Why University of San Diego?
The University of San Diego School of Law emphasizes practice-ready legal education through extensive experiential learning and a commitment to public service, leveraging its vibrant San Diego location and proximity to an international border.
University of San Diego is a selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 34.5%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.84 GPA and 161 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.59–3.92 GPA and 157–163 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 254 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in California, Washington, DC, and Colorado — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of San Diego admitted 5 transfer students into the 2L class. 9 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #54
- Median GPA
- 3.84
- 25th–75th: 3.59–3.92
- Median LSAT
- 161
- 25th–75th: 157–163
- Acceptance rate
- 34.5%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 254
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 5
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of San Diego admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
- Median
- —
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- —
- Suppressed (small cohort)
9 1Ls transferred out of University of San Diego in the same cycle — context for how portable University of San Diego's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1California
- 2Washington, DC
- 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 San Diego's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of San Diego" essay where they align with your interests.
- Workers' Rights ClinicAssists lower-income workers with employment law issues including discrimination, unpaid wages, and wrongful termination.
- Entrepreneurship ClinicProvides transactional legal services to high-technology business startups and emerging growth companies, including entity structuring and IP protection.
- Education and Disability ClinicRepresents students and parents in education-related issues, including Individual Educational Program eligibility and 504 plans.
- Immigration ClinicProvides legal assistance to individuals with immigration-related problems, offering client interviews and counseling.
- State Sales and Use Tax ClinicHelps clients challenge California sales and use tax decisions in collaboration with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.
- Veterans ClinicOffers free legal assistance to veterans for disputes with for-profit institutions, discharge upgrades, and VA Disability Claims appeals.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- San Diego Law Review— Advancing legal scholarship across various fields of law.
- San Diego International Law Journal— Publishes scholarly articles and student notes on international, comparative, and foreign law.
- San Diego Journal of Climate and Energy Law— Focuses on rapidly emerging legal issues related to climate change and energy.
- The Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues
- California Regulatory Law Reporter— Reports on state agencies regulating business, professions, and trades, published by the Consumer Protection Policy Center.
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.
- Robert A. SchapiroDean and C. Hugh Friedman Professor of Law
- Roy L. BrooksWarren Distinguished Professor of Law
- Laurence ClausProfessor of Law
- Miranda FleischerTax Law, Wealth Transfer
- Dov FoxHealth Law, Bioethics, Criminal Law
- Orly LobelLabor and Employment Law, Intellectual Property, Innovation Law
- David McGowanCompetition and Innovation Law, Constitutional Law, Intellectual Property
- Mary Jo WigginsProperty, Remedies, Land Use, Debtor-Creditor Law, Bankruptcy
- Lawrence AlexanderConstitutional Law, Criminal Law, Jurisprudence
- Steven D. SmithLaw and Religion, Constitutional Law, Torts
- Robert FellmethPublic Interest Law, Consumer Protection, Children's Advocacy
What makes University of San Diego distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Offers 10 JD concentrations allowing students to customize their legal education.
- ·The Experiential Advocacy Practicum is a required component for all first-year students, integrating practical skills training.
- ·Provides a wide array of dual degree programs, including JD/MBA, JD/MAIR, JD/MAPJ (Peace and Justice), and JD/MSRE (Real Estate).
- ·Features numerous centers and institutes, such as the Institute for Law and Philosophy and the Centers for Public Interest Law, fostering advanced scholarship and student engagement.
- ·Leverages its location in San Diego, near an international border, to offer unique international law and comparative law study opportunities, including study abroad programs.
Using this for your "Why University of San Diego" 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 San Diego
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of San Diego?▾
University of San Diego's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.84 and a median LSAT of 161. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.59–3.92 GPA and 157–163 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of San Diego's acceptance rate?▾
University of San Diego's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 34.5%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of San Diego offer?▾
University of San Diego's notable clinical programs include: Workers' Rights Clinic, Entrepreneurship Clinic, Education and Disability Clinic, Immigration Clinic, State Sales and Use Tax Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of San Diego publish?▾
University of San Diego's notable student-edited journals include: San Diego Law Review, San Diego International Law Journal, San Diego Journal of Climate and Energy Law, The Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues, California Regulatory Law Reporter.
Where do University of San Diego graduates work?▾
University of San Diego graduates concentrate employment in California, Washington, DC, Colorado, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of San Diego admit?▾
University of San Diego admitted 5 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.
Schools similar to University of San Diego
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://www.sandiego.edu/law/
- https://www.sandiego.edu/law/academics/journals.php
- https://www.sandiego.edu/law/academics/clinics/
- https://www.sandiego.edu/law/faculty/
- https://www.sandiego.edu/law/academics/jd-program/concentrations.php
- https://www.sandiego.edu/law/academics/concurrent-degrees.php
- https://www.sandiego.edu/law/news/detail.php?_focus=95115
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.