Head-to-head · 28 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 79% chose WFU. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 28 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 WFU)
Median scholarship (chose W&M)
View all-time (85 cross-admits)
Trend · WFU'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 WFU vs W&M
Across 28 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 79% enrolled at Wake Forest University and 21% at William & Mary Law School. The split has shifted +37 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 Wake Forest University and William & Mary Law School across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 28 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 28 applicants admitted to both schools, 79% chose to attend Wake Forest University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #30 and #34, separated by just 4 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.
Wake Forest University is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, while William & Mary Law School is in Williamsburg, Virginia. 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, William & Mary Law School has lower tuition at $38,734 per year compared to $57,920. Combined with employment rates of 97.4% (WFU) and 91.8% (W&M), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.
Among cross-admitted applicants, William & Mary Law School offered a median scholarship of $137,004 compared to $120,000, a difference of $17,004 that may factor into enrollment decisions.