Northwestern University School of Law

The Northwestern University School of Law is a private American law school in Chicago, Illinois. The law school was founded in 1876 and is one of eleven academic entities at Northwestern University. Northwestern enjoys a strong national reputation. The Law School is currently ranked 12th by US News and World Report. Northwestern law is located on Northwestern University's downtown campus in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood. The campus is on Lake Shore Drive, just south of the Gold Coast neighborhood, along Lake Michigan, and a few blocks from the John Hancock Center, Magnificent Mile, Water Tower, and Navy Pier.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Contact Website (Website) http://www.law.northwestern.edu
Admissions Dean (Admissions Dean) admissions@law.northwestern.edu
Location (Location) Chicago, IL
Northwestern University logo

Quick Facts

Founded : 1859
ABA Accredited : Yes
AALS Member : Yes

Rankings

US News Week : 12
Vault Top 25 : 9
More Law School Rankings
Median LSAT : 171
Median GPA : 3.85
Acceptance Rate : 19%


Northwestern Law School Admissions

Northwestern Law School is considered a Moderately Competitive law school, which accepts only 19% of its applicants. Comparatively, Northwestern is Significantly Higher than the average cost for law school.

  Applications Offers Matriculated
Class of 2016 4548 864 (19.00%) 264 (5.8%)
  25% Median 75%
GPA 3.35 3.75 3.85
LSAT 165 170 171

Tution And Financial AID

  In-State Resident Non-Resident
Full Time $51,920 $51,920
Part Time N/A N/A
Living Expenses  
Living on-campus: $23,500
Living off-campus: $23,500
Living at home: $23,500

Important Dates

Early Decision 1 : 01/15
Early Decision 2 : N/A
Regular Decision : 02/15
Application Fee : $100

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Northwestern Law School Community

Northwestern Law School is considered to have a Highly Favorable student to faculty ratio. The average class size for 1L sections is approximately Average compared to other law schools. Student diversity at Northwestern is Above Average.

STUDENT BODY

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FACULTY STATISTICS

  • Full Time : 84
  • Part Time : 78

FACULTY

  • # Female Faculty : 40
  • # Minority Faculty : 7

RATIO

8.4 Students

1 Faculty

HOUSING OPTIONS

  • On Campus Housing : Yes
  • Graduate Housing : Yes
  • Law Specific Housing : No

Northwestern Law School Curriculum

The size of 1L sections affects the quality and consistency of teaching in law schools. Generally with smaller 1L section sizes, students receive more individualized attention. Northwestern University 1L section size is 18% smaller than law schools in Illinois and 22% smaller than all Private law schools.

1L Section Size Comparison

Northwestern Law School: 60
Illinois Average: 71
Private School Average: 73
  • Positions Available in Advanced Courses
  • Seminars : 1610
  • Simulation Courses : 1113
  • Faculty Supervised Clinics : 381
  • Students Involved in Advanced Activities
  • Field Placements : 272
  • Law Journals : 413
  • Moot Court/Mock Trials : 28

Attrition Rates

  • First Year : 5.8%
  • Second Year : 0.4%
  • Third Year : 0.7%
  • Fourth Year : 0.0%

Northwestern Law School Employment

Deciding to attend law school requires a large financial investment with the goal of securing employment upon graduation. The Northwestern University class of 2011 had an employment rate of 91% with 3% pursuing an additional degree.

Employment Comparison

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In 2011, 72.0%% of students reported their employment status 9-months after graduation.

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Type of Employment

  • Law Firms: 66.0%
  • Business: 14.0%
  • Government: 5.0%
  • Public Interest: 5.0%
  • Academia: 1.0%
  • Illinois: 43%
  • New York: 16%
  • California: 12%

Bar Passage Rates

  • Reporting: 72.0%
  • First Time Takers: 279
  • Average School: 88.1%
  • Average State: 86.9%
  • Pass Difference: 1.2%

Top Bar Jurisdiction

  • Illinois : 89.4%
  • Passed : 125 of 130 (96.2%)
  • State Average : 86.9%
  • Difference : 6.8%