Head-to-head · 36 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 97% chose CLS. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 36 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 GW)
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Trend · CLS'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
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Overview
About CLS vs GW
Across 36 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 97% enrolled at Columbia University and 3% at George Washington 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 George Washington University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 36 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 36 applicants admitted to both schools, 97% 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 #26 — a gap of 17 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.
Columbia University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 11.8% compared to George Washington University's 27.2%.
Columbia University is located in New York City, New York, 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.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: Columbia University places 65.4% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 30.0% for the other school. This 35 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, George Washington University has lower tuition at $75,420 per year compared to $85,368. Combined with employment rates of 95.6% (CLS) 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 $150,000 compared to $97,500, a difference of $52,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.