Top Law Schools

University of Notre Dame Law School




(Thanks tedofsandimas for letting me copy your pictures from last cycle)

Ranked #22 by US News (tied with Minnesota and Emory) and has a tuition sticker price of a whopping $52k.

Class of 2020 Stats as of August 2016:
LSAT: 158 - 164 - 165
GPA: 3.41 - 3.71 - 3.82

ND admission committee is active. Emails began going out on December 8th and scholarship info is expected to be mailed beginning the following week.

Application Information
- Application opens September 1st with an ED deadline of November 1st.
- The optional essays tend to be highly recommended, especially if you are a URM or will be applying ED.
- Decisions have historically begun rolling out in mid to late December (feel free to correct me here).
- 35% acceptance rate with 2,466 apps and 200 matriculating.
- 25% are classified as "Diversity Students," and 59% are male.

Links:
NDLS Application Link
NDLS Application Information
NDLS Application Fee Waiver Request Form
NDLS FAQ
LSN Page


Brief Employment Info
- 132 of the 179 2015 grads were employed in a career that Bar passage is required. 43 grads were employed in Illinois (I would presume mostly Chicago).

*June LSAT takers during this year did not continue last year's trend of a slight increase. Hope for the same in September, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Previous Threads:
2019 Applicant Thread
2018 Applicant Thread
2017 Applicant Thread

Here is a great Q&A thread from ndirish2010: Alumni taking questions

(I'll update this with more information as it becomes available)

Checking in.

Working on my "Why NDLS?" essay. I don't think I'll get enough money from them to make attending here realistic, but gonna see what happens. Very happy to see their 25th GPA is right in my wheelhouse.

No love for Dame? Damn

Gitaroo_Dude wrote:Checking in.

Working on my "Why NDLS?" essay. I don't think I'll get enough money from them to make attending here realistic, but gonna see what happens. Very happy to see their 25th GPA is right in my wheelhouse.

I just buttoned mine up a few days ago. It really sounds like they give a solid review though, so you never know.

UltimateSplitter wrote:I just buttoned mine up a few days ago. It really sounds like they give a solid review though, so you never know.

Yeah, based on LSN's 2015 data, I have a decent shot at getting some money. I'd be willing to take on more debt to attend NDLS than most other schools, so we'll see. I'm feeling good that my overall package will present a genuine interest in the school, so hopefully that helps.

Did you write the Different Kind of Lawyer essay as well?

Gitaroo_Dude wrote:

UltimateSplitter wrote:I just buttoned mine up a few days ago. It really sounds like they give a solid review though, so you never know.

Yeah, based on LSN's 2015 data, I have a decent shot at getting some money. I'd be willing to take on more debt to attend NDLS than most other schools, so we'll see. I'm feeling good that my overall package will present a genuine interest in the school, so hopefully that helps.

Did you write the Different Kind of Lawyer essay as well?

I did not. I put a ton of time into my PS and why NDLS essay, so I thought I'd be fine without it. I'm also not a URM, and I don't want to come off as trying to show that I somehow am.

Hey, prospective NDLS 2020s! I'm a 2013 NDLS and 2010 ND grad living in South Bend now. Feel free to ask any questions you might have about the school and the area. Good luck!

ndirish2010 wrote:Hey, prospective NDLS 2020s! I'm a 2013 NDLS and 2010 ND grad living in South Bend now. Feel free to ask any questions you might have about the school and the area. Good luck!

Thanks for stopping by so soon. Was NDLS pretty generous with giving out grants? I'm trying to tell if they're like the private undergrads that have a crazy sticker price and then give out grants to make it comparable to other schools after FAFSA. I'm curious to see what's behind the 70% of students receiving grants number.

UltimateSplitter wrote:

ndirish2010 wrote:Hey, prospective NDLS 2020s! I'm a 2013 NDLS and 2010 ND grad living in South Bend now. Feel free to ask any questions you might have about the school and the area. Good luck!

Thanks for stopping by so soon. Was NDLS pretty generous with giving out grants? I'm trying to tell if they're like the private undergrads that have a crazy sticker price and then give out grants to make it comparable to other schools after FAFSA. I'm curious to see what's behind the 70% of students receiving grants number.

