Why University of Maryland?
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is distinguished by its nationally recognized clinical programs and the Cardin Requirement, ensuring every full-time student gains hands-on experience providing legal services to those lacking access to justice.
University of Maryland is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 29.5%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.72 GPA and 163 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.37–3.88 GPA and 157–164 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 205 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Maryland, Washington, DC, and New York — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of Maryland admitted 7 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.03. 13 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #62
- Median GPA
- 3.72
- 25th–75th: 3.37–3.88
- Median LSAT
- 163
- 25th–75th: 157–164
- Acceptance rate
- 29.5%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 205
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 7
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of Maryland admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
- Median
- 3.03
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
13 1Ls transferred out of University of Maryland in the same cycle — context for how portable University of Maryland's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Maryland
- 2Washington, DC
- 3New York
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 Maryland's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of Maryland" essay where they align with your interests.
- Environmental Law ClinicStudents represent clients in environmental cases, addressing issues of pollution, land use, and natural resource protection.
- Medical-Legal Partnership ClinicProvides free civil legal services to low-income individuals, often those living with HIV, to improve health and legal outcomes through an interdisciplinary approach.
- Intellectual Property & Entrepreneurship ClinicAssists emerging businesses and entrepreneurs with intellectual property and transactional legal needs.
- Gender, Prison, and Trauma ClinicRepresents incarcerated and formerly incarcerated survivors of gender-based violence and trauma.
- Immigration ClinicOffers legal representation to immigrants and their families in various immigration matters.
- Racial Justice and the Law ClinicFocuses on legal issues related to racial justice and systemic inequalities.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- Maryland Law Review— Oldest journal, pre-eminent student authority on Maryland case law and a respected voice on federal law in the Fourth Circuit.
- Journal of Business & Technology Law— Focuses on the intersection of business and technology law.
- Journal of Health Care Law & Policy— One of few scholarly journals bridging legal, public policy, and scientific fields in health law.
- University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class— Provides a forum for scholarly discussion of legal issues pertaining to race, religion, gender, and class.
- Maryland Journal of International Law— Focuses on international and comparative legal 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.
Fourth Amendment
- Renée M. Hutchins Laurent· also Criminal Procedure, Criminal Appellate Practice
Intimate Partner Violence
- Leigh Goodmark· also Gender Violence, Clinical Law, Abolition Feminism
Criminal Law
- David Gray· also Criminal Procedure, Constitutional Theory (Fourth Amendment), Transitional Justice
Gender and Constitutional Design
- Paula A. Monopoli· also Feminist Legal History, Inheritance Law (Trusts & Estates)
International Law
- Peter Danchin· also Human Rights, Comparative Constitutional Law, Legal Theory (Religious Freedom)
Health Law and Policy
- Diane E. Hoffmann· also Medical Ethics, Regulation of Medical Therapies
Environmental Law
- Robert Percival· also Environmental Policy, Global Environmental Law
Constitutional Law
- Maxwell Stearns· also Law and Economics, Public Choice Theory
What makes University of Maryland distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·The Cardin Requirement mandates that all full-time JD students gain faculty-supervised practical experience providing free legal services to clients.
- ·Offers a wide array of dual-degree programs, combining the JD with graduate degrees in fields like Business, Public Health, Social Work, and Pharmacy, in partnership with other leading institutions.
- ·The Law and Social Work Services Program provides interdisciplinary services to clients within the Clinical Law Program, integrating social work support with legal aid.
- ·Leverages its location in the Baltimore-Washington corridor to provide extensive opportunities for experiential learning within state and national legal and political communities.
- ·Hosts the annual Constitutional Law Schmooze, bringing together legal scholars from across the country to discuss constitutional law topics.
Using this for your "Why University of Maryland" 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 Maryland
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of Maryland?▾
University of Maryland's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.72 and a median LSAT of 163. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.37–3.88 GPA and 157–164 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of Maryland's acceptance rate?▾
University of Maryland's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 29.5%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of Maryland offer?▾
University of Maryland's notable clinical programs include: Environmental Law Clinic, Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic, Intellectual Property & Entrepreneurship Clinic, Gender, Prison, and Trauma Clinic, Immigration Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of Maryland publish?▾
University of Maryland's notable student-edited journals include: Maryland Law Review, Journal of Business & Technology Law, Journal of Health Care Law & Policy, University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class, Maryland Journal of International Law.
Where do University of Maryland graduates work?▾
University of Maryland graduates concentrate employment in Maryland, Washington, DC, New York, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of Maryland admit?▾
University of Maryland admitted 7 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.03.
Schools similar to University of Maryland
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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