Admissions Standards

The admissions process is highly selective and seeks to enroll men and women of exceptional ability. Almost 7,200 men and women from all fifty states and several foreign countries applied for the Fall 2007 entering class. In recent years, more than 400 schools have been represented in the applicant pool. Almost seventy percent of recent applicants graduated from college at least one year before applying to NYU School of Law; about fifteen percent graduated more than five years before applying.

The majority of applicants present credentials that suggest they would succeed academically. The Committee on Admissions selects those candidates it considers to have the very strongest combination of qualifications and the very greatest potential to contribute to the NYU School of Law community and the legal profession. The Committee bases its decisions on intellectual potential, academic achievement, character, community involvement, and work experience.

An applicant’s undergraduate record and Law School Admission Test score, though important criteria, are not the sole determinants for admission. There are no combinations of grades and scores, therefore, that assure admission or denial.

The Committee on Admissions makes decisions after considering all the information in an application. It reviews the undergraduate transcript closely, with attention to such factors as trends in the applicant’s grades, class rank, the ratio of pass/fail to graded courses, the diversity and depth of course work, and the length of time since graduation. Factors other than undergraduate grades and LSAT scores may be particularly significant for applicants who have experienced educational or socio-economic disadvantage. The Committee evaluates work experience and extracurricular and community activity for evidence of advancement, leadership, and capacity for assuming responsibility. A recommendation letter is particularly valuable when the writer provides substantive information about the applicant’s abilities, activities, and personal qualities. Since the Committee does not interview candidates, the personal statement provides an opportunity for the applicant to supplement the information provided in the application.