Why Indiana University - Bloomington?

Indiana University Maurer School of Law is one of the nation's oldest public law schools, known for its global outlook, deep commitment to public service, and extensive interdisciplinary opportunities within a supportive community.

Indiana University - Bloomington is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 43.4%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.91 GPA and 164 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.63–3.98 GPA and 158–165 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 154 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Indiana, Illinois, and Washington, DC — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, Indiana University - Bloomington admitted 3 transfer students into the 2L class. 1 1L transferred out.

Visit Indiana University - Bloomington's site

Specialty strengths

Information Privacy and Cybersecurity LawIntellectual Property LawBusiness and Commercial LawInternational and Comparative LawTax Law and Policy

Class profile

US News rank: #49
Median GPA: 3.91; 25th–75th: 3.63–3.98
Median LSAT: 164; 25th–75th: 158–165
Acceptance rate: 43.4%
Class size (FT 1L): 154
Transfers admitted (2025): 3; ABA 2025 reporting cycle

2025 transfer admit profile

Actual GPAs of students Indiana University - Bloomington admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.

25th percentile: —; Suppressed (small cohort)
Median: —; 50th percentile
75th percentile: —; Suppressed (small cohort)

1 1L transferred out of Indiana University - Bloomington in the same cycle — context for how portable Indiana University - Bloomington's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.

Top employment markets

1Indiana
2Illinois
3Washington, DC

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

Conservation Law Clinic
Students work on legal issues related to environmental protection and conservation.
Cybersecurity Law Clinic
Students gain experience in the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity law.
Elmore Entrepreneurship Law Clinic
Students provide legal assistance to startups and entrepreneurs.
Intellectual Property Law Clinic
Students help clients with intellectual property matters, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
Viola J. Taliaferro Family and Children Mediation Clinic
Students engage in mediation and legal representation in family and children's law cases.
The Reentry Clinic
Students assist individuals transitioning back into society after incarceration.

Notable journals

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

Indiana Law Journal— General-interest academic legal journal and the school's flagship publication.
Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies— Publishes articles focusing on issues of globalization and international law.
Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality— Interdisciplinary academic forum for legal and policy issues concerning race, religion, gender, and class.
IP Theory— Focuses on intellectual property law and related theoretical issues.
Indiana Journal of Constitutional Design— Focuses on constitutional law and design.

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.

Christiana Ochoa
International and Comparative Law, Environmental Law
Hannah L. Buxbaum
International Business Law
Fred Cate
Information Privacy and Cybersecurity Law
Robert L. Fischman
Environmental Law
Charles Gardner Geyh
Judicial Ethics, Judicial Independence, Constitutional Law
Joseph L. Hoffmann
Criminal Law and Procedure
Donna M. Nagy
Securities Law, White-Collar Crime
Kenneth Glenn Dau-Schmidt
Labor and Employment Law
Leandra Lederman
Tax Law
Jenn Oliva
Law, Medicine, and Health Care

What makes Indiana University - Bloomington distinctive

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

·The Stewart Global Fellows Program offers unique hands-on legal externships in foreign countries.
·Extensive interdisciplinary and joint degree opportunities, including with the Kelley School of Business and O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
·A strong commitment to public service, encouraging students to complete 60 hours of pro bono service.
·Home to the Jerome Hall Law Library, one of the largest academic law libraries in the United States.
·The Learning and Working (LAW) LLM program provides international students with practical experience in the U.S. legal system while earning their degree.

Using this for your "Why Indiana University - Bloomington" 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 Indiana University - Bloomington

What is the median GPA and LSAT at Indiana University - Bloomington?▾

Indiana University - Bloomington's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.91 and a median LSAT of 164. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.63–3.98 GPA and 158–165 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.

What is Indiana University - Bloomington's acceptance rate?▾

Indiana University - Bloomington's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 43.4%, per ABA 509 disclosures.

What clinics does Indiana University - Bloomington offer?▾

Indiana University - Bloomington's notable clinical programs include: Conservation Law Clinic, Cybersecurity Law Clinic, Elmore Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, Intellectual Property Law Clinic, Viola J. Taliaferro Family and Children Mediation Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.

What journals does Indiana University - Bloomington publish?▾

Indiana University - Bloomington's notable student-edited journals include: Indiana Law Journal, Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality, IP Theory, Indiana Journal of Constitutional Design.

Where do Indiana University - Bloomington graduates work?▾

Indiana University - Bloomington graduates concentrate employment in Indiana, Illinois, Washington, DC, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.

How many transfer students does Indiana University - Bloomington admit?▾

Indiana University - Bloomington admitted 3 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.

Schools similar to Indiana University - Bloomington

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

Pepperdine University

GPA 3.85 · LSAT 164

#52

University of California-davis

GPA 3.70 · LSAT 165

#46

University of Illinois

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