Why Washington University?
Washington University School of Law offers a rigorous legal education with a strong emphasis on experiential learning and interdisciplinary study, preparing students for diverse legal careers.
Washington University is a highly selective JD program with an acceptance rate of approximately 18.0%. The median entering 1L profile is a 3.96 GPA and 172 LSAT, with the 25th–75th percentile bands at 3.58–4.00 GPA and 164–173 LSAT. The full-time first-year class is approximately 260 students. Recent graduates have placed most heavily in Missouri, New York, and Illinois — useful context if your geographic preference shapes your school list. In the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, Washington University admitted 20 transfer students into the 2L class, with a median 1L GPA of 3.43 (25th–75th percentile: 3.30–3.62). 6 1Ls transferred out.
Specialty strengths
Class profile
- US News rank
- #13
- Median GPA
- 3.96
- 25th–75th: 3.58–4.00
- Median LSAT
- 172
- 25th–75th: 164–173
- Acceptance rate
- 18.0%
- Class size (FT 1L)
- 260
- Transfers admitted (2025)
- 20
- ABA 2025 reporting cycle
2025 transfer admit profile
Actual GPAs of students Washington University admitted as transfers in the 2025 ABA cycle.
- 25th percentile
- 3.30
- Bottom quartile
- Median
- 3.43
- 50th percentile
- 75th percentile
- 3.62
- Top quartile
6 1Ls transferred out of Washington University in the same cycle — context for how portable Washington University's 1L credit is among admissions committees elsewhere.
Top employment markets
- 1Missouri
- 2New York
- 3Illinois
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 Washington University's practical training. Mention specific clinic names in your "Why Washington University" essay where they align with your interests.
- Appellate ClinicStudents gain experience in appellate litigation, preparing briefs and making oral arguments in appellate courts.
- Community Justice & Mediation ClinicStudents work on housing, consumer, domestic relations, and public benefits cases, and are trained as mediators.
- Criminal Justice ClinicStudents represent adults charged with misdemeanor or felony offenses, gaining real-life lawyering skills within the criminal justice system.
- Entrepreneurship ClinicAssists startups and small businesses with tasks like entity formation, contracts, and intellectual property.
- Immigration Law ClinicProvides experience in immigration-related legal services, including representation in removal proceedings.
- Interdisciplinary Environmental ClinicTeams of law students and students from other university schools provide legal and technical assistance on environmental and community health problems.
Notable journals
Student-edited publications you could write for or cite as a research interest.
- Washington University Law Review— A generalist academic journal publishing scholarly legal articles.
- Washington University Journal of Law and Policy— A symposium-based publication exploring law through interdisciplinary and global perspectives, often centering each volume around a pertinent theme.
- Washington University Global Studies Law Review— Features international and comparative law scholarship.
- Washington University Jurisprudence Review— The nation's only student-edited journal of jurisprudence.
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.
- Susan Frelich AppletonFamily Law
- Scott BakerBusiness & Commercial Law, Law and Economics
- Conor ClarkeConstitutional Law, Tax Law
- John N. DrobakReal Property & Equity Jurisprudence, Economics
- Daniel EppsConstitutional Law, Criminal Procedure
- Jens FrankenreiterLaw and Economics, Corporate Law
- Peter JoyCriminal Justice, Clinical Education
- Pauline KimLabor and Employment Law, Law and Technology
- Gregory P. MagarianConstitutional Law, First Amendment
- Neil RichardsInformation Privacy Law, Intellectual Property
- Andrew TuchCorporate Law, Securities Regulation
- Karen TokarzClinical Education, Dispute Resolution, Civil Rights
What makes Washington University distinctive
Programs, history, or institutional features that set this school apart beyond rank.
- ·Offers a wide range of dual-degree programs, including JD/MBA, JD/MSW, JD/MPH, and various JD/MA options.
- ·The Clinical Education Program offers 20 distinct clinics and externships, guaranteeing every JD student at least one placement.
- ·Home to the Center for Empirical Research in the Law (CERL) and The Cordell Institute for Intellectual Property in Law and Policy.
- ·Emphasizes a global and ethically grounded approach to legal training, with unique dual-degree programs with international law schools.
- ·Offers online graduate law degrees, including LLM in U.S. Law and LLM in Taxation, for working professionals.
Using this for your "Why Washington University" 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 Washington University
What is the median GPA and LSAT at Washington University?▾
Washington University's most recent entering 1L class had a median GPA of 3.96 and a median LSAT of 172. The 25th–75th percentile range was 3.58–4.00 GPA and 164–173 LSAT. Per ABA 509 disclosures.
What is Washington University's acceptance rate?▾
Washington University's most recent reported acceptance rate was approximately 18.0%, per ABA 509 disclosures.
What clinics does Washington University offer?▾
Washington University's notable clinical programs include: Appellate Clinic, Community Justice & Mediation Clinic, Criminal Justice Clinic, Entrepreneurship Clinic, Immigration Law Clinic. Visit the school's official clinical programs page for the full list.
What journals does Washington University publish?▾
Washington University's notable student-edited journals include: Washington University Law Review, Washington University Journal of Law and Policy, Washington University Global Studies Law Review, Washington University Jurisprudence Review.
Where do Washington University graduates work?▾
Washington University graduates concentrate employment in Missouri, New York, Illinois, per the school's most recent ABA 509 employment summary.
How many transfer students does Washington University admit?▾
Washington University admitted 20 transfer students into the 2L class in the 2025 ABA reporting cycle, with a median 1L GPA of 3.43.
Schools similar to Washington University
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 (3) — verify any fact above
- https://law.wustl.edu/academics/clinical-education-program/
- https://law.wustl.edu/academics/publications/
- https://law.wustl.edu/faculty/
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.