Why University of Florida?
University of Florida Levin College of Law is Florida's oldest public law school, known for its top-ranked tax law program and a strong emphasis on practical skills and public service.
University of Florida is a very selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 16.9%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.91 GPA and 169 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.70–3.97 GPA and 162–170 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 196 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Florida, New York, and Georgia — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of Florida admitted 13 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.50 (25th–75th percentile: 3.39–3.60). 1 1L transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #34
- Median GPA
- 3.91
- 25th–75th: 3.70–3.97
- Median LSAT
- 169
- 25th–75th: 162–170
- Acceptance rate
- 16.9%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 196
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 13
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of Florida admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- 3.39
- Bottom quartile
- Median
- 3.50
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- 3.60
- Top quartile
1 1L transferred out of University of Florida in the same cycle — context for how portable University of Florida's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Florida
- 2New York
- 3Georgia
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 University of Florida's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of Florida" essay where they align with your interests.
- Virgil D. Hawkins Civil Legal ClinicsThese clinics provide legal services to low-income individuals in various civil matters.
- Environmental and Community Development ClinicStudents address land use challenges and environmental issues, working with communities.
- Gator TeamChild Juvenile Law ClinicStudents advocate for children in foster care and juvenile justice matters.
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship ClinicStudents represent inventors, startups, and technologists in intellectual property and technology law matters, including AI.
- Immigration ClinicStudents provide holistic representation in affirmative and defensive immigration cases.
- Low-Income Taxpayer ClinicStudents represent taxpayers in disputes with the IRS.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- University of Florida Law Review— General legal scholarship
- University of Florida Journal of Law & Public Policy— Interdisciplinary discourse on legal and social issues facing public policy decision-makers
- Journal of Technology Law & Policy— Examines how emerging technologies shape society and the legal landscape, including AI and cybersecurity
- Florida Journal of International Law— Timely discussion of prescient international legal issues, including human rights, trade, and environmental 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.
- Rachel Arnow-RichmanLabor & Employment Law
- Derek BambauerIntellectual Property Law, AI, Technology
- Yariv BraunerTax Law
- Karen BurkeTax Law
- Juan CaballeroImmigration Law
- Donna Erez-NavotMediation
- Thomas HawkinsEnvironmental and Land Use Law
- Leandra LedermanTax Law
- Lyrissa Barnett LidskyMedia Law and Policy, First Amendment
- Kenneth NunnCriminal Justice, Race and Race Relations
- Stacy SteinbergJuvenile Law, Legal Writing, Appellate Advocacy
- Michael Allen WolfLocal Government Law
What makes University of Florida distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Offers the nation's first S.J.D. in Taxation and an LL.M. in International Taxation.
- ·Provides an LL.M. in Environmental and Land Use Law, which was the nation's first in closely-related fields.
- ·Offers flexible joint-degree programs, including J.D./Accounting, J.D./MBA, and J.D./Mass Communications.
- ·Houses the Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations and the Center for Government Responsibility, the state's oldest legal and public policy research institute.
- ·Features one of the largest academic law libraries in the southeastern United States, with over 609,000 volumes.
Using this for your "Why University of Florida" 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 University of Florida
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of Florida?▾
University of Florida's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.91 and a median LSAT of 169. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.70–3.97 GPA and 162–170 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of Florida's acceptance rate?▾
University of Florida's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 16.9%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of Florida offer?▾
University of Florida's notable clinical programs include: Virgil D. Hawkins Civil Legal Clinics, Environmental and Community Development Clinic, Gator TeamChild Juvenile Law Clinic, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Clinic, Immigration Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of Florida publish?▾
University of Florida's notable student-edited journals include: University of Florida Law Review, University of Florida Journal of Law & Public Policy, Journal of Technology Law & Policy, Florida Journal of International Law.
Where do University of Florida graduates work?▾
University of Florida graduates concentrate employment in Florida, New York, Georgia, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of Florida admit?▾
University of Florida admitted 13 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.50.
Schools similar to University of Florida
Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.
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