Head-to-head · 26 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 73% chose Temple University. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 26 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 AU
Median scholarship (chose AU)
Median scholarship (chose Temple University)
View all-time (57 cross-admits)
Trend · AU's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price and scholarship aid 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About AU vs Temple University
Across 26 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 27% enrolled at American University and 73% at Temple University. The split has shifted -60 points across the tracked cycles.
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 American University and Temple University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 26 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 26 applicants admitted to both schools, 73% chose to attend Temple University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Temple University is ranked #49 compared to #108 — a gap of 59 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
American University is located in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., while Temple University is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.
On cost, Temple University has lower tuition at $32,588 per year compared to $66,990. Combined with employment rates of 85.0% (AU) and 94.9% (Temple University), 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 $84,000, a difference of $36,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.
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