Head-to-head · 20 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 70% chose UTKnoxville. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 20 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 UTKnoxville)
Median scholarship (chose South Carolina)
View all-time (38 cross-admits)
Trend · UTKnoxville's share
Lowest cycle
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 UTKnoxville vs South Carolina
Across 20 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 70% enrolled at University of Tennessee and 30% at University of South Carolina. The split has shifted -20 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 Tennessee and University of South Carolina across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 20 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 20 applicants admitted to both schools, 70% chose to attend University of Tennessee. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, University of Tennessee is ranked #57 compared to #62 — a gap of 5 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
University of Tennessee is located in Knoxville, Tennessee, while University of South Carolina is in Columbia, South Carolina. Regional placement matters: graduates tend to find employment near their law school, so location should factor into your decision alongside rankings and cost.