Why Cornell University?

Cornell Law School offers a rigorous legal education with a strong emphasis on international and comparative law, cutting-edge technology law, and extensive experiential learning opportunities, all within a supportive, close-knit community.

Cornell University is a highly selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 17.4%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.92 GPA and 172 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.75–3.97 GPA and 170–174 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 210 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in New York, California, and Massachusetts — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the most recent older reporting cycle, Cornell University admitted 2 transfer students into the 2L class.

Visit Cornell University's site

Specialty strengths

International and Comparative Law (one of the country's oldest and most distinguished programs).Technology and Law / AI Law and Policy (home to the Center for Law and AI and faculty expertise).Business Law and Regulation (supported by the Blassberg-Rice Center for Entrepreneurship Law and Clarke Business Law Institute).Experiential Learning / Clinical Education (offering over 20 clinics and practicum courses).Empirical Legal Studies (with a dedicated journal and faculty research in the area).

Class profile

US News rank: #13
Median GPA: 3.92; 25th–75th: 3.75–3.97
Median LSAT: 172; 25th–75th: 170–174
Acceptance rate: 17.4%
Class size (FT 1L): 210
Transfers admitted (2025): 0; ABA 2025 reporting cycle

Top employment markets

1New York
2California
3Massachusetts

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 Cornell University's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Cornell University" essay where they align with your interests.

Asylum and Convention Against Torture Appellate Clinic
Handles appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals for immigrants seeking asylum and similar relief.
Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic
Addresses immigration and employment matters for farmworkers, primarily in upstate New York.
Entrepreneurship Law Clinic
Provides pro-bono legal services to emerging businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups, with an expansion to Cornell Tech in NYC.
Legal Aid Clinic
Offers legal assistance to low-income Tompkins County residents, providing access to justice.
Legal Research Clinic
Provides pro bono legal research assistance to local nonprofit organizations, public interest attorneys, and low-income individuals.

Notable journals

Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.

Cornell Law Review— Publishes novel scholarship across all fields of law, founded in 1915.
Cornell International Law Journal— Focuses on public and private international law, one of the oldest in the U.S., founded in 1967.
Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy— Examines the intersections of public or social policy issues and the law, founded in 1991.
Journal of Empirical Legal Studies— Dedicated to empirical research on legal topics.
International Journal of Legal Information— Focuses on legal information and librarianship.

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.

Jens David Ohlin
Dean and Professor of Law, with expertise often in criminal law and international law.
Frank Pasquale
Technology Law, AI Law and Policy, Health Law, Internet Law.
K. Sabeel Rahman
Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Structural Inequality.
Jessica M. Eaglin
Criminal Justice.
Kevin Clermont
Jurisdictional Questions, Civil Procedure.
Theodore Eisenberg
Empirical Legal Studies.
James Henderson
Torts, Products Liability.
Steven Shiffrin
First Amendment, Religion Clauses.
James Grimmelmann
Digital and Information Law.
W. Bradley Wendel
Legal Ethics, Professional Responsibility.

What makes Cornell University distinctive

Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.

·Home to the Legal Information Institute (LII), the first law site developed for the internet, providing free public legal information.
·Offers unique international dual-degree programs, study abroad opportunities, and a summer institute in Paris.
·Features a small student body and low student-to-faculty ratio, fostering a collegial and supportive community.
·Provides curricular specializations for third-year students in areas like Advocacy, Business Law, and Technology and Law.
·Offers joint degree programs with other Cornell University schools, including JD/MBA, JD/MPA, and JD/PhD.
·The Entrepreneurship Law Clinic is expanding to the Cornell Tech campus in New York City, providing a unique urban extension for transactional law.

Using this for your "Why Cornell 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 Cornell University

What is the median GPA and LSAT at Cornell University?▾

Cornell University's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.92 and a median LSAT of 172. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.75–3.97 GPA and 170–174 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.

What is Cornell University's acceptance rate?▾

Cornell University's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 17.4%, per ABA 509 disclosures.

What clinics does Cornell University offer?▾

Cornell University's notable clinical programs include: Asylum and Convention Against Torture Appellate Clinic, Farmworker Legal Assistance Clinic, Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, Legal Aid Clinic, Legal Research Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.

What journals does Cornell University publish?▾

Cornell University's notable student-edited journals include: Cornell Law Review, Cornell International Law Journal, Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy, Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, International Journal of Legal Information.

Where do Cornell University graduates work?▾

Cornell University graduates concentrate employment in New York, California, Massachusetts, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.

Schools similar to Cornell University

Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.

#13

University of California-los Angeles

GPA 3.95 · LSAT 171

#13

Washington University

GPA 3.96 · LSAT 172

#12

Vanderbilt University

GPA 3.91 · LSAT 170

#16

University of California-berkeley

GPA 3.92 · LSAT 170

#16

University of Texas at Austin

GPA 3.89 · LSAT 170

Columbia University

GPA 3.92 · LSAT 173

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