Head-to-head · 65 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 83% chose NYU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 65 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 NYU
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (243 cross-admits)
Trend · NYU'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
254
Columbia University
141
Georgetown University
124
Stanford University
99
University of California—Berkeley
97
Harvard University
111
Columbia University
81
University of Pennsylvania
63
University of Virginia
54
New York University
52
Overview
About NYU vs Cornell University
Across 65 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 83% enrolled at New York University and 17% at Cornell University. The split has shifted -21 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 New York University and Cornell University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 65 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 65 applicants admitted to both schools, 83% chose to attend New York University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, New York University is ranked #7 compared to #13 — a gap of 6 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
Both schools are located in New York — New York University in New York City and Cornell University in Ithaca — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Among cross-admitted applicants who enrolled, those choosing Cornell University reported a higher median scholarship — $150,000 versus $76,500 over three years — though aid is one of several factors behind the enrollment decision.
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