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Cornell Law School
Admissions and Tuition Applicants may be pleased to find that Cornell receives about half as many applications as the other top schools of New York, NYU and Columbia. Still, Cornell Law School has a highly selective admissions process. About 21% of applicants receive acceptance in a typical year, and recent entering classes have boasted a GPA of 3.78 and a LSAT score of 168 at the 75th percentiles and a GPA of 3.5 and a LSAT score of 166 at the 25th percentile. It should be noted that, in cases in which an applicant has multiple LSAT scores, the higher score is considered if it represents a 3 point improvement at minimum and is addressed in an addendum. According to Cornell students and graduates, applicants will increase their chances at admission if they can successfully demonstrate that Cornell is the best fit for their goals. The ‘Why Cornell?’ question, posed in the school’s application, should be given special attention, and letters of recommendation targeted at Cornell may further increase chances of acceptance. Like many other elite law schools, Cornell’s tuition hovers above the $40,000 mark. While the school rarely grants full tuition scholarships, 44% of students receive grants of varying amounts in a typical year, with the median grant amount at nearly $13,000. Academic Reputation and Curriculum Though solid in all areas, Cornell’s reputation is especially strong in areas related to international law. Aside from its own course offerings, the school provides students the opportunity to pass part of their course work in Germany, France or Australia, among other countries. Also, Cornell offers joint degree programs in which students can pursue their JD degree along with a French or German law degree. Certainly, Cornell students are given plenty of opportunities to expand their law education beyond American borders, should they wish to do so. Applicants should be forewarned that Cornell provides a notoriously heavy workload for first-year students, usually 16 credit hours are required, although the school does employ a relatively generous curve in grading. During this first year, students can expect to partake in large classes that are part of a required first-year curriculum. Quality of Life
Employment Prospects and Bar Passage Current Cornell law students scarcely worry about employment opportunities. Given the school’s reputation, its Ivy-League alumni network and its reliable access to the top firms in New York City, graduates generally can choose between several prestigious job offers. Recruiters from across the country participate in job fairs at the school, at which students usually partake in many interviews and can expect to receive callbacks from some of the nation’s top law firms. While about half of Cornell graduates accept job offers from New York firms, the fact that nearly 15% of the school’s graduates accept offers from West Coast firms is a testament to the school’s ‘national’ reputation. Further proof of the school’s excellent reputation is the fact that, in a typical year, about 15% of the school’s graduates accept judicial clerkship offers. Cornell graduates perform excellently on the New York bar exam, as nearly 93% pass the exam in their first attempt, compared to a statewide average of 75%. After passing the exam, graduates usually begin jobs in the private sector with median salaries at $125,000. Synopsis For applicants wishing to attend an elite law school at which they can tend to their studies with minimum distraction, Cornell is undoubtedly of one of the best options. Graduates of the school can expect top-notch job placement in New York City and throughout the country, and with the school’s global joint degree programs, can even look beyond the United States for employment. Those willing to stand the shivery winters and rigorous academics of Cornell Law School will certainly reap the fruit of their labor for many years to come. Contact Information Myron Taylor Hall Quick Reference U.S. News Ranking: 12th |
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Applicants seeking an intimate and serene setting in which to attend an elite law school should place Cornell Law School near the very top of their list. Tucked away in beautifully frigid Ithaca, Cornell offers its students an Ivy-League legal education while shielding them from the hassles and worries of life in larger cities. With its highly-regarded programs in the international law field and various study abroad opportunities, Cornell is a relatively small, yet increasingly global, law school that is considered by most to be among the best in the nation. 
In the traditional sense, Cornell Law School students may not enjoy the highest quality of life, given the famously frigid winters of Ithaca and the town’s relative lack of nightlife. However, the school’s location is certainly not without its advantages. Safety, often a constant concern for students in larger cities, is said to be a non-issue for Cornell students. Also, housing is considerably easier to find than at other elite schools, and the overall cost of living is lower as well. Perhaps most importantly, however, is the tight-knit community that has taken form in the law school as a result of its small size. For the studious applicant, there may not be an environment better suited to obsessive studying, as seems to be required of Cornell’s first year students, than that of Cornell Law School. Finally, Ithaca is “gorges,” a playful pun that is frequently used to describe the picturesque gorges and waterfalls that abound in Ithaca and throughout upstate New York.