Head-to-head · 141 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 100% chose HLS. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 141 self-reported decisions and ABA 509 filings.
* School-reported figure, not from the latest ABA 509 report.
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 HLS
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (377 cross-admits)
Trend · HLS'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
New York University
254
Georgetown University
246
Columbia University
170
University of Chicago
160
Northwestern University
154
Harvard University
111
Columbia University
81
University of Pennsylvania
63
University of Virginia
54
New York University
52
Overview
About HLS vs Cornell University
Across 141 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 100% enrolled at Harvard University and 0% at Cornell 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 Harvard University and Cornell University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 141 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 141 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 14.4%.
Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, while Cornell University is in Ithaca, New York. 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 $87,908. Combined with employment rates of 96.7% (HLS) and 99.5% (Cornell University), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
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