Head-to-head · 28 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 86% chose Vandy. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 28 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 Vandy
Median scholarship (chose Vandy)
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 Vandy vs Emory University
Across 28 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 86% enrolled at Vanderbilt University and 14% 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 Vanderbilt University and Emory University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 28 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 28 applicants admitted to both schools, 86% chose to attend Vanderbilt University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Vanderbilt University is ranked #12 compared to #40 — a gap of 28 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Vanderbilt University has a median LSAT of 170 compared to 166, a gap of 4 points. This suggests applicants to Vanderbilt University face a more competitive admissions pool.
Vanderbilt University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 13.3% compared to Emory University's 30.1%.
Vanderbilt University is located in Nashville, Tennessee, 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: Vanderbilt University places 47.6% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 33.7% for the other school. This 14 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, Emory University has lower tuition at $69,510 per year compared to $76,440. Combined with employment rates of 94.6% (Vandy) and 92.0% (Emory University), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Emory University offered a median scholarship of $142,500 compared to $95,375, a difference of $47,125 that may factor into enrollment decisions.