Want to get into UCLA Law School?
Then, you need the right strategy. And today, you’ll learn exactly what it takes to apply to UCLA Law.
Want to learn more? Let’s get started!
How hard is it to get into UCLA Law School?
UCLA School of Law has an acceptance rate of 15.5%.
6,457 people applied to be part of the Fall 2023 incoming class. Of those, 315 enrolled.
Of those:
| Female | 63% |
| Male | 35% |
| Nonbinary | 2% |
| Students of color | 58% |
| LGBTQIA+ | 29% |
| California residents | 64% |
| 28+ years old | 10% |
| Majored in science, technology, engineering, or math | 9% |
| First-generation college students | 18% |
I know that UCLA’s acceptance rate might seem intimidating, but don’t let it hold you back from applying. You can get in if you approach the application process the right way.
I’ll let you in on the secrets to an effective application strategy in a later section.
Before we get there, I want to highlight the programs and degrees offered by the UCLA School of Law.
What programs does UCLA Law School offer?
UCLA School of Law has four degrees available:
- Juris Doctor (JD)
- Master of Laws (LLM)
- Master of Legal Studies (MLS)
- Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD)
Today, we’ll be focusing on what it takes to get accepted into the J.D. program.
J.D. students can specialize in the following:
- Business Law & Policy
- Critical Race Studies
- David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law & Policy
- Environmental Law
- International and Comparative Law
- Law & Philosophy
- Media, Entertainment and Technology Law and Policy
- Technology Law
There are certain qualifications that UCLA School of Law is looking for in its students. Keep reading to find out what they are.
What qualifications do you need to get into UCLA Law School?
So, what does it take to get into the UCLA J.D. program? Let’s talk about it.
What GPA do you need for UCLA Law School?
On average, students who are accepted to UCLA School of Law have a 3.92 GPA.
The most recent GPA scores for those accepted to UCLA School of Law are:
- 75th percentile: 3.98
- 50th percentile: 3.92
- 25th percentile: 3.72
Looking at these numbers, a 3.98 GPA is high among J.D. students, and a 3.72 is low.
What LSAT score do you need for UCLA Law School?
The most recent LSAT scores for UCLA School of Law are:
- 75th percentile: 171
- 50th percentile: 170
- 25th percentile: 165
Among first-year UCLA students, an LSAT score of 171 is considered to be high.
A 170 is considered average, and a 165 is low.
Remember, neither of your scores – GPA or LSAT – need to be as high as these to get accepted into UCLA School of Law.
And I’ll tell you exactly how to get in, even in the face of a lower score.
How do you get into UCLA Law with a lower GPA or LSAT scores?
As long as you’re strategic in your application, a lower GPA or LSAT score won’t really make or break you when it comes to getting into UCLA School of Law.
You have some leeway. The admissions team itself says that while grades and scores do matter, they “also recognize that other factors and attributes contribute greatly to a person’s ability to succeed as a law student and lawyer.”
That means they take things like economic or physical challenges, socioeconomic disadvantage, community or public service, career goals, and unusual life experiences into perspective.
In other words, you stand a chance if your scores are at least near the average and you can prove that you’re well-rounded, a good fit, and have what it takes to graduate.
For example, a few of my clients have managed to do just that when applying to law school.
One of them, D.C., had a 3.6 GPA and still got into Georgetown, where the median GPA is 3.85.
And another, E.D., got into Berkeley with a 163 LSAT score – far below the 169 median!
So don’t let your GPA or LSAT scores keep you from applying to UCLA School of Law. Instead, set out to create a highly effective application.
Before we talk about what makes a great application, let’s discuss the actual application process.
How do you apply to UCLA Law?
The following is required to apply for UCLA’s School of Law J.D. program:
- Completed application
- Personal statement (no longer than two pages)
- Resume
- Two letters of recommendation
- Transcripts
- All LSAT and/or GRE test scores from the last five years
- Application fee ($75)
Applications for the following year become available on September 1 and are due no later than February 1. You have to apply via the UCLA School of Law electronic application, which can be found on the LSAC.
You should hear back from the Office of Admissions by the end of April.
To learn more about the application process, take a look at the J.D. Application Process page.
UCLA doesn’t offer interviews to J.D. applicants, which means your submitted materials have to be as strong as possible.
And that means making them strategic.
Keep reading to learn how to do exactly that.
Write a personal statement
A personal statement is critical to the success of your law school application. It’s your chance to show the admissions team who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and how you think.
The UCLA admissions team is looking for a statement that clearly illustrates your ability to succeed as a law student.
It should also speak to any of your characteristics, experiences, or interests that would help you make a significant contribution at UCLA or in the legal world.
Here’s how to write one.
First and foremost, remember that you’ll be submitting your resume to the admissions team with the rest of your application materials.
So don’t write your personal statement as if it were a cover letter.
That means leaving out any background information or experiences.
Instead, you should write your personal statement about a single topic. The topic should be informative, support your application, and not require too much information or explanation.
Still trying to figure out what to write about? Brainstorm by answering the following questions:
- Which three character traits set you apart? Can you think of a few stories that illustrate them?
- What wouldn’t someone find out about you from your resume or transcripts? Think about your background, accomplishments, and unique talents.
- Why are you applying to UCLA School of Law?
- What do you hope to accomplish as a lawyer?
You can read a successful personal statement in this article or learn to write your own in my free guide:
In addition to your personal statement, UCLA requires two letters of recommendation. We’ll talk about who to get them from and how in the next section, so keep reading!
Get letters of recommendation
While asking for and getting a letter of recommendation can be daunting, they’re essential for your application because they illustrate two things.
First, they make it clear that you have what it takes to succeed as a UCLA School of Law student because you’re smart, work well under pressure, and can write well.
They also allow the admissions committee to get a better idea of who you are.
For consideration at UCLA, at least one of the letters should be written by someone with firsthand knowledge of your academic work.
In other words, it should preferably be written by a teacher.
There’s no one better to illustrate who you are as a student than a teacher, so this is a great rule.
But it’s important to note that UCLA requires a letter of recommendation from a teacher if possible.
If you’ve been out of school for a few years or simply can’t secure one from a teacher, you can ask someone else to write your letter. Getting a letter from your employer or coworker is okay, too – just don’t ask a friend or family member.
To learn more about asking for letters of recommendation, take a look at my guide to the process.
Finally, you’ll also need to submit a great law school resume. Keep reading to learn what to do – and not do – on yours!
Write a law school resume
A law school resume isn’t a standard resume, which means it shouldn’t be written as one.
You can skip things like your objective, summary of qualifications, and relevant coursework.
Instead, focus on figuring out how to frame your experiences and organize the content of your resume in a way that reflects the theme of your application.
Use your resume to show the admissions team things such as how you’ve spent your time leading up to law school, your relevant qualifications, and your interests.
That means using the following for your main headers:
- Education
- Professional Experience and/or Employment
- Accomplishments
- Activities
- Community Engagement
- Skills/Interests
But there are other things to think about, too, including language to use and avoid, formatting, and even font size.
For more, you can learn about every element and see real-life examples in this step-by-step article.
Next steps
There you have it!
Everything you need to know about applying and getting accepted to UCLA School of Law’s J.D. Program in 2024.
All it takes is the right strategy and an impactful application.
That’s what I’m here for. I’ve guided multiple people through the application process and helped them get into the law schools of their dreams – and I can help you, too.
Learn what it’s like to work with me for admissions consulting here.
Read more:
The Top Law School Admission Statistics
