Head-to-head · 25 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 100% chose UC. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 25 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 UC
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (81 cross-admits)
Trend · UC'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 UC vs BU
Across 25 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 100% enrolled at University of Chicago and 0% at Boston 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.
Looking at a different matchup? Browse all comparisons or run a custom pair from the index.
Compare another pair
Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares University of Chicago and Boston University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 25 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 25 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend University of Chicago. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Chicago is ranked #2 compared to #24 — a gap of 22 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Chicago has a median LSAT of 174 compared to 170, a gap of 4 points. This suggests applicants to University of Chicago face a more competitive admissions pool.
University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois, while Boston University is in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Chicago places 59.7% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 41.1% for the other school. This 19 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, Boston University has lower tuition at $69,870 per year compared to $83,316. Combined with employment rates of 98.1% (UC) and 95.8% (BU), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Your study break just got better: follow @lawschooldata on Follow @lawschooldata on TikTok & Instagram