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Wake Forest Law School logo

Wake Forest Law School

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Rank #42 (USNWR 2020)

163
LSAT
3.73
GPA
17.99%
Admit Rate
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles

JD Admissions & Requirements

Data from 2020 admissions cycle

163
LSAT
3.73
GPA
17.99%
Admit Rate

Wake Forest Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In the competitive 2020 law school rankings, Wake Forest Law School was ranked 42 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2020 admissions cycle, Wake Forest Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 88 with an acceptance rate of 17.99%, positioning it among the most selective law schools for JD applicants.

Also known as
WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY WFU
Law School Applications
1790
JD application volume in 2020 cycle
JD Acceptance Rate
17.99%
95th percentile
JD Program Size
88
5th percentile
JD Tuition Cost
$47k

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Wake Forest Law School Law School Admissions Data & Statistics
2020-2021 Cycle Overview
314 applicants
Accepted
16 / 86
Waitlisted
12
Rejected
50
-
Withdrawn
76
-

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 2020 admissions cycle at Wake Forest Law School, 1790 candidates submitted JD applications and 322 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is highly competitive for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 17.99%.

The JD program at Wake Forest Law School enrolls a first-year class of 88 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 22.05%. This means that of the 322 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 71 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 Wake Forest 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
1790
63rd percentile
Admission Offers 322
Class Size
88
5th percentile
Acceptance Rate
17.99%
95th percentile
Yield Rate
22.05%
15th percentile
Average Statistics by Decision (LSD)
Metric Rejected All Accepted
LSAT 159.96 162.74 164.92
GPA 3.29 3.54 3.62
Softs T3.35 T3.33 T3.28
Avg Scholarship - - $114,153
* Softs are self-reported ratings (T1-T4) representing non-numeric application factors
LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509)
25th 50th 75th
LSAT
83rd percentile
158 163 165
GPA
91st percentile
3.62 3.73 3.91
LSD User Stats
Metric 25th 50th 75th
LSAT 160.0 (+2.0) 163.0 (0.0) 166.0 (+1.0)
GPA 3.31 (-0.31) 3.62 (-0.11) 3.8 (-0.11)
* Based on 314 self-reported applications
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
Application Process Statistics
Avg Days: Sent to Decision 128 days
Avg Days: UR to Decision 75 days
Interview Invite Rate 0.3%
Interview → Acceptance Rate 100.0%

The above statistics show that Wake Forest Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 158 (25th percentile) to 165 (75th percentile), with a median of 163.

For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.62 to 3.91, with a median of 3.73.

With an acceptance rate of 17.99%, Wake Forest 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

Wake Forest Law School Application Status Data

Application statuses submitted by LSData users

Showing 314 apps

Wake Forest Law School Law School Employment Outcomes

Overview

JD Employment Rate

93.4%
94th percentile

First-Time Bar Pass

90.0%
81st percentile

Median Starting Salary

$105,000
Private Sector
74th percentile

Employment Quality

JD Required

80.9%
80th percentile

BigLaw Placement

13.2%
77th percentile

Federal Clerkships

3.9%
73rd percentile

School-Funded Positions

0.7%

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 123 1 124 81.6%
JD Advantage 17 1 18 11.8%
Professional 1 0.7%
Other 1 0.7%
School-Funded 0 1 1 0.7%
Total Employed 140 3 0 0 145 95.4%
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 62.5%
91st percentile
Judicial Clerkships 9.2%
62nd percentile
Government 7.2%
21st percentile
Public Interest 2.0%
5th percentile
Business 13.8%
80th percentile
Academia 0.7%
35th percentile

Judicial Clerkships

Clerkships by Type

Clerkship Type Graduates % of Class National Rank
Federal 6 3.9%
73rd percentile
State/Local 8 5.3%

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

Bar Examination Performance

First-Time Pass Rate
90.0%
81st percentile
Takers: 140
Passed: 126
vs State Avg +10.9%
Ultimate Pass Rate
92.98%
65th percentile
Takers: 171
Passed: 159
Within 2 years
Jurisdiction Weighted
79.13%
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 $105,000
74th percentile
25th Percentile $65,000
52nd percentile
Public Sector
Median Salary $53,000
27th percentile

Career Outcomes Summary

Law school tuition at Wake Forest Law School is $47k annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $43k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).

After completing their JD program at Wake Forest Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $105,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $53,000. 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 62.5% of Wake Forest Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 9.2% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 2.0% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, 93.4% of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.

For JD graduates from Wake Forest Law School, the first-time bar exam pass rate is 90.0%. Within two years, 92.98% of graduates ultimately pass the bar exam. The school's first-time pass rate is +10.9% 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.

Success in law school is 10% intelligence and 90% persistence.

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