Head-to-head · 58 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 69% chose NU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 58 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 NU
Median scholarship (chose NU)
Median scholarship (chose Cornell University)
View all-time (154 cross-admits)
Trend · NU's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
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
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Harvard University
177
Georgetown University
92
Washington University in St. Louis
89
University of Pennsylvania
82
University of Virginia
81
Harvard University
138
Columbia University
96
University of Pennsylvania
72
Georgetown University
66
University of Michigan
65
Overview
About NU vs Cornell University
Across 58 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 69% enrolled at Northwestern University and 31% at Cornell University. The split has shifted -5 points across the tracked cycles.
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 Northwestern University and Cornell University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 58 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 58 applicants admitted to both schools, 69% chose to attend Northwestern University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #9 and #13, separated by just 4 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.
Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois, 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.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Northwestern University offered a median scholarship of $180,000 compared to $150,000, a difference of $30,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.