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Villanova Law School logo

Villanova Law School

Villanova, Pennsylvania

Rank #43 (USNWR 2023)

164
LSAT
3.80
GPA
16.5%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2023 admissions cycle

164
LSAT
3.80
GPA
16.5%
Admit Rate

Villanova Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Villanova, Pennsylvania. In the competitive 2023 law school rankings, Villanova Law School was ranked 43 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2023 admissions cycle, Villanova Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 161 with an acceptance rate of 16.5%, positioning it among the most selective law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY 'Nova Nova
Law School Applications
2351
JD application volume in 2023 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
16.5%
84th percentile
JD Program Size
161
46th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$111k

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Villanova Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2023-2024 Cycle Overview
500 applicants
Accepted
22 / 94
Waitlisted
86
Rejected
114
-
Withdrawn
112
-

Admissions Graphs

25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

LSAT Score: Law School Admission Test score (120-180 scale)

GPA: Undergraduate Grade Point Average (0.0-4.3+ scale)

This chart shows when decisions were made throughout the application cycle. Use the filters above to refine the data.

How to Use These Graphs
Graph Navigation:
  • Zoom: Click and drag to zoom into a specific area
  • Reset zoom: Double-click anywhere on the graph
  • View details: Hover over any point to see detailed information
  • Visit profile: Click on any point to open that user's profile page
  • Toggle series: Click on any legend item to show/hide that category (accepted, waitlisted, rejected, unknown)
Advanced Features:
  • Colorblind mode: Toggle on in the controls above for an alternative color palette
  • Export/Print: Click the menu in the top-right corner of any graph to download or print
  • Cycle selection: Use the dropdown in the controls above to view data from different application cycles
  • Demographic filters: Filter by International, URM, Military, or Early Decision status to compare specific groups
  • Custom axes: On the LSAT vs. GPA graph, select different metrics to compare (dates, scholarships, etc.)
  • Compare your stats: Your own stats will appear as a blue diamond when viewing these graphs

Selectivity & Competitiveness Trends

How to interpret this chart:

  • LSAT (blue): Shows the 25th/50th/75th percentiles as a shaded band with median line. Hover to see exact values in format: 165/170/175
  • GPA (green): Shows the 25th/50th/75th percentiles as a shaded band with median line. Hover to see exact values in format: 3.45/3.65/3.85
  • Acceptance Rate (orange): Percentage of applicants who received offers (lower = more selective)
  • Applications (purple dashed): Total number of applications received each year

Rising LSAT/GPA medians, narrowing bands, or falling acceptance rates indicate increasing competitiveness. Click legend items to show/hide metrics.

For law school applicants interested in the 2023 admissions cycle at Villanova Law School, 2351 candidates submitted JD applications and 529 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is highly competitive for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 16.5%.

The JD program at Villanova Law School enrolls a first-year class of 161 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 29.68%. This means that of the 529 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 157 chose to enroll. Understanding these law school admission statistics can help prospective JD applicants evaluate their chances and plan their application strategy.

For a competitive law school application to Villanova Law School, students should aim to meet or exceed the median statistics shown below. Meeting these GPA and LSAT targets significantly improves your chances of admission.

JD Admission Requirements & Application Statistics

Admissions Metrics (ABA 509)
Metric Value
Applications
2351
74th percentile
Admission Offers 529
Class Size
161
46th percentile
Acceptance Rate
16.5%
84th percentile
Yield Rate
29.68%
51st percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 159.09 162.6 165.67
GPA 3.39 3.63 3.76
Softs T3.19 T3.28 T3.3
Avg Scholarship - - $155,783
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
74th percentile
157 164 165
GPA
77th percentile
3.58 3.80 3.90
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 159.0 (+2.0) 163.0 (-1.0) 166.0 (+1.0)
GPA 3.42 (-0.16) 3.7 (-0.1) 3.89 (-0.01)
* Based on 500 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 74 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 48 days
Interview Invite Rate 1.6%
Interview → Acceptance Rate 100.0%

The above statistics show that Villanova Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 157 (25th percentile) to 165 (75th percentile), with a median of 164.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.58 to 3.90, with a median of 3.80.

With an acceptance rate of 16.5%, Villanova Law School is considered a highly competitive law school in terms of admissions.

What these numbers mean
  • Percentiles: The 25th/50th/75th percentiles show the distribution of scores among admitted students.
  • Applications: Total number of people who applied to this law school.
  • Acceptance Rate: Percentage of applicants who received offers (lower = more selective).
  • Yield Rate: Percentage of admitted students who enrolled (higher = more desirable).

Application Status Data

Villanova Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 500 apps

Villanova Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

92.9%
76th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

80.9%
60th percentile

Median Starting Salary

$110,000
Private Sector
69th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

86.4%
77th percentile

BigLaw Placement

14.8%
72nd percentile

Federal Clerkships

3.6%
73rd percentile

Employment Quality Distribution

Law Firm Employment by Size

Employment Quality Matrix

Employment Type Full-Time
Long-Term
Full-Time
Short-Term
Part-Time
Long-Term
Part-Time
Short-Term
Total % of Grads
Bar Required 146 2 148 87.6%
JD Advantage 9 0 9 5.3%
Professional 1 0.6%
Other 0 0.0%
School-Funded 0 0 0 0.0%
Total Employed 155 2 0 0 158 93.5%
School-Funded: May inflate stats

Generally, if you attend law school, you want to secure a bar-required position. However, at prestigious institutions, students may target specific JD advantage positions such as private equity or elite consulting roles.

Employment by Sector

Distribution

Sector Details

Employment Sector % of Graduates National Percentile
Law Firms 55.0%
61st percentile
Judicial Clerkships 11.8%
70th percentile
Government 14.8%
71st percentile
Public Interest 3.6%
8th percentile
Business 7.7%
51st percentile
Academia 0.6%
25th percentile

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 6 3.6%
73rd percentile
State/Local 14 8.3%

Federal clerkships are highly prestigious positions that significantly enhance career prospects in litigation and academia.

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
80.9%
60th percentile
Takers: 178
Passed: 144
vs State Avg +7.2%
Ultimate Pass Rate
93.17%
55th percentile
Takers: 161
Passed: 150
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
73.66%
State average for jurisdictions where graduates took the bar
Understanding bar passage metrics

First-time: Immediate readiness indicator

Ultimate: Long-term success within 2 years

vs State: Performance relative to state average

Bar Passage Rates Comparison

Salary Outcomes

Private Sector
Median Salary $110,000
69th percentile
25th Percentile $85,000
75th percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $64,431
29th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at Villanova Law School is $111k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $49k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at Villanova Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $110,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $64,431. These post-law school employment outcomes are important factors for evaluating the return on investment for your legal education.

For law school applicants interested in specific legal career paths, it's worth noting that 55.0% of Villanova Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 11.8% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 3.6% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 92.9% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from Villanova Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 80.9%. Within two years, 93.17% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +7.2% compared to the weighted state average. These bar passage metrics are important indicators of how well the law school prepares its students for this crucial professional licensing examination.

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