Why Georgetown University?
Georgetown Law offers an unparalleled opportunity to study law in the nation's capital, integrating rigorous academic theory with extensive hands-on experiential learning and direct access to federal institutions and policymakers.
Georgetown University is a highly selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 17.6%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.93 GPA and 171 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.75–3.98 GPA and 166–172 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 593 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Washington, DC, New York, and California — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, Georgetown University admitted 120 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.73 (25th–75th percentile: 3.61–3.83). 1 1L transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #18
- Median GPA
- 3.93
- 25th–75th: 3.75–3.98
- Median LSAT
- 171
- 25th–75th: 166–172
- Acceptance rate
- 17.6%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 593
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 120
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students Georgetown University admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- 3.61
- Bottom quartile
- Median
- 3.73
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- 3.83
- Top quartile
1 1L transferred out of Georgetown University in the same cycle — context for how portable Georgetown University's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Washington, DC
- 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 Georgetown University's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Georgetown University" essay where they align with your interests.
- Appellate Litigation ClinicStudents represent clients in a wide range of public-interest appellate litigation in the Supreme Court and federal courts of appeals.
- Civil Rights ClinicStudents handle cases concerning voting rights, workplace discrimination, housing discrimination, police brutality, and equal protection in education.
- Federal Legislation ClinicStudents represent public interest organizations seeking to advance policy agendas through Congress and the Executive Branch.
- Health Justice Alliance Law ClinicStudents work within Georgetown healthcare clinics to help D.C. families address legal barriers impacting their health and well-being.
- Juvenile Justice Clinic and InitiativeStudents work directly with youth clients facing delinquency and education cases, advocating for policy initiatives to protect children's rights.
- Center for Applied Legal Studies (CALS)Students represent refugees seeking political asylum in the United States.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- The Georgetown Law Journal— Flagship law review publishing scholarly articles, student notes, and the Annual Review of Criminal Procedure.
- American Criminal Law Review— Focuses on criminal law.
- Georgetown Environmental Law Review— Focuses on environmental law.
- Georgetown Journal of International Law— One of the world's most influential international law journals, covering human rights, international humanitarian law, trade, and more.
- Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law— Focuses on gender and law.
- Georgetown Law Technology Review— Focuses on technology law and practice.
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.
Constitutional Law
- Randy E. Barnett
- Elizabeth Magill· also Administrative Law (former Dean)
Health Law
- M. Gregg Bloche· also Policy, and Ethics
National Security Law
- Rosa Brooks· also International Law
Criminal Justice
- John Copacino
- Vida Johnson
Gender
- Deborah Epstein· also Violence, and the Law
Juvenile Justice
- Kristin Henning
Appellate Litigation
- Erica Hashimoto· also Criminal Procedure
Appellate Courts Immersion
- Brian Wolfman
What makes Georgetown University distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Located steps from the U.S. Capitol, Supreme Court, and federal agencies, offering unmatched access to lawmaking and legal practice.
- ·Home to the nation's largest in-house clinical program, with 17 different clinics and over 300 student participants annually.
- ·Offers a wide array of joint degree programs, including JD/MBA, JD/MPP, JD/MSFS, and various MA programs with other Georgetown schools.
- ·Provides a part-time evening division, a unique offering among top-ranked law schools, allowing students to work full-time while pursuing their J.D.
- ·Features the Supreme Court Institute, which hosts moot courts for advocates preparing to argue before the Supreme Court.
Using this for your "Why Georgetown 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 Georgetown University
What is the median GPA and LSAT at Georgetown University?▾
Georgetown University's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.93 and a median LSAT of 171. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.75–3.98 GPA and 166–172 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is Georgetown University's acceptance rate?▾
Georgetown University's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 17.6%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does Georgetown University offer?▾
Georgetown University's notable clinical programs include: Appellate Litigation Clinic, Civil Rights Clinic, Federal Legislation Clinic, Health Justice Alliance Law Clinic, Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does Georgetown University publish?▾
Georgetown University's notable student-edited journals include: The Georgetown Law Journal, American Criminal Law Review, Georgetown Environmental Law Review, Georgetown Journal of International Law, Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law.
Where do Georgetown University graduates work?▾
Georgetown University graduates concentrate employment in Washington, DC, New York, California, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does Georgetown University admit?▾
Georgetown University admitted 120 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.73.
Schools similar to Georgetown University
Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.
About to start at Georgetown University?
Case Cub is the AI study platform built for the 1L grind: case briefs, issue spotters, flashcards, outline generators. Walk into your first finals already practiced.
Try Case Cub free →Sources (3) — verify any fact above
- https://www.law.georgetown.edu/experiential-learning/clinics/
- https://www.law.georgetown.edu/academics/journals/
- https://www.law.georgetown.edu/faculty/
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.