Why Boston University?
Boston University School of Law offers a rigorous legal education with a strong emphasis on experiential learning, particularly in health law and intellectual property, situated in the vibrant city of Boston.
Boston University is a highly selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 16.3%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.88 GPA and 170 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.71–3.93 GPA and 164–171 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 216 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Massachusetts, New York, and California — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, Boston University admitted 13 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.48 (25th–75th percentile: 3.28–3.56). 5 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #24
- Median GPA
- 3.88
- 25th–75th: 3.71–3.93
- Median LSAT
- 170
- 25th–75th: 164–171
- Acceptance rate
- 16.3%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 216
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 13
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students Boston University admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- 3.28
- Bottom quartile
- Median
- 3.48
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- 3.56
- Top quartile
5 1Ls transferred out of Boston University in the same cycle — context for how portable Boston University's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Massachusetts
- 2New York
- 3California
Where the most recent graduating class concentrated employment, per the school's ABA 509 employment summary. Use this as a signal of where the alumni network and OCI recruiting pipeline are strongest.
Signature clinics
Clinical programs that define Boston University's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Boston University" essay where they align with your interests.
- International Human Rights ClinicStudents work for global and regional human rights, representing non-governmental organizations and group clients worldwide.
- BU/MIT Student Innovations Law Clinic (SILC)Provides legal services to entrepreneurs from BU and MIT on intellectual property, privacy, technology, and venture finance issues.
- Consumer Economic Justice ClinicStudents address issues involving debt collection, credit reporting, and unfair and deceptive business practices.
- Appellate ClinicStudents litigate complex, public-interest cases in courts of appeals and the Supreme Court.
- Immigrants' Rights & Human Trafficking ProgramStudents provide direct client services to victims of sex and labor trafficking and engage in policy work.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- Boston University Law Review— Provides analysis and commentary on all areas of the law.
- American Journal of Law & Medicine— The nation's leading health law journal.
- Boston University International Law Journal— Focuses on public and private international law, foreign and comparative law, and trade law.
- Public Interest Law Journal— Dedicated to academic discussion of legal issues in the public interest, including civil rights and social justice.
- Journal of Science & Technology Law— Focuses on contemporary legal issues in science and technology.
- Review of Banking & Financial Law— Focuses on banking and financial law.
Faculty highlights
Well-known faculty grouped by primary specialty. If a professor's scholarship aligns with your interests, name them in your essay and reference a specific paper or course.
- Angela Onwuachi-WilligCivil Rights, Critical Race Theory
- Susan M. AkramInternational Human Rights, Immigration Law
- Aziza AhmedConstitutional Law, Health Law, Criminal Law
- Richard Thompson AinsworthComparative Tax Law
- Claire Bishop AbelyLegal Writing, Public Interest Law
- Zohra AhmedCriminal Justice, Carceral State
- Christopher RobertsonHealth Law, Evidence
- Jasmine Gonzales RoseCivil Procedure, Evidence, Race and Law
- Steven DeanTax Law, International Tax
- Elizabeth KingNonprofit Finance and Governance, Corporate Law
- Jef PearlmanIntellectual Property, Privacy and Technology Law
What makes Boston University distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Guarantees every JD student at least one clinical experience during their second or third year.
- ·Offers 17 dual degree programs with other Boston University graduate schools and international universities.
- ·Home to the unique BU/MIT Student Innovations Law Clinic, a collaboration with MIT.
- ·One of the first law schools in the country to admit students regardless of race or gender, established in 1872.
- ·Located in the heart of Boston, overlooking the Charles River, with a modern law complex.
Using this for your "Why Boston University" essay
Strong "Why X Law School" essays are concrete and specific to the school — not interchangeable templates. Use these facts to anchor your essay, then layer on what you've found from the school's own faculty pages, clinical program descriptions, and journal listings.
Important note: admissions committees actively reject AI-written personal statements and "Why X" essays. Use this page as research material to write your own essay — never as a template to copy. Authentic, specific, personally-grounded reasoning is the only thing that wins these essays.
Frequently asked about Boston University
What is the median GPA and LSAT at Boston University?▾
Boston University's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.88 and a median LSAT of 170. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.71–3.93 GPA and 164–171 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is Boston University's acceptance rate?▾
Boston University's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 16.3%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does Boston University offer?▾
Boston University's notable clinical programs include: International Human Rights Clinic, BU/MIT Student Innovations Law Clinic (SILC), Consumer Economic Justice Clinic, Appellate Clinic, Immigrants' Rights & Human Trafficking Program. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does Boston University publish?▾
Boston University's notable student-edited journals include: Boston University Law Review, American Journal of Law & Medicine, Boston University International Law Journal, Public Interest Law Journal, Journal of Science & Technology Law.
Where do Boston University graduates work?▾
Boston University graduates concentrate employment in Massachusetts, New York, California, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does Boston University admit?▾
Boston University admitted 13 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.48.
Schools similar to Boston University
Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.
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Try Case Cub free →Sources (3) — verify any fact above
- https://www.bu.edu/law/academics/experiential-learning/clinics-practicums/
- https://www.bu.edu/law/academics/journals/
- https://www.bu.edu/law/faculty-research/faculty-profiles/
Generated from public sources via search-grounded AI on 4/27/2026. If any fact looks wrong, click through to verify and let us know.