Head-to-head · 140 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 100% chose HLS. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 140 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 Cornell University
Median scholarship (chose Cornell University)
Median scholarship (chose HLS)
View all-time (376 cross-admits)
Trend · Cornell University'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
Harvard University
140
Columbia University
99
University of Pennsylvania
72
University of Michigan
66
Georgetown University
66
Overview
About Cornell University vs HLS
Across 140 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 0% enrolled at Cornell University and 100% at Harvard 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 Cornell University and Harvard University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 140 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 140 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend Harvard University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Harvard University is ranked #6 compared to #13 — a gap of 7 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
Harvard University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 9.2% compared to Cornell University's 18.2%.
Cornell University is located in Ithaca, New York, while Harvard University is in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 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, Harvard University has lower tuition at $77,100 per year compared to $84,722. Combined with employment rates of 99.5% (Cornell University) and 96.7% (HLS), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Cornell University offered a median scholarship of $142,500 compared to $115,000, a difference of $27,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.
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