Head-to-head · 15 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 60% chose W&M. 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 W&M
Median scholarship (chose W&M)
Median scholarship (chose GMU)
View all-time (71 cross-admits)
Trend · W&M'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
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About W&M vs GMU
Across 15 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 60% enrolled at William & Mary Law School and 40% at George Mason 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 William & Mary Law School and George Mason University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #32 and #34, separated by just 2 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.
Both schools are located in Virginia — William & Mary Law School in Williamsburg and George Mason University in Fairfax — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
On cost, George Mason University has lower tuition at $24,864 per year compared to $38,734. Combined with employment rates of 91.8% (W&M) and 93.6% (GMU), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, William & Mary Law School offered a median scholarship of $111,336 compared to $81,000, a difference of $30,336 that may factor into enrollment decisions.