Eligibility
Applicants must be at least eighteen years old and hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university or its international equivalent to be eligible to enroll in the Juris Doctor (JD) program. Students matriculate in the fall semester on a full-time basis only.
Standards for Admission
The admissions process is highly selective and seeks to enroll candidates of exceptional ability. Approximately 8,500 individuals from all 50 states and several non-US countries applied for the fall 2023 entering class. In recent years, more than 400 schools have been represented in the applicant pool. Approximately 70 percent of recent applicants graduated from college at least one year before applying to NYU School of Law; about 10 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 factors including, but not limited to, intellectual potential, academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, character, community involvement, and work experience. In selecting the class, the Committee on Admissions considers a candidate's ability to contribute to the classroom such that a range of perspectives are represented.
An applicant’s undergraduate record and Law School Admission Test score(s), 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 standardized test 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 letter of recommendation 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 as part of its initial review, the personal statement provides an opportunity for the applicant to supplement the information provided in the application.