Introduction
Situated in the vibrant metropolis of New York, CUNY Law School is renowned for its commitment to public interest law and its active promotion of social justice. The school offers various educational opportunities in a stimulating and ever-changing setting, ensuring students receive a cost-effective and exceptional learning experience.Â
With its focus on public service, clinical education, and diversity, CUNY Law continues to provide a quality and unique law school option for students interested in public interest law careers. This article covers CUNY Law School ranking, factors affecting the rankings, acceptance rate, admission requirements, and how to successfully get admitted into CUNY School of Law.Â
CUNY Law School Overview
Cuny Law School was started in 1983 as a part of the City University of New York to make law school cheap and training lawyers to work for the public good. The law school takes a unique method by combining traditional legal studies with new teaching methods in the field.
In terms of diversity, the school is constantly recognized for its varied student body and teachers, who represent a variety of experiences, cultures, and opinions. This diversity is seen as an important feature of legal education at CUNY, considerably contributing to the learning experience.
The clinical programs give students hands-on experience in various legal sectors, allowing them to apply their knowledge in real-world situations. The school’s approach to legal education is client-centered and community-driven, emphasizing addressing the core causes of systematic inequalities.
2023-2024 CUNY Law School Ranking
| Rank | Category |
| #154 | Best Law Schools |
| #34 | Part-time Law (tie) |
| #125 | Business/Corporate Law (tie) |
| #3 | Clinical Training |
| #97 | Constitutional Law (tie) |
| #121 | Contracts/Commercial Law (tie) |
| #50 | Criminal Law (tie) |
| #44 | Environmental Law (tie) |
| #94 | Health Care Law (tie) |
| #159 | Intellectual Property Law (tie) |
| #103 | International Law (tie) |
| #149 | Tax Law (tie) |
| #108 | Trial Advocacy (tie) |
In terms of the Best Law Schools, U.S. News & World Report ranks it as the 154th among 196 ABA-accredited law schools. This ranking shows that the school is dedicated to giving excellent law education and is respected in the academic community.
CUNY Law also does a great job with part-time legal education. Its Part-time law school ranks 34th. This law school rankings show its commitment to delivering accessible and adaptive legal education to diverse students, including those with other academic or professional obligations. Check out New York Law School ranking if you are also looking for another school that offers a law school part-time program.
The Clinical Training program is one of the most amazing things about the school. It ranks third in the country. This CUNY School of Law ranking shows that the school has a great way of teaching law through hands-on experience.
Key Factors Influencing CUNY Law School Ranking
CUNY Law School’s ranking is influenced by a multifaceted set of criteria, including academic quality, student selectivity, and career outcomes. Each factor contributes significantly to where the school stands in national rankings, reflecting its overall performance in the competitive field of legal education.
Experiential Learning and Cutting-Edge Instruction
CUNY Law School takes a really unique approach to legal education even if it doesn’t rank highly on some big-name surveys. The school is all about empowering students to fight for social justice, take on systems of inequality, and be voices for marginalized groups. There’s a huge emphasis placed on hands-on training whether that’s working in specialized clinics or securing practical externships. Basically, students learn by actively doing – taking on real clients and cases while under attorney guidance.
This clear commitment to public interest law, experiential learning methods, and diversity in the field sets CUNY Law apart. Students interested in using law as a vehicle for positive change will find the school’s approach so valuable. Graduates leave fully prepared to advocate for their future clients while advancing fairness and equity in society.
Student Selectivity in Law School Admissions
A key component of CUNY Law School ranking is student selectivity, typically measured by median LSAT scores and undergraduate GPAs of the entering class. More selective admission standards signal that a law school is attracting students with stronger academic backgrounds.
CUNY Law School Acceptance Rate
The Cuny School of Law acceptance rate for the entering class in Fall 2023 is 39.9%. The acceptance rate shows applicants how competitive CUNY Law School admission is. Although not guaranteed, meeting or exceeding admitted students’ LSATs and undergraduate GPAs can boost an applicant’s chances. However, admissions choices consider more than numbers.
CUNY Law School LSAT Scores
The CUNY Law LSAT score requirements set benchmarks for applicants to CUNY Law School. The LSAT percentiles of the entering class last 2023 are:
- 25th Percentile LSAT Score: 150
- 50th percentile LSAT Score: 153
- 75th Percentile LSAT Score: 157
Applicants can use these LSAT score benchmarks to gauge their own competitiveness in relation to recently accepted CUNY Law School students. Scoring within these ranges helps strengthen your application, although LSAT scores are just one component evaluated by the admissions committee.
CUNY Law School GPA Requirements
Along with LSAT scores, the Cuny School of Law also evaluates applicants’ undergraduate grade point averages (GPAs).
- 25th percentile GPA: 3.12
- 50th percentile GPA: 3.45
- 75th percentile GPA: 3.57
These GPAs indicate the levels that admitted CUNY law students have achieved. As with the LSAT scores, applicants can compare their own undergraduate GPA to these percentiles to assess their competitiveness. Strong academic performance can help offset slightly lower LSAT scores or vice versa. While helpful guidelines, GPA and LSATs are just two aspects of an application reviewed by the admissions committee.
Graduate Placement Success
The bar pass rate for CUNY Law’s 2022 graduating class on their first attempt was 74.6%. Furthermore, a significant % of employed graduates, specifically 61.2%, were engaged in full-time, long-term positions that necessitated bar admission.Â
CUNY Law significantly emphasizes public interest, as seen by 60.1% of the 2022 graduates being employed in public service positions such as legal assistance, advocacy organizations, or government agencies. Prospective students targeting similar careers may benefit from CUNY’s specialized preparation, hands-on clinics, and public interest professional network.
