Head-to-head · 15 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 93% chose ND. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 15 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 GMU
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (47 cross-admits)
Trend · GMU'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 GMU vs ND
Across 15 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 7% enrolled at George Mason University and 93% at University of Notre Dame. The split has shifted -14 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 George Mason University and University of Notre Dame across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Notre Dame is ranked #20 compared to #32 — a gap of 12 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
George Mason University is located in Fairfax, Virginia, while University of Notre Dame is in South Bend, Indiana. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of Notre Dame places 30.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 10.8% for the other school. This 20 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, George Mason University has lower tuition at $24,864 per year compared to $73,430. Combined with employment rates of 98.2% (GMU) and 95.1% (ND), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
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