Want to get into Northwestern Law?
Then you’re in the right place.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to create an incredible application that stands out from the crowd.
Ready? Let’s go!
What programs does Northwestern Law offer?
Northwestern Law offers a JD degree program as well as several joint degrees:
| Degree | Key information |
|---|---|
| Juris Doctor (JD) | 3 years |
| Master of Law (LLM) | 1 year |
| Master of Science in Law (MSL) | 9 months |
| JD-MBA | For students interested in business and law. In partnership with The Kellogg School. |
| JD-PhD | For students who are interested in an academic or research career. |
| JD-LLM in Taxation | For students who will practice tax law. |
| JD-LLM in International Human Rights | Focused on international human rights law and international criminal law. |
| International Dual Degrees | JD-LLM in International Business Law (Madrid) and JD-Master in Economic Law (Paris). |
With that in mind, let’s talk about what it takes to get into Northwestern Law.
Northwestern University Pritzker School of law admissions statistics
You’ll need to know some key admissions facts to get into Northwestern Law. So let’s go over them together.
Acceptance rate
First off, how selective is Northwestern Law School?
With a 15.53% acceptance rate, it’s one of the more difficult law schools to get into – but that’s because of its high rankings.
Rankings
Northwestern Law is considered a Tier 1 law school, which means it’s one of the best in the country.
In fact, US News and World Report named it the ninth-best law school in America.
It also ranked eighth on Above the Law’s list of best law schools.
Who gets into Northwestern Law
Of the 6,327 students who applied to get into Northwestern Law, just 242 enrolled and became part of the 2024 JD entering class.
Here’s a quick look at the class profile:
| Women | 53% |
| Male | 47% |
| Students of color | 54% |
| First-generation college students | 23% |
| Average age | 25 |
| Have at least one year of post-graduate experience | 85% |
| Have an advanced degree | 10% |
| States represented | 37 |
| International students | 13% |
| Colleges and universities represented | 128 |
Now, don’t let the acceptance rate or amount of post-graduate experience fool you into thinking you won’t get into Northwestern Law.
You absolutely can – if you approach the admissions process strategically.
But before we talk about that, let’s dive into another important element: your GPA and LSAT scores.
What GPA do you need for Northwestern Law School?
The full range of GPAs among students in the 2024 JD entering class is:
- 25th percentile: 3.77
- 50th percentile: 3.95
- 75th percentile: 4.00
So, for students who get into Northwestern Law, a perfect 4.00 GPA is high, a 3.77 is low, and a 3.95 is average.
Next, let’s cover the LSAT scores needed to get into Northwestern Law.
What LSAT score do you need for Northwestern Law?
Of students who get into Northwestern Law, the average LSAT score is 172.
Here’s a look at the full range of scores:
- 25th percentile: 166
- 50th percentile: 172
- 75th percentile: 174
Put simply, a score of 166 is low, while a 174 is high.
So, yes, Northwestern law students do have good GPA and LSAT scores.
But the great news is your scores don’t have to be this high!
Even though they do matter, scores aren’t the deciding factor in whether or not you get accepted – and we’ll discuss this more later on.
For the full lowdown on how to get into Northwestern Law, keep reading.
How do you get into Northwestern Pritzker School of Law?
Ready to apply?
Let’s talk about the application requirements for Northwestern.
Bachelor’s degree
First, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
It can be in a field of your choice (though some majors are better than others for law school).
Just remember, students who get into Northwestern Law have a solid academic background, with an average GPA of 3.95.
Application and transcript
When your application is ready, you’ll have to submit it through the LSAC alongside a $75 application fee.
You’ll also need to submit a transcript that reflects all undergraduate and graduate work, which can be done via the CAS.
Standardized test scores
Another thing you’ll need to submit through the CAS website is your LSAT score.
Remember, the average LSAT score is 172, but it won’t make or break your chances to get into Northwestern Law.
If you’d rather not submit LSAT scores, they also accept the GRE.
Next up: creating a stand-out personal statement.
Personal statement
Your personal statement is a way to get the attention of the Admissions Committee and stand out from the crowd.
You can write about anything you want, but I recommend focusing on things that are not reflected in your transcript or resume, like your purpose or what makes you a great candidate.
For most students, choosing a topic is the hardest part.
To sum it all up, your topic should be a cohesive narrative that illustrates why you want to get into Northwestern Law without needing explanation or background information.
Try to find one that is:
- Compelling
- Informative
- Easy to understand
- Supportive of your application
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- A story that sets you apart
- An “undercover skill” you didn’t add to your resume
- Your unique skills and talents
- What you want to accomplish as a lawyer
Want some more guidance? Check out my full guide to writing a powerful personal statement.
Letters of recommendation
Now, Northwestern Law requires at least one, but at most four, letters of recommendation.
I always recommend submitting three to give the Admissions Committee a holistic view of who you are as a person and student.
The big question: who do you ask?
Well, at least one should come from a former teacher.
After all, who can better speak to your capabilities as a student?
But if a teacher isn’t an option (or you’ve been out of school for a while), you could also ask for a recommendation letter from someone you’ve worked closely with, like a manager or colleague.
Just whatever you do, don’t ask friends or family.
I’ll tell you exactly who to ask – and how – in this guide.
Law school resume
Another thing you’ll need to work on is your law school resume.
Northwestern wants resumes with “relevant professional, academic, and leadership experience that together illustrate your law school candidacy.”
In other words, they don’t want the kind of resume you’d submit to a job posting.
