Why George Washington University?

Class profile

US News rank

#26

Median GPA

3.86

25th–75th: 3.55–3.93

Median LSAT

168

25th–75th: 162–169

Acceptance rate

25.0%

Class size (FT 1L)

515

Transfers admitted (2025)

46

ABA 2025 reporting cycle

2025 transfer admit profile

Actual GPAs of students George Washington University admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.

25th percentile

3.26

Bottom quartile

Median

3.41

50th percentile

75th percentile

3.47

Top quartile

33 1Ls transferred out of George Washington University in the same cycle — context for how portable George Washington University's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.

Top employment markets

1. 1Washington, DC
2. 2New York
3. 3Virginia

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

• Criminal Appeals & Post-Conviction Services Clinic
  Students represent clients in criminal appeals and post-conviction matters.
• Criminal Defense and Justice Clinic
  Students gain experience in criminal defense and justice advocacy.
• Family Justice Litigation Clinic
  Students work on cases involving family law and justice issues.
• Health Justice Policy & Advocacy Clinic
  Students engage in litigation, advocacy, and policy work addressing health disparities.
• Immigration Clinic
  Students represent individuals in immigration law matters.
• Intellectual Property & Technology Law Clinic
  Students provide legal services in intellectual property and technology law.
• Civil and Human Rights Law Clinic
  Students work on live case projects addressing contemporary issues in human rights.

Notable journals

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

• The George Washington Law Review— Scholarly articles, essays, and student notes on legal issues of national significance.
• The George Washington International Law Review— Articles and essays on public and private international financial development, comparative law, and public international law.
• The American Intellectual Property Law Association Quarterly Journal— Materials relating to intellectual property matters.
• Federal Circuit Bar Journal
• The Public Contract Law Journal
• The Journal of Energy and Environmental Law
• The George Washington Journal of Law & Technology— Scholarly articles and student notes focusing on law and technology.

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.

What makes George Washington University distinctive

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

• ·Located in Washington, D.C., offering extensive externship opportunities in government, public interest, and the judiciary.
• ·Home to The Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics, providing a deep experiential learning environment across many practice areas.
• ·Offers joint degree programs with four other schools at George Washington University for both JD and LLM candidates.
• ·Features the GW Center for Law & Technology: The Bernard Center, focusing on intellectual property, cybersecurity, and digital rights.
• ·As the oldest law school in Washington, D.C., it has a rich history dating back to 1865.
• ·Provides a Master of Studies in Law (MSL) degree for non-lawyers seeking a crucial understanding of law in their professional fields.

Frequently asked about George Washington University

Schools similar to George Washington University

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