Law School Faculty Resources
The quality and availability of faculty is an important consideration when evaluating law schools. The student-faculty ratio is an impressive 9.1:1, meaning there are about nine students for every professor. This type of intimate learning environment allows for close mentorship, individualized attention, and impactful supervision that can be invaluable for professional and scholarly development.Â
Evaluating the CUNY Law School cost and financial aid options should be part of the assessment for prospective students. For full-time CUNY Law students, 2024 annual tuition is $16,012.90 for New York residents and $26,202.90 for non-residents before financial assistance.Â
Over 80% of students receive grant or scholarship aid, reducing out-of-pocket expenses. When weighing admissions options, applicants should analyze tuition rates, cost of living, and available aid to determine potential debt obligations. Assessing short and long-term affordability provides key insights into whether a school offers the resources and support for students to achieve their career aspirations.Â
Admission Process and Requirements
Given the competitive CUNY Law School ranking, submitting a compelling and complete application is crucial for those seeking admission.Â
Completed ApplicationÂ
Applicants should ensure that all required fields and components in the application portal have been filled out accurately. This should be submitted online via LSAC by May 15th. Minor mistakes or omissions can undermine one’s candidacy, so completeness and precision are essential. This initial overview is the admissions office’s first impression of a prospective student.
Personal Statement
Crafting a standout law school personal statement enables applicants to highlight what draws them to the legal profession and how previous experiences have prepared them for excelling in law school. This narrative provides invaluable context, revealing one’s convictions, accomplishments, potential, and what one will contribute as a member of the CUNY Law community.
Resume
The resume should summarize one’s educational background, prior work experiences across internships and professional roles, and participation in relevant extracurricular activities. Illustrate potentials beyond academics through organizations, teamwork, leadership growth, and career progression.Â
CAS Subscription
The Law School Admission Council’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) provides a centralized report compiling your LSAT scores, letters of recommendation, and academic transcripts. Ensure your LSAT score meets or surpasses CUNY Law’s median scores for accepted students.Â
Letters of Recommendation
These submissions from academic or professional references provide invaluable testimony to your capabilities, intellect, work ethic, and integrity. Be strategic in asking recommenders who can compellingly validate your qualifications and readiness for excelling in law school. Provide them guidance on effective law school letter of recommendation writing.
Diversity Statement
The law school diversity statement presents a powerful platform to articulate how your distinct backgrounds, values, experiences, and worldviews further enrich perspectives within CUNY Law’s scholarly community. Convey what salient aspects of your identity, upbringing, cultural heritage, obstacles overcome, uncommon interests or life visions will enable you to meaningfully contribute to campus diversity.
Addendum
If complexities in your personal record, such as academic performance issues, gaps in study, or disciplinary history, require additional context, the law school addendum provides explanatory space. Applicants who answered affirmatively to questions regarding fitness, disciplinary, or legal issues must provide an attached explanation of each event. Discuss dates, settings, circumstances, outcomes, and key learnings.
How To Successfully Get Into CUNY School of Law
Invest time in mastering the Law School Admission Test exam since it remains the single best predictor of first-year law school grades and an area closely evaluated by admissions committees as part of a holistic review. Leveraging services from Odyssey Test Prep can provide the guidance and support needed to submit the most persuasive CUNY Law application possible through offerings like:Â
LSAT Prep Courses
Master the LSAT and prepare for success at CUNY Law School with our tailored prep course. Odyssey’s LSAT courses offer students affordable yet elite-level LSAT preparation through either in-person or online learning sessions with personalized learning support, an advanced curriculum tuned to the digital LSAT, and a fully online delivery model for accessibility. Students receive dynamic video lessons, thousands of official LSAT questions to practice, and performance analytics with insights to guide focused study.
LSAT Tutoring
Elevate your LSAT scores and secure admission to CUNY Law School through personalized tutoring sessions. Personalized tutoring provides students with bespoke exam preparation tailored to skill gaps through private instruction time with an individual tutor, ongoing communication channels for guidance, flexible scheduling to fit each student’s needs, and customized study plans to reach self-determined score goals. We pair each learner with an expert tutor who customizes lesson plans and practices specifically for the student’s needs.
Law School Admission Consulting
Collaborate with our consultants to shape an application that echoes your dedication to social justice, maximizing your chances of joining the transformative community at CUNY Law School. From application strategy to essay editing, Odyssey’s law school admission experts help position ambitious students to stand out from pools of exceptional applicants through collaborative consulting covering areas like school selections, crafting compelling personal statements and diversity statements, optimizing resumes, pursuing scholarships to make law school affordable, and more. Our dedicated consultants become student advocates and trusted mentors, providing the personalized Admission Roadmap and perspective necessary to showcase applicants effectively.
Final Thoughts: Finding the Right Law School Match
CUNY Law School ranking should not be your sole basis when searching for the right law school fit. Taking time to thoroughly research options based on personalized priorities, rather than relying solely on broad school rankings, proves critical. With hundreds of ABA-accredited programs available, research should drive choice based on academic interests and post-grad goals.
Students can leverage LSAT prep experts like Odyssey Test Prep through an LSAT Free Consultation to help interpret research findings and discuss concerns to determine your best-match school for law school success and satisfaction.