Head-to-head · 23 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 56% chose OSU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 23 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 OSU)
View all-time (59 cross-admits)
Trend · GW's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA EmploymentCross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesOverview
About GW vs OSU
Across 23 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 44% enrolled at George Washington University and 56% at Ohio State University. The split has shifted -36 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.
Compare another pair
Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares George Washington University and Ohio State University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 23 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 23 applicants admitted to both schools, 57% chose to attend Ohio State University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #26 and #30, separated by just 4 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.
George Washington University is located in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., while Ohio State University is in Columbus , Ohio. 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: George Washington University places 30.0% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 12.8% for the other school. This 17 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
On cost, Ohio State University has lower tuition at $35,650 per year compared to $75,420. Combined with employment rates of 96.5% (GW) and 94.4% (OSU), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Ohio State University offered a median scholarship of $126,450 compared to $97,500, a difference of $28,950 that may factor into enrollment decisions.