Head-to-head · 67 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 100% chose HLS. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 67 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
Median scholarship (chose GW)
Median scholarship (chose HLS)
View all-time (174 cross-admits)
Trend · GW's share
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 GW vs HLS
Across 67 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 0% enrolled at George Washington University and 100% at Harvard 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 George Washington University and Harvard University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 67 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 67 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend Harvard University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Harvard University is ranked #6 compared to #26 — a gap of 20 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Harvard University has a median LSAT of 174 compared to 168, a gap of 6 points. This suggests applicants to Harvard University face a more competitive admissions pool.
Harvard University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 9.2% compared to George Washington University's 27.2%.
George Washington University is located in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., while Harvard University is in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 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: Harvard University places 53.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 24.1% for the other school. This 29 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
Among cross-admitted applicants, George Washington University offered a median scholarship of $165,000 compared to $132,000, a difference of $33,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.
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