You’re trying to get into Northwestern Law, after all!
That means leaving out objectives and a summary of qualifications so you can focus more on your interests, relevant qualifications, and how you spent your time after graduation.
I recommend the following headers:
- Education
- Professional Experience and/or Employment
- Accomplishments
- Activities
- Community Engagement
- Publications
- Skills/Interests
You’ll want to highlight hard and soft skills like:
- Work experience
- Analytical and writing abilities
- Educational history
- College and community activities
- Honors or awards
- Language skills
- Creativity
As you can see, there’s a lot to think about when writing your law school resume.
That’s why I put together a full guide, complete with real-life examples, here.
Optional essays
You can also submit an optional essay if you want to include information not found in any of your other materials.
Here are the prompts provided by Northwestern Law:
- Describe your interest in attending Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.
- Describe any experiences in your life or unique qualities you think would benefit Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and/or your classmates.
- What does public service mean to you, and how do you see yourself engaging in public service or pro-bono work to meet the needs of the underserved?
- Did you face any particular challenges we should know about when considering your academic history or test scores?
Admissions interview
Lastly, admissions interviews are a hallmark of Northwestern Law’s admissions process – with more than 95% of students completing one!
That said, it is optional.
But it’s a great way to let the Admissions Committee see your communication skills, personality, and motivation first-hand.
Find out how the process works here.
So, that’s how to get into Northwestern Law.
With all this in mind, let’s talk about the fees and deadlines you need to know.
Northwestern Law tuition fee
Here’s a quick look at how much each JD program costs at Northwestern Law:
| Program | Cost |
|---|---|
| JD | $76,704 |
| JD-MBA | $108,606 |
| JD-LLM in Taxation | $76,704 for the first two years, $115,056 for the third |
You can see the tuition fees for other programs and learn about financial aid here.
Northwestern Law application deadlines
So, what about the key dates for the application process?
Here’s everything you need to know:
| September 1st | Applications open |
| November 1st | Recommended interview deadline for Early Decision applicants |
| November 15th | Early Decision application deadline |
| February 15th | Application deadline |
| February 28th | Interview deadline |
| March 1st | Financial aid deadline |
Since admissions are done on a rolling basis, early applications are best.
The school also offers an Early Decision program, which you can learn more about here.
Now, let’s say you’ve done everything it takes to get into Northwestern Law… except score as high as you’d like on your LSAT or GPA.
That’s okay! You can still get in.
Keep reading to find out how.
How do you get into Northwestern Law with lower GPA or LSAT scores?
Don’t let lower scores put you off from trying to get into Northwestern Law.
We know that a high GPA is 4.00, while a low GPA is 3.77.
And there’s an eight-point difference between the highest (174) and lowest (166) LSAT scores.
Those are bigger differences than you might realize!
The thing is, your scores just need to be close to the averages.
For example, you could probably get into Northwestern Law with a 3.7 GPA or 163 LSAT – but not with a 3.4 GPA or 158 LSAT.
It’s also worth noting that the application process is holistic, which means that all parts of your application are considered instead of just your scores.
And this is where being strategic is important.
So, let’s dive into a few ways to get into Northwestern Law, even with lower scores.
Retake the LSAT
Now, there is no shame in retaking the LSAT to improve your score.
That said, I recommend you don’t take it more than 3 times, as it could harm your application.
You can find out more in this guide.
Take the GRE
Remember, Northwestern Law also accepts GRE scores.
So, if you don’t want to retake the LSAT, this is another option.
Create a strong application
Finally, a strong application is one of the most important parts of helping an admissions team look past lower scores.
That means you’ll need to get great letters of recommendation from the right people and write a powerful personal statement.
If you want to explain your scores, you could write an addendum.
But I wouldn’t do this unless you have a genuine reason, like:
- A significant score change or odd pattern
- Responsibilities that made it difficult, like raising a family
- No access to resources or support for standardized tests
Still have questions about how to get into Northwestern Law? I’ve got you covered
FAQs: How to get into Northwestern Law
Is Northwestern Law hard to get into?
The Northwestern Law acceptance rate is 15.53%.
Because it’s one of the best law schools in the country, Northwestern is selective.
But it’s not as hard to get into as other T-14 schools like Yale (5.6%), Stanford (7.26%), or Harvard (9.5%).
Is Northwestern Law competitive?
With just 242 students enrolling out of more than 6,300 applicants, Northwestern is competitive.
And for good reason!
The school has:
- The most interdisciplinary research faculty in America
- A legal clinic with 12 centers and 20 clinics
- Multiple study abroad and dual-degree programs
- A 97.8% employment rate
It was also ranked 8th for Best Career Prospects by Princeton Review and as the best Big Law school by Law.com.
What GPA, LSAT, and GRE scores do you need for Northwestern Law?
Here’s a final look at the GPAs of students who get into Northwestern Law:
- 25th percentile: 3.77
- 50th percentile: 3.95
- 75th percentile: 4.00
And here are the LSAT scores:
- 25th percentile: 166
- 50th percentile: 172
- 75th percentile: 174
Finally, let’s look at the median GRE scores for each category:
- Verbal reasoning: 165
- Quantitative reasoning: 163
- Analytical writing: 5.5
Next steps
Well, there you go! Everything you need to get into Northwestern Law.
As you can see, you just need to be strategic in your approach.
And that’s where I come in.
I help my clients get into their dream law schools — and I can help you, too.
Learn what it’s like to work with me here.
Read more:
How to Get into Top Law Schools
