Head-to-head · 60 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 100% chose NYU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 60 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 NYU)
Median scholarship (chose GW)
View all-time (203 cross-admits)
Trend · NYU's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2026 ABA 509Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2026 ABA 509Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA EmploymentCross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesOverview
About NYU vs GW
Across 60 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 100% enrolled at New York University and 0% at George Washington 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 New York University and George Washington University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 60 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 60 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend New York University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, New York University is ranked #7 compared to #26 — a gap of 19 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
New York University is located in New York City, New York, while George Washington University is in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.. 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: New York University places 62.1% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 24.1% for the other school. This 38 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
Among cross-admitted applicants, George Washington University offered a median scholarship of $127,500 compared to $60,000, a difference of $67,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.