When I was a 0L, most people with numbers above the medians were getting between 18 and 22k per year. I knew very few people paying sticker, but there were also very few, if any, full rides. Now, I've started to hear they're giving away a couple of full rides and more scholarships in the 30s per year. I don't know what's changed, but I assume most of the scholarships are still half or so.

ndirish2010 wrote:Hey, prospective NDLS 2020s! I'm a 2013 NDLS and 2010 ND grad living in South Bend now. Feel free to ask any questions you might have about the school and the area. Good luck!

Thanks for dropping in. It's funny you came by, I was browsing the forums for an "Ask a ND student" thread earlier this week when I stumbled across yours:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=248050

Great resource btw (maybe we can have it stickied on the OP?). Was surprised to see someone else in a similar boat to me ("progressive" political/social opinions, but I sympathize/identify more with FedSoc's approach to the law). The strength of ND's FedSoc is actually a big selling point for me; it's something I want to explore more to see if my current beliefs are compatible.

This is obviously a super soft factor, but what the hell, it's ND we're talking about: there should be time to attend the occasional game and follow the football season even as a 1L, right? I feel like if I'm going to attend NDLS, then I should try and get the full ND experience.

Gitaroo_Dude wrote:

ndirish2010 wrote:Hey, prospective NDLS 2020s! I'm a 2013 NDLS and 2010 ND grad living in South Bend now. Feel free to ask any questions you might have about the school and the area. Good luck!

Thanks for dropping in. It's funny you came by, I was browsing the forums for an "Ask a ND student" thread earlier this week when I stumbled across yours:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=248050

Great resource btw (maybe we can have it stickied on the OP?). Was surprised to see someone else in a similar boat to me ("progressive" political/social opinions, but I sympathize/identify more with FedSoc's approach to the law). The strength of ND's FedSoc is actually a big selling point for me; it's something I want to explore more to see if my current beliefs are compatible.

This is obviously a super soft factor, but what the hell, it's ND we're talking about: there should be time to attend the occasional game and follow the football season even as a 1L, right? I feel like if I'm going to attend NDLS, then I should try and get the full ND experience.

I didn't do work on a Saturday my entire 1L year except right around finals and legal writing memo time. So yeah, it's certainly possible to do well and watch college football. I went to every ND game and watched my fair share of other games (I'm a pretty hardcore college football fan), and I don't think my school performance suffered.

As far as FedSoc, I mean you'll certainly find that most people who are dedicated members are conservative (not surprising, obviously). But we certainly brought the best speakers to campus (highlighted by Justice Thomas when I was a 3L), and we host some really good debates. Now that I'm back in South Bend, I'm planning on attending a few of the meetings again because usually we have quite an interesting speaker list. You should definitely go and see what you think.

Submitted my app today via LSAC.. good luck all!

trmckenz wrote:Submitted my app today via LSAC.. good luck all!

Just about to do the same. Let the wait begin!

Well, got a fee waiver via email today, so that's nice.

MCJ987654 wrote:Well, got a fee waiver via email today, so that's nice.

Same here. I wasn't expecting it at all since I'm at their 25th percentiles.

Current NDLS 2L: happy to answer what I can

How do older students fare socially at NDLS? Do you notice students with several years of experience being excluded from social invitations, or are they mixed in pretty well?

trmckenz wrote:How do older students fare socially at NDLS? Do you notice students with several years of experience being excluded from social invitations, or are they mixed in pretty well?

Notre Dame tends to be on the younger side when it comes to law schools. I think something like 50% are KJD and the average age of 1Ls is 23. However, the social environment is pretty welcoming. Nobody is excluded from things like tailgates. Like with any social group there are groups within that tend to formulate - but this is largely self-selection IME.

All in all, NDLS is as collegial as they come.

I was a K-JD and was friends with several older (30+ and even 40+) students when I was at NDLS. Though they did express the normal issues of being a bit isolated from most people because of being in different stages of life (i.e. married/kids), they had no problem getting along with the majority of the class. That's not to say an older student couldn't find a better fit elsewhere - only that you can fit in at NDLS.

