New York University is a private institution that has an emphasis on research in academic fields. They offer an extensive amount of different degree programs in varied fields from arts, to sciences, business, and more. It has a total of 10 undergraduate colleges on its campus, along with 15 graduate schools. New York University is also a global university, with branches that grant degrees and academic centers located across the globe.
For all those wanting to know about NYU and its law school, we will specifically be taking a look at their history, curriculum, application process, and of course the NYU law school acceptance rate as alluded to by the title.
Firstly, however, we will take some time to introduce the Law school’s parent University, NYU as it is a very prestigious and well-known institution. Representing a plethora of different disciplines and ideas, the university students coming from not just the United States, but from all over the world.
NYU Law School Acceptance Rate
Acceptance Rate (Year)Acceptance RateNumber of ApplicationsNumber AdmittedAverage LSAT ScoreAverage GPA 2023-202415.65%8,8741,3891703.8 2022-202314.56%9,5001,3671713.9 2021-202213.47%10,1261,3681723.95 2020-202112.38%10,7521,3221734.0 2019-202011.29%11,3781,2791744.05
The NYU law school acceptance rate was around 15.29%. Though this is still a good deal lower than the US national average of about 45 percent, it is a little higher than other top law schools in the USA. Admissions into top Universities have always been highly competitive affairs and it is no different at NYU Law.
We can try to compare the NYU law school acceptance rate to other top-ranking law schools to get a rough idea of how difficult it is to be admitted. There are other factors at play here as well, though. For one, other schools could be receiving many more applications than NYU law leading these universities to turn away more applicants. Additionally, the admission standard is still very high at NYU Law as they have very high average LSAT (Law School Admission Test) scores for their applicants. It is possible that more highly qualified applicants approach NYU Law for its prestigious status and academic reputation. Thus, the higher number of students admitted, although this is only conjecture.
NYU Law School Acceptance Rate: Low But Not Too Low
If we compare the NYU law school acceptance rate to other top-ranking universities, there is a better chance statistically of getting into NYU Law than say the top ten ranking US law schools. The average LSAT (Law School Admission Test) scores of NYU Law applicants are very high, among the highest in any American Law school. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why NYU law school’s acceptance rate is relatively higher than other Law schools due to the talent they attract.
Another very important factor that affects the NYU law school acceptance rate other than the school’s standards or the student’s quality is the number of slots available for applicants. The NYU Law School acceptance rate would likely be higher if they could accommodate more students at the campus. This is not to say that the standards are low at NYU Law. Of course, the student’s abilities and academic record are still the primary determinants of whether one is admitted or not. The most important of these is probably the LSAT and their undergraduate GPA. As previously mentioned, the average LSAT scores of NYU law applicants are some of the highest, however, their average GPA of 3.86 (in 2023) is relatively low when compared to other top law schools like Harvard Law at 3.92 GPA.
New York University
New York University or NYU has always been an innovator in American higher education. Being established as a secular University in a time where this was very uncommon, today it is now one of the most respected Research Universities in the world proving an academically demanding environment that places merit and excellence above all else. It has a global presence with degree-granting campuses outside of the United States. It also has a total of 11 study sites worldwide. This diversity is also reflected in its student body, drawing from all corners of the United States and beyond. Students from 130+ different countries coming together in the academic environment is what NYU is recognized for besides academic excellence.
History Of NYU
New York University was chartered by the New York State Legislature 190 years ago, in 1831. It was originally based near New York City Hall, with its curriculum emphasizing a secular, non-denominational education. This was spearheaded by the then Secretary of Finance, Albert Gallatin. Its founding intended to provide a system of rational and practical education that would accept young men based on their merit, rather than their social class.
Thus on the 18th of April 1831, NYU was established, with the aid of prominent New Yorkers, various wealthy benefactors, Merchants, Bankers, and Traders. Secretary Gallatin was elected to be NYU’s first president at the time.
The drive to establish the University in the city was the perceived strong Episcopalianism at Columbia College. As such NYU was established to be non-denominational, which was a rarity for American colleges at the time. Quickly growing as a center of learning and academics, in 1876 the American Chemical Society was founded within NYU further adding to its expansion.
The NYU Campus
Before we talk about the low NYU law school acceptance rate and the law campus, let’s go over some of the details of the main NYU campus.
The New York University Campus is distributed across parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, with the core of the campus made up of buildings that surround Washington Square Park. The University has 171 buildings, most of which are located in Manhattan, spread out in an area of almost 1 square kilometer (230 acres). Students of the University can traverse the campus using the NYU Transportation service, which provides shuttles to its students to ferry them around to where they need to be.
