Why University of South Dakota?
The University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law offers a high-value legal education with robust experiential learning opportunities and a strong focus on serving the legal needs of South Dakota, particularly in areas like Indian Law and rural practice.
University of South Dakota is a less selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 67.5%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.47 GPA and 151 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.16–3.81 GPA and 148–155 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 87 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Minnesota — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of South Dakota admitted 1 transfer student into the 2L class. 1 1L transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #122
- Median GPA
- 3.47
- 25th–75th: 3.16–3.81
- Median LSAT
- 151
- 25th–75th: 148–155
- Acceptance rate
- 67.5%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 87
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 1
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of South Dakota 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 South Dakota in the same cycle — context for how portable University of South Dakota's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1South Dakota
- 2Nebraska
- 3Minnesota
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 South Dakota's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of South Dakota" essay where they align with your interests.
- Veterans Legal Education Group (VLEG) ClinicProvides free legal services and advice to military veterans and their families on various legal issues, including wills and medical power of attorney forms.
- WORKS ClinicOffers free family law services, including divorce and custody form assistance and mediation aid, to qualifying self-represented individuals in South Dakota.
- Tribal Wills ClinicProvides students with hands-on experience in estate planning while offering comprehensive, free estate plans to clients on tribal reservations in South Dakota.
- Criminal Defense PracticumAllows students to gain practical experience in the criminal defense system.
- R.D. Hurd Pro Bono SocietyCoordinates opportunities for law students to provide pro bono legal services to low-income South Dakotans, assisting with research, drafting, and client engagement.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- South Dakota Law Review— A journal of critical commentary on current legal issues with state, national, and international circulation, published three times a year by students.
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.
- Neil FultonLegislation
- Shirley MaysAssociate Dean for Academic Affairs
- Gregory BrazealCriminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Cyber Law
- Patrick M. GarryAdministrative Law, First Amendment Rights
- Hannah HaksgaardFamily Law, Property Law
- Wendy HessTorts, Children & the Law, Civil Rights Law
- Sean KammerEnvironmental Law, Natural Resources Law, Water Law
- Allen MadisonFederal Income Tax, Securities Regulation
- Tom SimmonsEstate Planning, Trusts & Wills, Tribal Wills Practicum
- Ann TweedyFederal Indian Law, Tribal Law, Property
- Laura RoseTrial Advocacy
What makes University of South Dakota distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Only law school in the state of South Dakota.
- ·Nationally recognized for judicial clerkship placements.
- ·Offers a variety of course tracks and nine joint-degree options, including JD/MBA, JD/MPA, and JD/MA in English, History, or Psychology.
- ·All students participate in a robust experiential learning program, including clinics, practicums, and externships.
- ·Strong curricular emphasis in Indian Law, including a unique Tribal Wills Clinic and an Indian Law certificate.
- ·Offers a 3+3 accelerated program allowing students to earn a bachelor's and J.D. in six years.
Using this for your "Why University of South Dakota" 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 South Dakota
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of South Dakota?▾
University of South Dakota's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.47 and a median LSAT of 151. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.16–3.81 GPA and 148–155 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of South Dakota's acceptance rate?▾
University of South Dakota's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 67.5%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of South Dakota offer?▾
University of South Dakota's notable clinical programs include: Veterans Legal Education Group (VLEG) Clinic, WORKS Clinic, Tribal Wills Clinic, Criminal Defense Practicum, R.D. Hurd Pro Bono Society. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of South Dakota publish?▾
University of South Dakota's notable student-edited journals include: South Dakota Law Review.
Where do University of South Dakota graduates work?▾
University of South Dakota graduates concentrate employment in South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of South Dakota admit?▾
University of South Dakota admitted 1 transfer student into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.
Schools similar to University of South Dakota
Other schools at a comparable rank tier — useful for building a transfer list, balanced 0L application list, or essay-research shortlist.
About to start at University of South Dakota?
Case Cub is the AI study platform built for the 1L grind: case briefs, issue spotters, flashcards, outline generators. Walk into your first finals already practiced.
Try Case Cub free →Sources (19) — verify any fact above
- https://www.usd.edu/law
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/experiential-learning
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/law-student-opportunities/south-dakota-law-review
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/faculty-and-staff
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/concurrent-law-programs
- https://www.usd.edu/news/2023/usd-knudson-school-of-law-ranked-no-47-in-trial-advocacy-by-us-news-world-report
- https://www.usd.edu/news/2023/pro-bono-tribal-wills-clinic-provides-mutually-beneficial-experience-for-students-and-clients
- https://www.usd.edu/news/2023/knudson-school-of-law-vleg-clinic-provides-legal-services-to-veterans-and-their-families
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/graduate-programs
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/law-academics
- https://www.usd.edu/law/admissions
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/law-student-opportunities/south-dakota-law-review/submissions
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/law-student-opportunities
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/experiential-learning/works-practicum
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/experiential-learning/r-d-hurd-pro-bono-society
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/experiential-learning/veterans-legal-education-group
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/experiential-learning/criminal-defense-practicum
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/experiential-learning/tribal-wills-practicum
- https://www.usd.edu/law/academics/experiential-learning/federal-tax-clinic
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.