Head-to-head · 34 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 59% chose Vandy. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 34 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 ND)
Median scholarship (chose Vandy)
View all-time (99 cross-admits)
Trend · ND's share
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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 ND vs Vandy
Across 34 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 41% enrolled at University of Notre Dame and 59% at Vanderbilt University. The split has shifted +35 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 Notre Dame and Vanderbilt University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 34 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 34 applicants admitted to both schools, 59% chose to attend Vanderbilt University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Vanderbilt University is ranked #12 compared to #20 — a gap of 8 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
University of Notre Dame is located in South Bend, Indiana, 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.
Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Notre Dame offered a median scholarship of $150,000 compared to $108,750, a difference of $41,250 that may factor into enrollment decisions.