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll be 4 years out upon entering but look young and enjoy tailgating, so I don't think I'll have any problems.

Any advice on places to check out on a 1-day campus visit? I've never been to South Bend before.

trmckenz wrote:Thanks for the replies guys. I'll be 4 years out upon entering but look young and enjoy tailgating, so I don't think I'll have any problems.

Any advice on places to check out on a 1-day campus visit? I've never been to South Bend before.

If you have any interest, I'd be willing to give you a tour of the campus and the area if you do decide to come for a visit. PM me if you want.

ndirish2010 wrote:

Gitaroo_Dude wrote: This is obviously a super soft factor, but what the hell, it's ND we're talking about: there should be time to attend the occasional game and follow the football season even as a 1L, right? I feel like if I'm going to attend NDLS, then I should try and get the full ND experience.

I didn't do work on a Saturday my entire 1L year except right around finals and legal writing memo time. So yeah, it's certainly possible to do well and watch college football. I went to every ND game and watched my fair share of other games (I'm a pretty hardcore college football fan), and I don't think my school performance suffered.

yeah most people go to the games, and those who didnt get season tickets sometimes regret it... you just get your work done b4 saturday or deal with the pain of sunday work, but you don't do anything on game days as you are generally at a bar or a tailgate ~8am (tho I've been sticking to closer to 10)

rokiv wrote:

trmckenz wrote:How do older students fare socially at NDLS? Do you notice students with several years of experience being excluded from social invitations, or are they mixed in pretty well?

Notre Dame tends to be on the younger side when it comes to law schools. I think something like 50% are KJD and the average age of 1Ls is 23. However, the social environment is pretty welcoming. Nobody is excluded from things like tailgates. Like with any social group there are groups within that tend to formulate - but this is largely self-selection IME.

All in all, NDLS is as collegial as they come.

Average age I believe is 24 for 1L this year, but I know we have a 30 n 31 yr old and then there's 2 women I think are older (tho not sure how much) and have a few kids but as far as hanging out and that theres no real separation of the older people, everyone here is pretty gr8

trmckenz wrote:Thanks for the replies guys. I'll be 4 years out upon entering but look young and enjoy tailgating, so I don't think I'll have any problems.

Any advice on places to check out on a 1-day campus visit? I've never been to South Bend before.

yeah with only being 4 years out I doubt you would have any issues

So Notre Dame is the only app I haven't sent off yet, and I've heard the 2 optional essays are not so optional. It is easily in my top 5, but I don't want to get passed over and waitlisted or give up a possible scholarship chance. I am right at 25 for GPA and right at 75 for LSAT. Would it be advisable to write one of the 2 essays? I don't want to try to write a "why" essay and it come up short and look bad, though. As for the DKL essay, I had an idea, but I am unsure as to whether I could pull it off.

Long shot hero wrote:So Notre Dame is the only app I haven't sent off yet, and I've heard the 2 optional essays are not so optional. It is easily in my top 5, but I don't want to get passed over and waitlisted or give up a possible scholarship chance. I am right at 25 for GPA and right at 75 for LSAT. Would it be advisable to write one of the 2 essays? I don't want to try to write a "why" essay and it come up short and look bad, though. As for the DKL essay, I had an idea, but I am unsure as to whether I could pull it off.

Because you're not a guaranteed thing, I think writing an essay could really only help. Even a pretty generic one could help as long as it's well written. So just spend a few hours researching the school and capturing the reason why it'd easily in your top 5 into words.

Long shot hero wrote:So Notre Dame is the only app I haven't sent off yet, and I've heard the 2 optional essays are not so optional. It is easily in my top 5, but I don't want to get passed over and waitlisted or give up a possible scholarship chance. I am right at 25 for GPA and right at 75 for LSAT. Would it be advisable to write one of the 2 essays? I don't want to try to write a "why" essay and it come up short and look bad, though. As for the DKL essay, I had an idea, but I am unsure as to whether I could pull it off.

I know there were a lot of people saying that same thing regarding being not so optional, I didn't write either and am here now, tho I also applied kinda late so idk if that affects anything.
seeing as it is still October there is still plenty of time so I don't see a reason not to take a little time and write the essays