Head-to-head · 37 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 51% chose BC. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 37 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
Median scholarship (chose Fordham)
Median scholarship (chose BC)
View all-time (133 cross-admits)
Trend · Fordham's share
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Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA EmploymentCross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesOverview
About Fordham vs BC
Across 37 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 49% enrolled at Fordham University and 51% at Boston College. The split has shifted -6 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 Fordham University and Boston College across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 37 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 37 applicants admitted to both schools, 51% chose to attend Boston College. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Boston College is ranked #20 compared to #42 — a gap of 22 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
Boston College is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 8.5% compared to Fordham University's 16.2%.
Fordham University is located in Bronx, New York, while Boston College is in Newton, Massachusetts. 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, Boston College has lower tuition at $72,380 per year compared to $78,078. Combined with employment rates of 94.9% (Fordham) and 94.7% (BC), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Fordham University offered a median scholarship of $105,000 compared to $81,000, a difference of $24,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.