Why University of Kansas?
The University of Kansas School of Law emphasizes hands-on learning, expert faculty, and a collegial environment to prepare students for practice.
University of Kansas is a moderately selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 55.3%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.85 GPA and 158 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.58–3.95 GPA and 153–160 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 137 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of Kansas admitted 1 transfer student into the 2L class. 1 1L transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #46
- Median GPA
- 3.85
- 25th–75th: 3.58–3.95
- Median LSAT
- 158
- 25th–75th: 153–160
- Acceptance rate
- 55.3%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 137
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 1
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of Kansas admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
- Median
- —
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
1 1L transferred out of University of Kansas in the same cycle — context for how portable University of Kansas's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Kansas
- 2Missouri
- 3Colorado
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 Kansas's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of Kansas" essay where they align with your interests.
- Legal Aid ClinicStudents represent clients in juvenile defense, misdemeanor criminal matters, and record expungement.
- Project for Innocence & Post-Conviction RemediesStudents counsel and represent state and federal prisoners in appellate and post-conviction litigation.
- Veterans Legal Support ClinicStudents engage in legal research, drafting motions, and developing case strategies for veterans.
- Tribal Judicial Support ClinicStudents provide research assistance to tribal courts, including tribal code development and drafting memoranda.
- Medical-Legal Partnership ClinicStudents provide free legal assistance to low-income patients referred by medical partners, focusing on health-impacting legal issues.
- Advance Care Planning ClinicStudents help essential workers complete important documents like durable power of attorney and living wills.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- Kansas Law Review— Legal scholarship across all areas of law, with a special interest in state constitutional law, plains region topics, and legal ethics.
- Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy— Study, commentary, and analysis of domestic legal and social issues, aiming to address policy issues.
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.
International Trade Law
- Raj Bhala
Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Stephen Ware
Environmental
- Uma Outka· also Energy, and Natural Resources Law
Water Law
- Robin Craig· also Environmental Law
Legal Writing
- Pam Keller· also Lawyering Skills
Mediation Skills Training
- Shawn Watts
Law
- Sharon Brett
Clinical Law
- Jordan Carter
What makes University of Kansas distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Shook, Hardy & Bacon Center for Excellence in Advocacy enhances learning for students aspiring to be trial lawyers.
- ·Polsinelli Transactional Law Center provides practical skills for transactional law careers through courses, symposia, and programming.
- ·Tribal Law and Government Center prepares advocates for careers representing Indigenous Peoples and fosters discussion on tribal legal issues.
- ·Offers 10 joint degree programs, allowing students to combine their J.D. with graduate degrees in fields like social work, economics, public administration, and Indigenous studies.
- ·Provides seven certificate programs for specialization, including Advocacy Skills, Environmental Law, International Trade, Tax Law, and Tribal Lawyer.
- ·Features a Two-Year J.D. for Foreign-Trained Lawyers program.
- ·Home to the Wheat Law Library, the second largest and oldest law library in Kansas.
- ·The only law school in the nation that has traffic court, where law students argue cases as lawyers and judges.
Using this for your "Why University of Kansas" 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 Kansas
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of Kansas?▾
University of Kansas's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.85 and a median LSAT of 158. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.58–3.95 GPA and 153–160 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of Kansas's acceptance rate?▾
University of Kansas's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 55.3%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of Kansas offer?▾
University of Kansas's notable clinical programs include: Legal Aid Clinic, Project for Innocence & Post-Conviction Remedies, Veterans Legal Support Clinic, Tribal Judicial Support Clinic, Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of Kansas publish?▾
University of Kansas's notable student-edited journals include: Kansas Law Review, Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy.
Where do University of Kansas graduates work?▾
University of Kansas graduates concentrate employment in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of Kansas admit?▾
University of Kansas admitted 1 transfer student into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.
Schools similar to University of Kansas
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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