Why University of Iowa?
The University of Iowa College of Law offers a rigorous legal education within a uniquely collaborative environment, distinguished by its top-tier legal writing program and extensive clinical opportunities, including one of only two federal criminal defense clinics in the U.S.
University of Iowa is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 41.3%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.78 GPA and 163 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.62–3.92 GPA and 161–165 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 141 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of Iowa admitted 1 transfer student into the 2L class. 3 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #32
- Median GPA
- 3.78
- 25th–75th: 3.62–3.92
- Median LSAT
- 163
- 25th–75th: 161–165
- Acceptance rate
- 41.3%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 141
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 1
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of Iowa admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
- Median
- —
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
3 1Ls transferred out of University of Iowa in the same cycle — context for how portable University of Iowa's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Iowa
- 2Minnesota
- 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 University of Iowa's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of Iowa" essay where they align with your interests.
- Federal Criminal Defense ClinicStudents represent indigent individuals charged with federal crimes and engage in post-conviction and decarceration litigation.
- Community Empowerment Law ProjectStudents advance racial, economic, and social justice through collaborative representation of organizations, communities, and government entities.
- Immigration AdvocacyStudents represent clients in immigration proceedings and state and federal judicial proceedings affecting immigrants' rights.
- Federal Impact Litigation ClinicStudents litigate civil cases in federal court at the intersection of immigration, civil rights, and administrative law.
- Technology Law ClinicStudents represent organizational clients on questions related to how technology affects people's lives, engaging in various lawyering approaches.
- Human Rights Initiative ClinicStudents gain hands-on experience in international human rights law by working on sophisticated legal projects for global organizations.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- Iowa Law Review— General legal scholarship, widely cited for legal research, theory, and analysis.
- Journal of Corporation Law— Corporate and business law.
- Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems— Multi-disciplinary journal addressing issues that transcend national political boundaries.
- Journal of Gender, Race & Justice— Issues related to gender, race, and justice.
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.
- Todd PettysConstitutional Law, Federal Courts, Supreme Court.
- Katharine BakerFamily Law, modern law of marriage and parenthood.
- Samantha BarbasLegal History, Privacy Law.
- Alison GuernseyFederal Criminal Defense, Post-conviction Litigation.
- Bram EliasImmigration Law, Immigrants' Rights.
- Jason RantanenPatent Law, Federal Courts, Empirical Legal Studies.
- Anya PrinceHealth Law, Genetics Law, Bioethics.
- Shannon RoeslerEnvironmental Law, Environmental Justice, Climate Change Litigation.
- Mihailis DiamantisCorporate Crime, Law and Technology, Criminal Justice, Legal Theory.
- Andrew JordanLegal Philosophy, Constitutional Adjudication, Contract Theory.
What makes University of Iowa distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·One of only two U.S. law schools with a federal criminal defense clinic.
- ·Houses one of the largest public law school libraries in the United States, with over 1.4 million cataloged titles.
- ·Nationally recognized legal writing program with full-time faculty and small-section courses.
- ·Offers combined degree programs including JD/MBA and JD/MD.
- ·Features a 3+3 JD program allowing undergraduates to earn both bachelor's and law degrees in six years.
- ·Known for a unique culture that values collaboration over competition among students.
Using this for your "Why University of Iowa" 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 Iowa
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of Iowa?▾
University of Iowa's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.78 and a median LSAT of 163. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.62–3.92 GPA and 161–165 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of Iowa's acceptance rate?▾
University of Iowa's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 41.3%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of Iowa offer?▾
University of Iowa's notable clinical programs include: Federal Criminal Defense Clinic, Community Empowerment Law Project, Immigration Advocacy, Federal Impact Litigation Clinic, Technology Law Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of Iowa publish?▾
University of Iowa's notable student-edited journals include: Iowa Law Review, Journal of Corporation Law, Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems, Journal of Gender, Race & Justice.
Where do University of Iowa graduates work?▾
University of Iowa graduates concentrate employment in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of Iowa admit?▾
University of Iowa admitted 1 transfer student into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.
Schools similar to University of Iowa
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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Try Case Cub free →Sources (7) — verify any fact above
- https://law.uiowa.edu/about-us
- https://law.uiowa.edu/experiential-learning/clinical-law-program
- https://law.uiowa.edu/journals
- https://law.uiowa.edu/faculty-and-scholarship/meet-our-faculty
- https://law.uiowa.edu/academics/combined-degrees
- https://law.uiowa.edu/academics/centers-and-programs/iowa-innovation-business-and-law-center
- https://law.uiowa.edu/academics/centers-and-programs/law-philosophy-iowa
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.