Head-to-head · 62 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 100% chose CLS. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 62 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 CLS
Median scholarship (chose CLS)
Median scholarship (chose Fordham)
View all-time (133 cross-admits)
Trend · CLS's share
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
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Overview
About CLS vs Fordham
Across 62 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 100% enrolled at Columbia University and 0% at Fordham 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 Columbia University and Fordham University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 62 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 62 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend Columbia University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Columbia University is ranked #9 compared to #42 — a gap of 33 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Columbia University has a median LSAT of 173 compared to 168, a gap of 5 points. This suggests applicants to Columbia University face a more competitive admissions pool.
Both schools are located in New York — Columbia University in New York City and Fordham University in Bronx — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: Columbia University places 65.4% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 42.2% for the other school. This 23 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, Fordham University has lower tuition at $78,078 per year compared to $85,368. Combined with employment rates of 95.6% (CLS) and 94.9% (Fordham), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Fordham University offered a median scholarship of $135,000 compared to $97,500, a difference of $37,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.