Head-to-head · 28 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 96% chose GW. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 28 self-reported decisions and ABA 509 filings.
Choice, not ranking
These are decisions, not opinions. Scholarship offers, location, intended practice, and personal fit are all priced into the split.
Cross-admit decision
Chose GW
Median scholarship (chose GW)
Median scholarship (chose AU)
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Trend · GW's share
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Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
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Overview
About GW vs AU
Across 28 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 96% enrolled at George Washington University and 4% at American University.
These numbers reflect every factor that goes into a real decision: scholarship offers, geographic preference, intended practice area, and fit. Choosing one school doesn't mean it's "better" — it means the pool of cross-admits, weighing their options, ended up there more often. Pair this with the scholarship distribution and employment outcomes above for full context.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares George Washington University and American University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 28 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 28 applicants admitted to both schools, 96% chose to attend George Washington University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, George Washington University is ranked #26 compared to #108 — a gap of 82 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: George Washington University has a median LSAT of 168 compared to 162, a gap of 6 points. This suggests applicants to George Washington University face a more competitive admissions pool.
Both schools are located in Washington, D.C. — George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and American University in Washington, D.C. — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: George Washington University places 30.0% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 13.4% for the other school. This 17 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, American University has lower tuition at $66,990 per year compared to $75,420. Combined with employment rates of 96.5% (GW) and 83.0% (AU), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, American University offered a median scholarship of $120,000 compared to $67,500, a difference of $52,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.