Head-to-head · 71 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 72% chose BU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 71 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 GW)
View all-time (179 cross-admits)
Trend · BU'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 BU vs GW
Across 71 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 72% enrolled at Boston University and 28% at George Washington University. The split has shifted +49 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 George Washington University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 71 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 71 applicants admitted to both schools, 72% chose to attend Boston University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #24 and #26, separated by just 2 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.
Boston University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 12.1% compared to George Washington University's 27.2%.
Boston University is located in Boston, Massachusetts, while George Washington University is in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.. 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 $75,420. Combined with employment rates of 91.2% (BU) and 96.5% (GW), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, George Washington University offered a median scholarship of $120,000 compared to $82,500, a difference of $37,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.