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If the law is on your side, pound the law. If the facts are on your side, pound the facts. If neither the law nor the facts are on your side, pound the table.
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Widener University Commonwealth Law School
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Rank #159 (USNWR 2023)
JD Admissions & Requirements
Data from 2023 admissions cycle
Widener University Commonwealth Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In the competitive 2023 law school rankings, Widener University Commonwealth Law School was ranked 159 by US News & World Report, making it a strong option for prospective law students in the current application cycle. For the 2023 admissions cycle, Widener University Commonwealth Law School has an entering 1L class size of approximately 149 with an acceptance rate of 60.2%, positioning it among the competitive law schools for JD applicants.
Also known as
Study hard, for the well is deep, and our brains are shallow.
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Wisdom from Widener University Commonwealth Law School Admits
2023-2024 Cycle Overview
Admissions Graphs
25th, 50th, 75th lines show admitted class %iles
Filters
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 Widener University Commonwealth Law School, 720 candidates submitted JD applications and 468 received acceptance letters. The law school application process here is moderately selective for prospective students with an acceptance rate of 60.2%.
The JD program at Widener University Commonwealth Law School enrolls a first-year class of 149 law students each year, with an admissions yield rate of 30.98%. This means that of the 468 applicants who received law school acceptance letters, 145 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 Widener University Commonwealth 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 |
720
|
| Admission Offers | 468 |
| Class Size |
149
|
| Acceptance Rate |
60.2%
|
| Yield Rate |
30.98%
|
| Average Statistics by Decision (LSD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Rejected | All | Accepted |
| LSAT | - | 155.5 | 155.5 |
| GPA | - | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Softs | - | T3.67 | T3.67 |
| Avg Scholarship | - | - | $78,667 |
| LSAT & GPA Statistics (ABA 509) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th | 50th | 75th | |
|
LSAT
|
146 | 148 | 152 |
|
GPA
|
3.00 | 3.34 | 3.61 |
| LSD User Stats | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | 25th | 50th | 75th |
| LSAT | 152.0 (+6.0) | 155.5 (+7.5) | 159.0 (+7.0) |
| GPA | 2.77 (-0.23) | 3.22 (-0.12) | 3.7 (+0.09) |
* Green/Red values show difference from ABA 509 data
| Application Process Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Avg Days: Sent to Decision | 44 days |
| Avg Days: UR to Decision | - |
| Interview Invite Rate | 0.0% |
| Interview → Acceptance Rate | - |
The above statistics show that Widener University Commonwealth Law School typically admits students with LSAT scores ranging from 146 (25th percentile) to 152 (75th percentile), with a median of 148.
For GPA, admitted students typically have undergraduate GPAs ranging from 3.00 to 3.61, with a median of 3.34.
With an acceptance rate of 60.2%, Widener University Commonwealth Law School is considered a moderately selective 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
Application statuses submitted by LSData users
Showing 4 apps
Overview
JD Employment Rate
First-Time Bar Pass
Median Starting Salary
Employment Quality
JD Required
BigLaw Placement
Federal Clerkships
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 ★ | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% |
| JD Advantage | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% |
| Professional | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% |
| Other | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% |
| School-Funded | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0% |
| Total Employed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
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 | 42.5% |
|
| Judicial Clerkships | 20.5% |
|
| Government | 23.3% |
|
| Public Interest | 5.5% |
|
| Business | 8.2% |
|
| Academia | 0.0% |
|
Judicial Clerkships
Bar Examination Performance
Salary Outcomes
Private Sector
Public Sector
Career Outcomes Summary
Law school tuition at Widener University Commonwealth Law School is - annually (calculated from semester costs). Prospective law students should budget approximately $55k for the total annual cost of attending (including tuition, fees, books, and living expenses).
After completing their JD program at Widener University Commonwealth Law School, graduates entering private law firms earn a median starting salary of $73,000. JD graduates pursuing public sector legal careers start at approximately $60,500. 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 42.5% of Widener University Commonwealth Law School JD graduates secure positions at law firms after graduation. Additionally, 20.5% of graduates obtain prestigious judicial clerkships, and 5.5% pursue public interest law careers. Overall, - of JD graduates were employed at jobs that required a JD within 10 months of graduation.