Head-to-head · 25 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 80% chose W&L. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 25 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 W&L
Median scholarship (chose W&L)
Median scholarship (chose Richmond)
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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 W&L vs Richmond
Across 25 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 80% enrolled at Washington and Lee University and 20% at University of Richmond.
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 Washington and Lee University and University of Richmond across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 25 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 25 applicants admitted to both schools, 80% chose to attend Washington and Lee University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Washington and Lee University is ranked #34 compared to #62 — a gap of 28 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
Washington and Lee University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 22.7% compared to University of Richmond's 39.6%.
Both schools are located in Virginia — Washington and Lee University in Lexington and University of Richmond in Richmond — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Among cross-admitted applicants, University of Richmond offered a median scholarship of $150,000 compared to $96,750, a difference of $53,250 that may factor into enrollment decisions.