Head-to-head · 85 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 89% chose Duke. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 85 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
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (291 cross-admits)
Trend · Duke's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509Financial
Sticker price and scholarship aid 2025 ABA 509Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA EmploymentCross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesOverview
About Duke vs GULC
Across 85 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 89% enrolled at Duke University and 11% at Georgetown University. The split has shifted +11 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.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares Duke University and Georgetown University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 85 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 85 applicants admitted to both schools, 89% chose to attend Duke University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Duke University is ranked #7 compared to #18 — a gap of 11 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina, while Georgetown 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: Duke University places 70.9% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 54.9% for the other school. This 16 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
Among cross-admitted applicants who enrolled, those choosing Georgetown University reported a higher median scholarship — $165,000 versus $120,000 over three years — though aid is one of several factors behind the enrollment decision.
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