Northwestern University

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, informally referred to as Northwestern Pritzker, is located in Chicago, Illinois and has one of the smaller student populations with just under 800. Class sizes also remain fairly small. By offering joint degrees and many clinic opportunities, Northwestern has become a first-rate destination for law students.

Northwestern Pritzker students have the option of enrolling in the Accelerated JD (AJD) program in which students can complete their degree in five semesters instead of six. Some students decide to enroll in joint-degree programs. These include a JD/PhD, a MSJ/MSL with the Medill School of Journalism, or a JD/MBA with the Kellogg School of Management.

First years are required to take a year-long Communication and Legal Reasoning class. Other mandatory courses include torts, contracts, civil procedure, criminal law, property and constitutional law. First years must also participate in moot court competitions, in which they have to present briefs and argue cases in front of a court filled with alumni and faculty. Northwestern Law has also enjoyed recent success at the Jessup International Moot Court Competition, which is the biggest competition of its kind in the world.

Another key element of the curriculum is the clinics; each year more than 120 students enroll in clinical courses. Through the Bluhm Legal Clinic, students help clients with real-life cases. The clinics include the Center on Wrongful Convictions, the Supreme Court Clinic, the Federal Appellate Clinic, the Children and Family Justice Center, the MacArthur Justice Center, the Entrepreneurship Law Center, the Center for International Human Rights, the Investor Protection Center and the Fred Bartlit Center for Trial Advocacy.

Outside of the classroom, students have the opportunity to write and edit the six legal journals on campus. These publications include the “Northwestern University Law Review,” “Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property,” and “Journal of Law and Social Policy.” Many students also choose to take on externships; the programs include seminars that go along with 12 to 15 hours a week spent in a Chicago institution like the ACLU or Legal Assistance Foundation. There are also opportunities to study abroad in places like Australia, Belgium, Argentina and Singapore. With more than 50 student organizations on campus, Northwestern Pritzker Law is known for creating well-rounded lawyers who can excel inside and outside the classroom.

2020 acceptance rate: 19.20%

Number of 2020 applicants: 5,302

Number of 2020 matriculants: 237

Median LSAT: 169

Median GPA: 3.85

LSAT range (25 to 75 percentile): 165 to 171

GPA range (25 to 75 percentile): 3.57 to 3.92

February 15 is the deadline for regular admission. Decisions are made by the end of April.

On-campus interviewing ends on February 28.

*Northwestern School of Law is the only top US law school that strongly encourages all applicants to interview as part of the admissions process.

Northwestern places a heavy emphasis on work experience. Over 90 percent of students have at least one year of full-time work experience.

Northwestern University School of Law does allow students to start outside the fall semester.

Tuition (2020-2021): $68,500

Room and board (2020-2021): $24,794

Total estimated cost of attendance (2020-2021): $93,294

Students who receive grants: 82%

Median grant amount: $26,667

 Conditional Scholarships

Northwestern Law does not award law school scholarships that may be reduced or eliminated based on academic performance other than failure to maintain good academic standing.

Employment Statistics
Employed full-time, long-term, bar passage required: 86.7%
Employed full-time, long-term, JD advantage: 9.2%

Career Placement Results
BigLaw: 56.3%
Federal Clerkships: 6.7%

Transfers
Net Transfers: +33
Transfers Out: 3

Average Bar Passage Differential (first-time takers): 15.92%

Class Size Analysis
Under 25: 61%
25-49: 29%
50-74: 10%
75-99: 0%
100+: 0%