Why St Thomas, University of (minnesota)?

The University of St. Thomas School of Law offers an innovative curriculum emphasizing professional formation, practical training, and a mission-driven approach to serving the common good.

St Thomas, University of (minnesota) is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 39.9%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.72 GPA and 162 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.46–3.88 GPA and 154–164 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 157 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. St Thomas, University of (minnesota) admitted few or zero transfer students in the most recent reporting cycle — transfer-in slots are extremely limited.

Visit St Thomas, University of (minnesota)'s site

Specialty strengths

Practical Training and Experiential Learning.Organizational Ethics and Compliance.Immigration Law.Law, Artificial Intelligence & Evolving Technologies.Public Interest and Social Justice.Global and Comparative Law.

Class profile

US News rank: #105
Median GPA: 3.72; 25th–75th: 3.46–3.88
Median LSAT: 162; 25th–75th: 154–164
Acceptance rate: 39.9%
Class size (FT 1L): 157
Transfers admitted (2025): 0; ABA 2025 reporting cycle

Top employment markets

1Minnesota
2Wisconsin
3Illinois

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 St Thomas, University of (minnesota)'s practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why St Thomas, University of (minnesota)" essay where they align with your interests.

Criminal and Juvenile Defense Clinic
Represents both children and adults facing various charges, providing litigation experience in court.
Immigration Law Practice Group
Represents immigrants seeking asylum due to persecution and engages in broader policy and advocacy work.
Community Justice Project
Works with community partners to find solutions to social justice issues in areas like juvenile justice, housing, and education.
Federal Commutations Clinic
Assists federal inmates in evaluating and preparing commutation petitions to the U.S. pardon attorney.
Special Education Clinic
Serves elementary and secondary students identified for special education services, collaborating with community partners.
Nonprofit Organizations Clinic
Focuses on the legal needs of existing and aspiring nonprofit organizations, promoting social and economic justice.

Notable journals

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

University of St. Thomas Law Journal— The flagship law review, publishing scholarship that promotes ethical actions, the integration of faith and reason, and social justice.
Journal of Law and Public Policy— A student-run journal that promotes modern legal thought through analysis of contemporary public policy.

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.

Thomas C. Berg
Constitutional Law, Religious Liberty, Church and State.
Rachel Moran
Criminal Law, Experiential Learning.
Mark Osler
Federal Commutations, Criminal Justice.
Gregory Sisk
Federal Appellate Practice, Constitutional Law.
Virgil Wiebe
Immigration Law.
Elizabeth Schiltz
Special Education Law, Bioethics.
Carl Warren
Community Justice, Public Policy.
Jerry Organ
Legal Education, ABA Accreditation.
Mariana H.C. Gonstead
Alternative Dispute Resolution, International Dispute Resolution.
Mitchell Gordon
Comparative Constitutional Law, Legal Research and Writing.

What makes St Thomas, University of (minnesota) distinctive

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

·Award-winning Mentor Externship Program, pairing each student with an experienced lawyer or judge.
·Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services (IPC), where law students collaborate with psychology and social work students.
·Offers joint-degree programs including J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.S.W., and J.D./M.A. in Catholic Studies.
·Provides curricular concentrations in Organizational Ethics and Compliance, Immigration Law, and Law, AI & Evolving Technologies.
·Emphasizes a mission-driven education focused on professional formation, ethical values, and advancing the common good.
·Located in downtown Minneapolis, with skyway access to federal courthouses, major law firms, and businesses.

Using this for your "Why St Thomas, University of (minnesota)" 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 St Thomas, University of (minnesota)

What is the median GPA and LSAT at St Thomas, University of (minnesota)?▾

St Thomas, University of (minnesota)'s most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.72 and a median LSAT of 162. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.46–3.88 GPA and 154–164 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.

What is St Thomas, University of (minnesota)'s acceptance rate?▾

St Thomas, University of (minnesota)'s most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 39.9%, per ABA 509 disclosures.

What clinics does St Thomas, University of (minnesota) offer?▾

St Thomas, University of (minnesota)'s notable clinical programs include: Criminal and Juvenile Defense Clinic, Immigration Law Practice Group, Community Justice Project, Federal Commutations Clinic, Special Education Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.

What journals does St Thomas, University of (minnesota) publish?▾

St Thomas, University of (minnesota)'s notable student-edited journals include: University of St. Thomas Law Journal, Journal of Law and Public Policy.

Where do St Thomas, University of (minnesota) graduates work?▾

St Thomas, University of (minnesota) graduates concentrate employment in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.

Schools similar to St Thomas, University of (minnesota)

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

Chicago - Kent College of Law-iit

Michigan State University, College of Law

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Sources (5) — verify any fact above

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.