Head-to-head · 58 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 100% chose UMich. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 58 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 UMich
Median scholarship (chose UMich)
Median scholarship (chose Vandy)
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Trend · UMich's share
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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 UMich vs Vandy
Across 58 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 100% enrolled at University of Michigan and 0% at Vanderbilt 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 University of Michigan and Vanderbilt University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 58 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 58 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend University of Michigan. 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: #9 and #12, separated by just 3 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.
University of Michigan is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 8.6% compared to Vanderbilt University's 13.3%.
University of Michigan is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, while Vanderbilt University is in Nashville, Tennessee. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.