Head-to-head · 84 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 79% chose UVA. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 84 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 UVA
Typical aid · ABA 509 · 2025
per yearCross-admits who enrolled · self-reported, 3-yr award
View all-time (221 cross-admits)
Trend · UVA's share
Lowest cycle
Highest cycle
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509
Financial
Sticker price and scholarship aid 2025 ABA 509
Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA Employment
Cross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesRelated comparisons
Other popular cross-admit matchups
Overview
About UVA vs NU
Across 84 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 79% enrolled at University of Virginia and 21% at Northwestern University. The split has shifted -32 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 University of Virginia and Northwestern University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 84 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 84 applicants admitted to both schools, 79% chose to attend University of Virginia. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Virginia is ranked #4 compared to #9 — a gap of 5 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, while Northwestern University is in Evanston, Illinois. 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, University of Virginia has lower tuition at $74,078 per year compared to $79,772. Combined with employment rates of 98.7% (UVA) and 97.3% (NU), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants who enrolled, those choosing Northwestern University reported a higher median scholarship — $180,000 versus $150,000 over three years — though aid is one of several factors behind the enrollment decision.
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