Aside from its buildings in New York City, NYU also has a large number of overseas locations. This comprises 49 additional buildings found in two “portal” campuses abroad and the 12 Global Academic Centers under their administration.
The NYU main campus sits at the crossroads of cultural life in New York City. Set between Washington Square and Greenwich Village, many prominent Hudson River school art movement artists, abstract expressionists, and sculptors rented out space in and around the University’s buildings to serve as their studios. These notable interactions then helped to shape the academic and cultural life at the University.
NYU Colleges
New York University offers many degree programs, from arts to sciences, engineering, business, and more. The University hosts 10 undergraduate colleges. If you have yet to acquire your Bachelor’s degree, it may be of interest to you to see what they offer.
After all, if you are reading an article on the NYU Law School acceptance rate, we can assume that you are interested in getting a degree in law at NYU Law. Law degrees are all post-graduate degrees, however so you’ll need to get your undergraduate diploma first.
If that is something that interests you, here is a list of the undergraduate schools at NYU.
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Steinhart School (Culture, Education, and Human Development)
- Gallatin School (Individualized study)
- Tandon School of Engineering
- Stern School of Business
- Tisch School of Arts
It also has 15 graduate schools, this includes NYU Law. Some of these are as follows.
- School of Law
- Grossman School of Medicine
- School of Professional Studies
- School of Social Work
- Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
- Silver School of Social Work
- Rory Meyers School of Nursing
NYU School Of Law
NYU Law is truly a leading institution when it comes to the field of law. Boasting a proud history, a low acceptance rate, and highly competitive programs, the school prides itself on what it has to offer students with 16 areas of study, 300 courses, over 80 student groups, and more than 100 highly professional faculty members.
Considering all it has to offer, it is not surprising that large numbers of applicants try their luck every year for a chance to be admitted to the school. It is no wonder that this highly ranked law school acceptance rate is lower than that of most US law schools.
A Short History
The famed New York University school of law was the first professional school established at the institution in 1835. It is the oldest in New York City and the oldest remaining in the State. It was founded at the request of the New York University Council by the then United States Attorney General Benjamin Franklin Butler. He also served as the first principal professor at the school when he was elected to the position in March of 1838.
Further cementing its reputation at the forefront of positive change, the NYU Law School was one of the first in the United States to admit women from the year 1890 and onwards.
Starting in the first half of the 20th century, the school also started to raise its admission standards. It began to require students to have completed at least one year of undergraduate education before enrolling for a law degree resulting in the low NYU law school acceptance rate that we experience today.
NYU Law Reputation
NYU law school acceptance rate is determined by the number of prospective students that apply each year. By necessity there are a limited number of slots available for new admissions and out of these, many are not accepted. This large number of applicants is a result of the School’s distinguished reputation among American Law schools. The New York University School of law offers three different degree programs namely, the Juris Doctor degree, Master of Laws, and Doctor of Judicial Science.
The quality of education at NYU Law School is reflected in the graduates it produces. In 2017 its bar passing rate was 98.00% percent, one of the highest among the top-tier schools in the country. NYU Law has produced the most judges that sit or have sat on the International Court of Justice, prominent US lawyers, human rights practitioners, and numerous Nobel laureates.
The School emphasizes three central characteristics that they wish to instill in their graduates to help prepare them for their professional practice. These include the following.
Public Service
This prestigious law school grants great importance to the value of public service. The institution offers more than 40 clinics that grant experience to their students in the public sphere. Providing summer funding for their 1st year and 2nd year Juris Doctor students, working in both government and non-government organizations.
Law And Business
The Mitchell Jacobson Leadership Program in Law and Business offered at the school provides students with a head for business, an extensive legal background that gives them a competitive edge when seeking top business positions. As such, NYU Law has the most substantial range of specialization offerings in any law school’s Law and Business fields.
Global Opportunities
The school is home to the Hauser Global Law School Program, as well as the Guarini Institute for Global Legal Studies giving their students many opportunities to become well-versed in International law.
Considering all of this, one may conclude that the NYU law school acceptance rate is very low. Although it is lower than the average American law school, it is by no means the lowest, and a talented applicant actually has a good chance of making it in.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, NYU Law School and New York University as a whole is a globally competitive center for higher education that gives its graduates a competitive edge in their respective professions. Its long history of excellence and the contributions of its staff and alumni to their respective fields reflect the standards that it holds its students at.
The NYU law school acceptance rate is not the lowest among top US law schools but it is still a highly competitive application process where the prospective student will have to show that they can hold themselves to the high standards of the institution.
In the end, the statistics can only give us rough estimates of one’s chances of being admitted, as they change with each year. The important part is that if one wishes to apply, they need to do their best to bring with them good GPAs and high LSAT scores, as well as a strong drive for academic excellence and a passion for the subject.