Why New York University?
NYU Law is a global leader in legal education, renowned for its interdisciplinary approach, extensive clinical offerings, and strong emphasis on international and public interest law.
New York University is a highly selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 15.7%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.92 GPA and 172 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.81–3.97 GPA and 169–174 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 376 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in New York, California, and Washington, DC — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, New York University admitted 42 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.65 (25th–75th percentile: 3.54–3.75). 1 1L transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #7
- Median GPA
- 3.92
- 25th–75th: 3.81–3.97
- Median LSAT
- 172
- 25th–75th: 169–174
- Acceptance rate
- 15.7%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 376
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 42
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students New York University admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- 3.54
- Bottom quartile
- Median
- 3.65
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- 3.75
- Top quartile
1 1L transferred out of New York University in the same cycle — context for how portable New York University's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1New York
- 2California
- 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 New York University's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why New York University" essay where they align with your interests.
- Civil Rights in the Criminal Legal System ClinicHelps individuals navigate the criminal legal system and challenges systemic inequality.
- Family Defense ClinicWorks to achieve legislative reform and provides legal services in family law matters.
- Immigrant Rights ClinicSupports immigrant communities through legal advocacy and policy campaigns.
- International Transactions ClinicProvides legal services to clients engaged in cross-border transactions in emerging markets.
- Criminal Appellate Defender ClinicStudents represent clients in pending criminal appellate cases, drafting briefs and arguing before the court.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- New York University Law Review— Leading academic law journal publishing influential scholarship across legal fields.
- Annual Survey of American Law
- Environmental Law Journal— Covers a range of environmental law topics.
- Journal of Intellectual Property & Entertainment Law— Focuses on intellectual property and entertainment law issues.
- Journal of International Law and Politics— Examines international law and political issues.
- Journal of Law & Business— Covers business law topics including corporate law, finance, and taxation.
- Tax Law Review— Premier scholarly journal for tax policy, edited by faculty.
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.
- Alberto AlemannoEuropean Union Law
- Philip AlstonHuman Rights
- Rachel BarkowAdministrative Law, Criminal Law and Procedure
- Robert BauerLaw and Politics, Political Reform
- John FerejohnPositive Political Theory, Constitutional Adjudication
- Robert HowseInternational Economic Law, European Legal and Political Philosophy
- Lewis KornhauserLaw and Economics, Microeconomics
- Mattias KummEuropean and Comparative Constitutional Law, International Law, Philosophy of Law
- Liam MurphyLegal, Political, and Social Philosophy
- Jeremy WaldronLegal, Political, and Social Philosophy
What makes New York University distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·The Hauser Global Law School Program brings faculty and fellows from around the world to teach and collaborate.
- ·Offers more than 35 clinics, providing extensive experiential learning opportunities.
- ·Strong interdisciplinary focus with special strengths in law and philosophy, economics, politics, history, and social theory.
- ·Offers a wide array of dual degree programs, including JD/MBA, JD/MA or PhD in various fields, and JD/MSW.
- ·The Furman Academic Scholars Program provides intensive training and mentoring for students interested in academic careers.
Using this for your "Why New York 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 New York University
What is the median GPA and LSAT at New York University?▾
New York 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 3.81–3.97 GPA and 169–174 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is New York University's acceptance rate?▾
New York University's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 15.7%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does New York University offer?▾
New York University's notable clinical programs include: Civil Rights in the Criminal Legal System Clinic, Family Defense Clinic, Immigrant Rights Clinic, International Transactions Clinic, Criminal Appellate Defender Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does New York University publish?▾
New York University's notable student-edited journals include: New York University Law Review, Annual Survey of American Law, Environmental Law Journal, Journal of Intellectual Property & Entertainment Law, Journal of International Law and Politics.
Where do New York University graduates work?▾
New York University graduates concentrate employment in New York, California, Washington, DC, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does New York University admit?▾
New York University admitted 42 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.65.
Schools similar to New York 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 New York University?
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Try Case Cub free →Sources (5) — verify any fact above
- https://law.nyu.edu/academics/areas-study
- https://law.nyu.edu/academics/journals-publications
- https://law.nyu.edu/faculty
- https://law.nyu.edu/academics/clinics-externships
- https://law.nyu.edu/academics/dual-degree-programs
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.