection.
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 136
Seminars 28
Positions available in seminars 420
Positions available in simulation courses 428
Positions available in faculty-supervised clinical courses 114
Student activities (as provided by the school)
Mason Law students research or write for the Law Review, Civil Rights Law Journal, Journal of Law, Economics, and Policy, Journal of International Commercial Law and The Green Bag. For courtroom experiences, students serve on the Moot Court Board, Trial Advocacy Association, and George Mason Inn of Court. Mason also offers over 30 additional student organizations.

Curricular Offerings (Full-time)

Typical first-year full-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 77
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 185
Positions filled in full-time program simulation courses 253
Positions filled in faculty-supervised full-time program clinical courses 41
Full-time students involved in field placements 110
Full-time students involved in law journals 154
Full-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 17
Full-time students enrolled in independent study 20

Curricular Offerings (Part-time)

Typical first-year part-time section size taught by full-time faculty (excludes small sections) 67
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 105
Positions filled in part-time program simulation courses 98
Positions filled in faculty-supervised part-time program clinical courses 19
Part-time students involved in field placements 9
Part-time students involved in law journals 22
Part-time students involved in advanced moot court or trial competitions 17
Part-time students enrolled in independent study 17

Faculty Profile (Fall 2011)

Student-faculty ratio 14.9:1 – Medium
Full- and part-time faculty 198
Full-time minority faculty 17.6%
Part-time minority faculty 7.3%
Total faculty 209
Total faculty (men) 72.2%
Total faculty (women) 27.8%
Total faculty (minorities) 9.1%

Class Size

Law School Ranking

#39 Best Law Schools

(2) Ranking by Specialties

#58 in Law Firms Rank Schools
#8 in Part-time Law

Law Ranking Scores

Score 61
Peer assessment score (out of 5) 2.8
Assessment score by lawyers/judges (out of 5) 3.4
GPA (25th-75th percentile) 3.24-3.78
Median undergraduate GPA for all program entrants 3.72
LSAT scores (25th-75th percentile) 157-165
Median LSAT score for all program entrants 164
Acceptance rate 23.7% – Low
Student-faculty ratio 14.9:1 – Medium
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 89.6% – High
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 96.4% – High
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 83.4% – Medium
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar VA
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 77.4%

Law School Student Body

Student Body (Overall)

Total Enrolled 714

Student Body (Full-time)

Enrollment (full-time) 510

Student Body (Part-time)

Enrollment (part-time) 204

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

First-year students discontinuing law school 8.1%
Second-year students discontinuing law school 3.7%
Third-year students discontinuing law school 0.7%
Fourth-year students discontinuing law school N/A
Male students discontinuing law school 4.4%
Female students discontinuing law school 4.7%

Law School Cost

Financial Aid Contact Information

Financial aid director Carol Brosseau
Financial aid phone (703) 993-2353
Financial aid application deadline March 1

Expenses

Tuition and fees
Full-time: $23,720 per year (in-state)
Full-time: $38,112 per year (out-of-state)
Part-time: $840 per credit (in-state)
Part-time: $1,354 per credit (out-of-state)
Room and board $16,710
Books $1,100
Miscellaneous expenses $5,400
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 12.0%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 1.0%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 0.4%
Median grant amount $8,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $5,000–$10,000
Full-time students receiving grants 13.3%

Grants (Part-time students)

Students receiving grants of less than one-half tuition 7.4%
Students receiving grants of one-half tuition or more but less than full 3.9%
Students receiving grants of full tuition 0.0%
Students receiving grants of more than full tuition 2.0%
Median grant amount $8,000
Grant range (25th–75th percentile) $4,500–$10,000
Part-time students receiving grants 13.2%

Indebtedness

Average indebtedness of 2011 graduates who incurred law school debt $101,170
Proportion who borrowed 78.2%
Does the school offer a loan repayment assistance program for 2011 J.D. graduates? No

Law School Library

Library Information Resources

Print titles (excluding nonbook titles) 54,154
Microform titles 112,599
Electronic titles 474,765
Other non-book titles 962
Total titles 642,480
Volumes (excluding microforms) 253,097
Volume equivalent microforms 219,802
Total volumes and volume equivalents 472,899
Number of volumes in the collection that are stored off site and are systematically retrievable 41,742
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 98
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 12
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on a regular schedule 19
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on a regular schedule 63
Number of weeks per year library operates on an abbreviated schedule 3
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 48
Number of hours per week only full-time support staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 0
Number of hours per week only students or other part-time staff are on duty on an abbreviated schedule 0
Number of hours of reference service provided per week on an abbreviated schedule 48
Number of weeks per year library operates on expanded schedule 6

Information Technology

Department(s) responsible for the law school information technology operations law school library
Approximate number of full-time-equivalent information technology staff (excluding hourly students and other temporary staff) 3
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in the law library (excluding computer labs) 271
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in classrooms 690
Number of open, wired network connections available to students in computer labs 0
Number of open, wired network connections available to students elsewhere in the law school 0
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? No

Physical Library Facilities

Net square feet of space assigned for library purposes 31,863
Total seats available for library users 370
Details about the library and other facilities (as provided by the school) The law school and law library are located in a 150,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility which includes four floors of classroom, faculty and library space, as well as two courtrooms and a cafeteria. The law library occupies three floors and contains over 300 wired table seats and carrels, two computer labs and nine study rooms. A wireless network is available throughout the building.

Law School Careers

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2010 administrations)

State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar VA
Bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 83.4% – Medium
Statewide bar passage rate (first-time test takers) 77.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates

Total graduates 222
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 89.6%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 96.4%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Graduation

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 0.0%
Graduates whose employment status is known 100.0%
Graduates known to be employed at graduation 89.6%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 0.5%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 5.4%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 4.5%

Class of 2010 Graduates-Class Breakdown at Nine Months

Graduates whose employment status is unknown 0.5%
Graduates whose employment status is known 99.5%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 96.4%
Graduates known to be enrolled in a full-time degree program 0.5%
Graduates known to be unemployed and seeking work 0.9%
Graduates known to be unemployed and not seeking work 1.8%

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

25th percentile private sector starting salary $67,500
Median private sector starting salary $100,000
75th percentile private sector starting salary $150,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 48%
Median public service starting salary $61,734

Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2010)

Percent employed in academia 6.5%
Percent employed in business and industry 19.6%
Percent employed in government 21.5%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 8.9%
Percent employed in law firms 39.7%
Percent employed in public interest 3.7%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%

Employment Location (Class of 2010)

Graduates employed in-state 42%
Graduates employed out-of-state 56.5%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 2%
Number of states where graduates are employed 21
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 0.0%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 2.8%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 0.9%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 0.5%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 86.9%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 1.9%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 1.4%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 1.9%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 1.9%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Career Services

(Data appear as originally submitted by this school)

Career services operations Career services staff assist students and alumni in finding employment by hosting fall and spring recruiting programs, job fairs, and networking events; maintaining an online job bank; subscribing to numerous employment databases and organizations; and conducting employer outreach. Counselors review application materials, process clerkship applications, and identify mentors.

Job Type

Bar admission required/anticipated (e.g., attorney and corporate counsel positions, law clerks, judicial clerks) 62.0%
Bar admission required/anticipated – percent employed in full-time positions 96.2%
J.D. preferred, law degree enhances position (e.g., corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, government regulatory analyst, FBI special agent) 31.0%
J.D. preferred – percent employed in full-time positions 69.7%
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) 6.0%
Professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 84.6%
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) 0.9%
Non-professional other – percent employed in full-time positions 0.0%