Head-to-head · 33 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 100% chose UC. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 33 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 UC
Median scholarship (chose UC)
Median scholarship (chose Vandy)
View all-time (133 cross-admits)
Trend · UC'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
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Overview
About UC vs Vandy
Across 33 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 100% enrolled at University of Chicago 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 Chicago and Vanderbilt University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 33 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 33 applicants admitted to both schools, 100% chose to attend University of Chicago. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Chicago is ranked #2 compared to #12 — a gap of 10 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Chicago has a median LSAT of 174 compared to 170, a gap of 4 points. This suggests applicants to University of Chicago face a more competitive admissions pool.
University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois, 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.
On cost, Vanderbilt University has lower tuition at $76,440 per year compared to $83,316. Combined with employment rates of 97.0% (UC) and 94.6% (Vandy), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Vanderbilt University offered a median scholarship of $153,000 compared to $45,000, a difference of $108,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.