Head-to-head · 49 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 76% chose UCD. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 49 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 UCD)
Median scholarship (chose UCHastings)
View all-time (152 cross-admits)
Trend · UCD's share
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Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509Financial
Sticker price and scholarship aid 2025 ABA 509Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2025 ABA EmploymentCross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesOverview
About UCD vs UCHastings
Across 49 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 76% enrolled at University of California—Davis and 24% at University of California (Hastings). The split has shifted +25 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 California—Davis and University of California (Hastings) across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 49 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 49 applicants admitted to both schools, 76% chose to attend University of California—Davis. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of California—Davis is ranked #52 compared to #85 — a gap of 33 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of California—Davis has a median LSAT of 165 compared to 161, a gap of 4 points. This suggests applicants to University of California—Davis face a more competitive admissions pool.
University of California—Davis is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 16.0% compared to University of California (Hastings)'s 27.5%.
Both schools are located in California — University of California—Davis in Davis and University of California (Hastings) in San Francisco — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Among cross-admitted applicants, University of California—Davis offered a median scholarship of $87,000 compared to $75,000, a difference of $12,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.
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