Why University of Tulsa?
The University of Tulsa College of Law offers a personalized legal education with a strong emphasis on experiential learning, particularly in sustainable energy, natural resources, and Native American law, within a close-knit community.
University of Tulsa is a moderately selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 60.4%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.45 GPA and 155 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.27–3.72 GPA and 151–158 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 129 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, University of Tulsa admitted 1 transfer student into the 2L class. 3 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #120
- Median GPA
- 3.45
- 25th–75th: 3.27–3.72
- Median LSAT
- 155
- 25th–75th: 151–158
- Acceptance rate
- 60.4%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 129
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 1
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students University of Tulsa 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 Tulsa in the same cycle — context for how portable University of Tulsa's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Oklahoma
- 2Texas
- 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 Tulsa's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why University of Tulsa" essay where they align with your interests.
- Buck Colbert Franklin Legal ClinicServes North Tulsa and Greenwood residents, advancing community development and social justice through transactional and litigation matters for individuals and small businesses.
- Terry West Civil Legal ClinicProvides pro bono legal services to the greater Tulsa metropolitan area, focusing on racial, economic, and social justice issues.
- Public Defender Clinic (PDC)Offers students one-on-one advocacy experience in criminal defense, now including both felony and misdemeanor cases.
- Tulsa Immigrant Resource NetworkProvides legal services in immigration matters to vulnerable immigrants in the Tulsa community and surrounding areas.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- Tulsa Law Review— Publishes scholarly articles on a wide range of legal subjects from health law to constitutional law.
- Energy Law Journal— A preeminent bi-annual publication focusing on energy law, cited by the U.S. Supreme Court.
- ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (ABA-SEER) Year in Review— Students in the Sustainable Energy and Resources Law (SERL) program have the opportunity to be published in this premier forum.
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.
Interim Dean
- Marc L. Roark· also Indian Law, Property Law, Housing Issues
Dean John Rogers Endowed Chair
- Lyn S. Entzeroth· also Criminal Law, Constitutional Law
Chapman Professor of Law
- Charles W. Adams· also Commercial Law, Contracts
- Stephen R. Galoob· also Torts, Legal Philosophy
Professor of Law & Director of SERL Program
- Robert A. Butkin· also Sustainable Energy and Resources Law
Professor of Law
- Russell L. Christopher· also Criminal Law, Legal Theory
Assistant Professor of Law
- Aila Hoss· also Indian Law, Health Law
Associate Dean for Experiential Learning & Director of the Clinical Education Program
- Miriam H. Marton· also Clinical Legal Education
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs & Associate Clinical Professor of Law
- Elizabeth M. McCormick· also Clinical Legal Education
What makes University of Tulsa distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Located on the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, offering unique access to careers in tribal government and federal Indian law practice.
- ·Offers an Accelerated Law Program allowing students to complete both an undergraduate degree and a JD in six years.
- ·The National Energy Law and Policy Institute (NELPI) was established at the law school, making it prominent in energy law and policy.
- ·The Mabee Legal Information Center is recognized as one of the nation's top university law libraries.
- ·Offers certificate programs in Sustainable Energy and Resources Law, Native American Law, and Health Law.
Using this for your "Why University of Tulsa" 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 Tulsa
What is the median GPA and LSAT at University of Tulsa?▾
University of Tulsa's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.45 and a median LSAT of 155. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.27–3.72 GPA and 151–158 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is University of Tulsa's acceptance rate?▾
University of Tulsa's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 60.4%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does University of Tulsa offer?▾
University of Tulsa's notable clinical programs include: Buck Colbert Franklin Legal Clinic, Terry West Civil Legal Clinic, Public Defender Clinic (PDC), Tulsa Immigrant Resource Network. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does University of Tulsa publish?▾
University of Tulsa's notable student-edited journals include: Tulsa Law Review, Energy Law Journal, ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (ABA-SEER) Year in Review.
Where do University of Tulsa graduates work?▾
University of Tulsa graduates concentrate employment in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does University of Tulsa admit?▾
University of Tulsa admitted 1 transfer student into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle.
Schools similar to University of Tulsa
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 (4) — verify any fact above
- https://law.utulsa.edu/academics/journals/
- https://law.utulsa.edu/academics/clinics/
- https://law.utulsa.edu/about/faculty/
- https://law.utulsa.edu/academics/centers/native-american-law-center/
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.