Head-to-head · 22 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 50% chose GW. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 22 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 GW
Median scholarship (chose GW)
Median scholarship (chose W&L)
View all-time (85 cross-admits)
Trend · GW's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
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
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About GW vs W&L
Across 22 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 50% enrolled at George Washington University and 50% at Washington and Lee University. The split has shifted -63 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.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares George Washington University and Washington and Lee University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 22 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 22 applicants admitted to both schools, 50% chose to attend Washington and Lee University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, George Washington University is ranked #26 compared to #34 — a gap of 8 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
George Washington University is located in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., while Washington and Lee University is in Lexington, Virginia. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.
On cost, Washington and Lee University has lower tuition at $57,450 per year compared to $75,420. Combined with employment rates of 96.5% (GW) and 95.0% (W&L), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Washington and Lee University offered a median scholarship of $124,500 compared to $90,000, a difference of $34,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.