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Head-to-head · 92 cross-admits

When applicants got into both, 79% chose NU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 92 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.

92
cross-admits
22
cycles
-52pt
YoY shift

Cross-admit decision

Of 92 applicants admitted to both schools
Last 5 cycles
Georgetown University logo Chose GULC
21%
Chose NU Northwestern University logo
79%

Median scholarship (chose GULC)

$128,750 / yr

Median scholarship (chose NU)

$150,000 / yr
View all-time (279 cross-admits)
27% chose GULC 73% chose NU

Trend · GULC's share

2004–2025

Lowest cycle

0%

Highest cycle

60%
22 cycles
100 50 0 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 2004: 60% 2005: 33% 2006: 50% 2007: 53% 2008: 13% 2009: 14% 2010: 25% 2011: 18% 2012: 0% 2013: 27% 2014: 33% 2015: 23% 2016: 43% 2017: 9% 2018: 33% 2019: 57% 2020: 25% 2021: 55% 2022: 13% 2023: 7% 2024: 11% 2025: 8%
GULC #15 · NU #12 LSD n≈12/yr

Admissions

Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield
2025 ABA 509
Metric
Georgetown University logo
GULC
Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.
Northwestern University logo
NU
Evanston, Illinois
USN Rank
#18
#9
LSD Rank
#15 (0.179)
#12 (0.430)
LSAT 25th
166
167
LSAT Median
171
173
LSAT 75th
173
175
GPA Median
3.93
3.96
Acceptance Rate
15.8%
12.3%
Class Size
672
250
Yield Rate
28.7%
25.0%

Financial

Sticker price and scholarship aid
2025 ABA 509
Metric
Georgetown University logo
GULC
Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.
Northwestern University logo
NU
Evanston, Illinois
Tuition (In-State)
$83,576
$79,772
Tuition (Out-of-State)
$83,576
$79,722
Median Grant
$35,000
$40,000
% Receiving Grants
61.0%
76.0%

Employment & outcomes

Post-graduation placement and bar passage
2025 ABA Employment
Metric
Georgetown University logo
GULC
Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.
Northwestern University logo
NU
Evanston, Illinois
BigLaw (501+)
54.9%
67.4%
Judicial Clerkships
9.2%
8.3%
Median Salary (Private)
-
-
Employment Rate
96.2%
97.3%
Bar Pass Rate
93.0%
91.8%

Overview

About GULC vs NU

Across 92 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 21% enrolled at Georgetown University and 79% at Northwestern University. The split has shifted -52 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.

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Detailed comparison narrative

This page compares Georgetown University and Northwestern University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 92 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 92 applicants admitted to both schools, 79% chose to attend Northwestern University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, Northwestern University is ranked #9 compared to #18 — a gap of 9 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

Georgetown University is located in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., while Northwestern University is in Evanston, Illinois. 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: Northwestern University places 67.4% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 54.9% for the other school. This 13 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Northwestern University offered a median scholarship of $150,000 compared to $128,750, a difference of $21,250 that may factor into enrollment decisions.