Head-to-head · 31 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 97% chose UVA. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 31 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 UVA
Median scholarship (chose UVA)
Median scholarship (chose Emory University)
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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
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Overview
About UVA vs Emory University
Across 31 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 97% enrolled at University of Virginia and 3% at Emory 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 University of Virginia and Emory University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 31 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 31 applicants admitted to both schools, 97% chose to attend University of Virginia. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Virginia is ranked #4 compared to #40 — a gap of 36 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Virginia has a median LSAT of 173 compared to 166, a gap of 7 points. This suggests applicants to University of Virginia face a more competitive admissions pool.
University of Virginia is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 10.2% compared to Emory University's 30.1%.
University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, while Emory University is in Atlanta, Georgia. 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: University of Virginia places 60.2% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 33.7% for the other school. This 27 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Emory University offered a median scholarship of $144,000 compared to $97,500, a difference of $46,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.