Head-to-head · 35 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 63% chose BU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 35 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 BU
Median scholarship (chose BU)
Median scholarship (chose Fordham)
View all-time (130 cross-admits)
Trend · BU's share
Lowest cycle
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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 BU vs Fordham
Across 35 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 63% enrolled at Boston University and 37% at Fordham University. The split has shifted +51 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 Boston University and Fordham University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 35 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 35 applicants admitted to both schools, 63% chose to attend Boston University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Boston University is ranked #24 compared to #42 — a gap of 18 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
Boston University is located in Boston, Massachusetts, while Fordham University is in Bronx, New York. 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 University has lower tuition at $69,870 per year compared to $78,078. Combined with employment rates of 91.2% (BU) and 94.9% (Fordham), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.