Class Profile

In addition to seeking students with strong academic qualifications, Northwestern Law is unique in placing strong emphasis in selecting students who also demonstrate:

strong interpersonal, communication, and teamwork skills
at least two years of post-undergraduate, full-time work experience (although we will admit a small number of students with less)
leadership potential

Northwestern is the only major law school that tries to interview every applicant to assess personal as well as intellectual potential. Our interviewing program focuses on such personal qualities as superior speaking and writing skills, judgment, and ambition.

Number of Applicants Interviewed (JD Program)

We base our admissions decisions on more than just test scores. Long-term, our goal is that all entering students will have at least two years of post-college work experience—another factor that helps us determine their motivation and ability to thrive in law school and beyond.

Percent of Entering Students with Work Experience
(JD Program)

Our entering class's median LSAT score has climbed from the 14th highest among the nation's top law schools to 6th highest. And the middle range of LSAT scores—the 25th to 75th percentiles—has risen and narrowed, from 159–166 to 166–172.

Rising Student Quality: Median LSAT (JD Program)

Rising and Narrowing LSAT Range

Our student body is one of the most geographically diverse among American law schools. More than two-thirds of our students now come from outside the Midwest, as compared with one-half in 1996. This year for the first time more students from the Northeast enrolled than from any other region.

Geographic Diversity (JD Program)

Since law and business are increasingly interrelated, Northwestern offers law students the opportunity to take several courses with business students at the Kellogg School of Management. Some students do more, taking advantage of the country's largest joint JD/MBA degree program and the first that can be completed in only three years.

Enrollment (JD/MBA Program)

Some of the most talented foreign-trained lawyers and legal professionals come to Northwestern for postgraduate study, enriching the environment for all students. Students in our general nine-month LLM program expand their knowledge of U.S. and international law. Students in the one-year graduate program in law and business (LLM/Kellogg) earn both an LLM degree from the Law School and a certificate in business administration from Kellogg.

Enrollment (LLM and LLM/Kellogg Programs)

Entering Class General Statistics (JD Program)
Entering Year	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Enrolled students	205	205	242	242	243	243	233	238
Applicants interviewed	2,070	2,300	2,655	3,190	3,421	3,505	3,823	3,543
LSAT distribution
Middle 50%	163–168	164-169	165-169	166-170	166-170	167-171	166-172	167-172
Median	167	167	168	169	169	169	170	170
GPA distribution
Middle 50%	3.3 - 3.7	3.3 - 3.7	3.3 - 3.7	3.4 - 3.8	3.5 - 3.8	3.5 - 3.8	3.4-3.8	3.4-3.8
Median	3.6	3.6	3.5	3.6	3.7	3.7	3.7	3.7
Female	50%	47%	50%	44%	48%	49%	41%	48%
Students of color	33%	31%	29%	30%	34%	37%	42%	42%
Average age at matriculation	25	25	25	25	25	25	26	26
Age range	21–40	21-44	20-40	21-34	21-38	21-40	21-45	20-39
Number of states represented	34	38	38	34	38	36	35	41
Colleges/universities represented	100	107	99	112	111	113	123	116
Work experience
0 years	22%	20%	14%	8%	9%	6%	7%	5%
1+ years	78%	80%	86%	92%	91%	94%	93%	95%
2 + years	56%	58%	63%	67%	68%	74%	75%	82%
Geographic diversity
Midwest	33%	32%	36%	31%	31%	31%	32%	28%
Northeast	26%	24%	27%	28%	25%	23%	25%	29%
South	19%	22%	13%	17%	17%	23%	19%	21%
West	18%	21%	19%	21%	24%	19%	19%	20%
International	4%	1%	5%	3%	3%	4%	5%	2%