Why Temple University?

Temple Law is deeply committed to expanding access to an exceptional legal education for a diverse student body, emphasizing experiential learning and public service from the first semester.

Temple University is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 36.5%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.76 GPA and 163 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.59–3.90 GPA and 160–165 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 201 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, Temple University admitted 4 transfer students into the 2L class. 2 1Ls transferred out.

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Specialty strengths

Trial AdvocacyInternational LawHealth Care LawLegal WritingBusiness and Tax LawPublic Interest and Social Justice

Class profile

US News rank: #49
Median GPA: 3.76; 25th–75th: 3.59–3.90
Median LSAT: 163; 25th–75th: 160–165
Acceptance rate: 36.5%
Class size (FT 1L): 201
Transfers admitted (2025): 4; ABA 2025 reporting cycle

2025 transfer admit profile

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

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

2 1Ls transferred out of Temple University in the same cycle — context for how portable Temple University's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.

Top employment markets

1Pennsylvania
2New Jersey
3Delaware

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

Appellate Litigation Clinic
Students represent clients in appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the Pennsylvania Superior Court in various civil rights and immigration cases.
Community Lawyering Clinic
Students provide legal advice and representation in civil law matters, including public benefits and estate planning, to low-income Philadelphia residents with severe illnesses or disabilities.
Family Justice Clinic
Students advocate for families whose stability is impacted by state intervention, handling cases related to child abuse registry appeals, custody, and protection from abuse.
Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC)
Students provide free legal representation to qualifying taxpayers with federal tax controversies and educate community groups on taxpayer rights.
Social Justice Lawyering Clinic
Students represent low-wage workers and organizations on critical issues affecting low-income individuals, focusing on labor, immigration, criminal justice, and civil rights.
The Pennsylvania Innocence Project @ Temple Law
Students review and investigate claims of innocence for Pennsylvania inmates, pursuing legal avenues for exoneration and release.

Notable journals

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

Temple Law Review— General legal scholarship, publishing articles by judges, scholars, and practitioners, and student notes and comments.
Temple International and Comparative Law Journal— Cutting-edge issues within the fields of international and comparative law.

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.

Kristen E. Murray
Interim Kean Family Dean, Health Justice, Bioethics, Legal Epidemiology
Jennifer J. Lee
Associate Dean for Experiential Learning and Community Engagement, Clinical Law, Social Justice Lawyering
Duncan B. Hollis
International Law, Cybersecurity, Transnational Law
Tom C.W. Lin
Transactional & Business Law, Financial Regulation, Corporate Law
Sarah Katz
Clinical Law, Family Law Litigation
Elizabeth Lippy
Trial Advocacy, Director of the Trial Advocacy Program
Jonathan Lipson
Bankruptcy, Commercial Law, Corporate Law
Laura E. Little
Federal Courts, Constitutional Law, Conflict of Laws
Jules Epstein
Director of Advocacy Programs, Evidence, Criminal Procedure
Rachel Rebouché
Dean, Family Law, Reproductive Rights, Conflict of Laws
Scott Burris
Public Health Law, Law and Public Policy
Andrea Monroe
Transactional Skills, Business Law

What makes Temple University distinctive

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

·Extensive experiential learning opportunities starting in the first semester, including simulation courses like Introduction to Transactional Skills and Litigation Basics.
·The Law & Public Policy Program in Washington D.C., offering policymaking experience at federal, state, and local levels.
·Global opportunities through study abroad programs in Rome, Tokyo, and Beijing, and various LL.M. programs for foreign-trained lawyers.
·A historical commitment to diversity and accessibility, founded on providing legal education opportunities to a broad range of students.
·J.D. Certificate Programs in areas such as Trial Advocacy and Litigation, Public Health Law, and Business Law.

Using this for your "Why Temple 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 Temple University

What is the median GPA and LSAT at Temple University?▾

Temple University's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.76 and a median LSAT of 163. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.59–3.90 GPA and 160–165 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.

What is Temple University's acceptance rate?▾

Temple University's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 36.5%, per ABA 509 disclosures.

What clinics does Temple University offer?▾

Temple University's notable clinical programs include: Appellate Litigation Clinic, Community Lawyering Clinic, Family Justice Clinic, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC), Social Justice Lawyering Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.

What journals does Temple University publish?▾

Temple University's notable student-edited journals include: Temple Law Review, Temple International and Comparative Law Journal.

Where do Temple University graduates work?▾

Temple University graduates concentrate employment in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.

How many transfer students does Temple University admit?▾

Temple University admitted 4 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.

Schools similar to Temple University

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

#49

Indiana University - Bloomington

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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Sources (8) — 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.