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How to Get Into Cardozo Law School

August 25, 2023
Contents

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Reviewed by:

Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University

Reviewed: 05/12/23

Cardozo law school has a commitment to preparing its students to succeed at the highest levels in the legal profession. To learn more about how you can join this law school, read on!

Named after the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Benjamin N. Cardozo, Cardozo Law School has structured its educational philosophy around his famous words, “the final cause of law is the welfare of society.”

With a welcoming and diverse community, unparalleled learning opportunities, and the most extensive field placements in society, Cardozo is dedicated to producing leading lawyers. 

If you’d like to become one of Cardozo’s prosperous lawyers, this guide will go over everything you need to know about how to get into this law school, including important application deadlines, its cost of attendance, and more!

Cardozo Law School Acceptance Rate

To give you a clear idea of your chances of gaining admission to this school to take advantage of its abundant resources, it’s essential to discuss the Cardozo Law School acceptance rate

At 30.8%, Cardozo law school is moderately competitive.

Cardozo School of Law Admission Requirements

Considering this acceptance rate, you might be wondering what you need to submit in order to apply to Cardozo and stand out as an applicant. Here are the admission requirements and specific target scores you must submit to apply to Cardozo:

GPA Requirements

Before you can join any law school, you’ll need to complete an undergraduate degree. While the specific undergraduate degree you choose doesn’t matter, you should pick a degree that challenges you, allows you to gain experience in multiple disciplines, and helps you build good critical thinking and writing skills.

A diverse transcript that shows you can excel in various subjects will wow the admissions committee more than any particular major. 

Students should aim to maintain a GPA of around 3.74 to fall along the median accepted GPA of past applicants.

LSAT Requirements

The other scores that the admissions committee will weigh heavily are your LSAT or GRE scores. Cardozo allows students the option to choose which exam they would like to write and submit. Ensure you go over the subject matter of both to pick the exam that will best reflect your abilities and help you get the highest score.

The LSAT is the most common exam students submit, so if you choose this option, you should aim to score a 164

To ensure you can meet this high score, you should focus on your strategy and build a strong study schedule that gives you ample time to practice and ace each section of the LSAT.

Letters of Recommendation

The committee will see your scores and have a good understanding of your intellect and academic abilities. However, letters of recommendation will give them even more insight into your potential.

Cardozo requires you to submit two letters of recommendation with your application. At least one should come from a professor that you’ve built a close connection with. Ensure this letter is not generic and details your specific academic achievements and skills.

If you have been out of school for more than five years and cannot obtain a letter from a professor, employers, or other professional mentors can write your letters instead.

A Personal Statement

To assess who you are outside of your academic profile, Cardozo also requires you to submit a personal statement with your application. In two double-spaced pages, you should share anything you think will help the admissions committee make their decision. 

Since two pages is a limited amount of space, ensure your answer is as clear and concise as possible.

The majority of students use this space to share the experience that led them on the legal path. You should also include information about how your values align with Cardozo’s. This allows you to not only prove that it would be the best fit for you, but that you would also be a good fit for it as well!

A Resume

The final document you’ll have to submit is a resume detailing all of your relevant work, extracurricular, and volunteer experience. These resumes are typically one to two pages long. Ensure you also include any academic or professional accomplishments, certifications, awards, scholarships, and published materials on your resume.

Cardozo School of Law Application Process and Deadlines

Most of your application materials will have to be uploaded through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service, like your LSAT scores and transcripts. You’ll also have to submit your letters of recommendation through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service.

Any other admission information or documents will have to be submitted through Cardozo’s application portal. 

The major dates you need to keep in mind when applying to Cardozo are:

  • September 2022: applications open
  • March 15, 2023: application deadline for the May term
  • April 1, 2023: application deadline for the Fall term

Cardozo is one of the few law schools that allow students the flexibility to begin their JD in either the spring or fall term.

Cardozo School of Law Tuition and Expenses

The total cost of tuition and fees to attend the Cardozo School of Law is $68,462 a year.

To help students pay for these high costs, Cardozo offers several needs-based grants, merit scholarships, institutional loans, and federal, state, and private loan programs.

Cardozo School of Law Bar Passage Rates

A good indicator of how well a law school prepares its students for the real world is its bar passage rates. All aspiring lawyers must pass the bar exam after completing their JD to prove they can meet the necessary standards to begin practicing as independent lawyers. 

With a 90.9% first-time bar passage rate, it’s clear Cardozo equips its students with the right knowledge and skills to successfully enter and thrive in the legal field!

FAQs: Cardozo Law School

We’ve covered the basics of what you need to know about Cardozo Law School. In case you have any more questions, here are our answers to these frequently asked questions.

1. Is Cardozo a Good Law School?

Yes, based on its bar passage alone, it’s clear that Cardozo prepares its students well for their legal careers. Another important statistic that proves Cardozo provides its students with quality education and experience is their alumni employment rate. 

Just over 74% of Cardozo’s alumni are able to find employment within less than a year of graduation!

2. What Is Cardozo Law Known for?

Cardozo Law School is best known for its dispute resolution, in which it ranks fourth in the nation, and its intellectual property law program, in which it ranks eighth in the nation. It also comes just shy of ranking as one of the top 20 part-time programs in the nation, coming in 21st place!

3. What Tier Law School Is Cardozo? 

Based on the Cardozo School of Law ranking, 52nd place, Cardozo is a second-tier law school. 

4. Is Cardozo Law School Conservative?

Cardozo Law School is part of Yeshiva University, which is a private orthodox Jewish university. 

5. Where Is Cardozo Law School Located?

The Cardozo School of Law is located in New York.

6. What LSAT Score Do I Need to Get Into Cardozo Law School?

Your target LSAT score should be 164 or higher to maximize your chances of acceptance into Cardozo Law School.

Final Thoughts

With the motto “bringing law to life,” Cardozo is an excellent law school for any student that wants their legal education to involve hands-on learning, real-world challenges, and career-building connections. 

With the added benefit of being in New York City, a prime location for law, business, and media, pursuing a legal education at Cardozo is guaranteed to be both exciting and extremely rewarding!

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