How to Get Into UCLA Law School - Acceptance Rate + Stats

---

Reviewed by:

David Merson

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

Reviewed: 10/31/23

‍

UCLA Law School is one of the best law schools in the country. If you have your sights on sunny California to further your law education, read on! 

‍

Source: UCLA Law School

The UCLA School of Law is ranked No. 14 in U.S. News World and Report’s list of Best Law Schools. If you want to take advantage of California’s excellent climate and UCLA’s educational law offerings, read on to learn how to get into UCLA Law School! 

UCLA Law School Acceptance Rate: 15.5%

The UCLA School of Law acceptance rate is 15.5%. Typically, UCLA Law receives around 6000-7000 applications and accepts just over 1000 students. In a recent admissions cycle, UCLA Law received 7,227 applications and accepted 1,120 students. 

For more admissions data, here are the acceptance rate trends for UCLA Law School for the past few years: 

Source: ABA Required Disclosures

How Hard Is It to Get Into UCLA Law School? 

Based on UCLA Law's 15.5% acceptance rate, the school is relatively hard to get into. Although it's not as competitive as law schools such as Harvard or Yale, you'll need to submit a perfect application for your best chance of acceptance. 

UCLA Law School Admissions Stats

It’s helpful to take a look at the current average GPA and LSAT scores of UCLA Law to know how you compare and where you should focus on improving. Here are some UCLA Law admission statistics! 

UCLA Law School Average GPA: 3.92

Although there are no explicit GPA cutoffs, you should strive for a high undergraduate GPA for your best chance of admission. Class profile data shows GPA percentiles of incoming J.D. students: 

• 25th percentile GPA: 3.72
• Median GPA: 3.92
• 75th percentile: GPA: 3.98

Since there is no minimum GPA you need to achieve, you may still stand a chance of getting in with a lower GPA. However, aiming for a GPA above the 3.92 UCLA Law School average GPA can make you a more competitive applicant. 

UCLA Law School Average LSAT Score: 170

There is no “required” LSAT score to gain admission at UCLA Law, but higher scores can boost your application. Consider the LSAT score percentiles of incoming J.D. students: 

• 25th percentile LSAT: 165
• Median LSAT: 170
• 75th percentile LSAT: 171

Achieving an LSAT score of 170 or higher should place you in good standing to compete with the UCLA Law School average LSAT score of past years. If you study hard, you can achieve this score! 

UCLA Law School GRE Scores

UCLA Law did not release GRE scores as part of its class profile, and there aren’t any requirements listed. However, a GRE score of 165 on each section approximately converts to a 170 on the LSAT. 

UCLA School of Law Requirements

You must fulfill all UCLA Law School admissions requirements for your application to be considered complete. These are the UCLA Law School requirements you should be aware of: 

• LSAC application
• Personal statement
• Resume
• Two letters of recommendation 
• Official transcripts
• LSAT/GRE scores
• $75 application fee

All UCLA applicants must apply through LSAC and register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). If you apply through UCLA Law's Early Decision program, you must submit an Early Decision Program Agreement. 

If you apply to the David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy, you must submit another application to that program. Applicants to the Distinguished Scholars Program must also submit an agreement document.

Finally, applicants who want to apply to the Achievement Fellowship Program (one of UCLA’s scholarships) must submit “an additional one page essay describing in detail the obstacles they have overcome in life and why they are a strong candidate for the program.”

UCLA Law School Letters of Recommendation

You will need to submit two letters of recommendation to apply to UCLA Law; no more and no less. At least one of these letters should be from a professor or someone else who can speak to your academic abilities. Make sure you choose recommenders who are close to you and can talk you up. 

Although not required, UCLA Law strongly prefers that you submit your letters through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation service, which is included in the CAS registration. 

UCLA Law School Personal Statement

Writing a compelling personal statement is key to getting into UCLA Law. UCLA Law’s personal statement prompt is more focused than other law school prompts you may have come across: 

“Discuss any matters relevant to your ability to succeed in law school and the practice of law, and any attributes, experiences, or interests that would enable you to make a distinctive contribution to UCLA Law or the legal profession.”

Even though you only have two pages to tell your story and describe why you’re the perfect candidate, these tips can help you produce a stellar personal statement. 

• Stick to the Directions: This isn’t the time to get creative. Stay under the word limit and stick to a basic and readable font size (minimum 11-point) and double-spaced lines.
• Tell a Story: Focus on relevant anecdotes that shaped you and your interest in the field of law and that also showcase your character traits, experience, and passions. 
• Have a Common Thread: Your personal statement should have a clear, thematic thread tying it all together. Consider tying your conclusion back to something you mentioned at the beginning of your statement. 
• Don’t Dig Too Deep: While your past experiences can propel your narrative, don’t reach too far into the past. Choose relevant and recent experiences if you can. 
• Relate Qualities to Experiences: Writing, “I’m an honest person,” doesn’t actually show the admissions committee anything. To show your honesty (or any other trait), talk about a time you were honest. 

Other Top Tips for a Fantastic UCLA Law Personal Statement

Getting into UCLA Law requires thoughtful, well-constructed writing; consider this a test of your effective communication and writing skills. These other tips can help you produce a captivating statement: 

• Write using clear sentences. 
• Don’t use legalese or other industry jargon; keep things clear. 
• Consider why you want to go to UCLA: what does the school offer for you that other law schools don’t? Brainstorm them. 
• Focus on how you plan to contribute to the UCLA Law community based on your research. 
• Don’t list the qualifications on your resume or recount any other material in your application. 
• Edit and revise multiple times; no one’s personal statement is a work of art on the first draft! 

UCLA Law School Tuition and Scholarships

The annual cost of tuition for UCLA Law School is $56,455 for California residents and $68,700 for non-residents. However, including other fees and personal expenses, the cost of attendance comes to roughly $87,807 for California residents and $100,052 for non-residents per year. 

Take a look at this table for a full breakdown of the estimated costs you can expect to pay each year: 

Source: UCLA Law School

UCLA Law Scholarships 

To help you afford your education, UCLA Law School offers various financial aid options including a combination of grants, fellowships, scholarships, and loans. Nearly 90% of J.D. students receive some type of financial aid, the majority being gift aid.

UCLA Law also offers several full-tuition scholarship programs to high-achieving students: 

• UCLA Law Distinguished Scholars Award
• UCLA Law Achievement Fellowship
• Graton Scholarship
• Emmett Family Environmental Law Scholarship

UCLA School of Law Application Deadlines

The final deadline to apply to UCLA Law School is February 1, 2024. However, if you are applying through an Early Decision program, you’ll need to submit your application by November 15. 

You’ll need to stay on top of all the application deadlines! To keep you from missing an important deadline, here are some dates you should be aware of: 

UCLA Law School Bar Passage Rate: 92.47%

The first-time bar passage rate for UCLA School of Law is 92.47%. This is extremely high, especially compared to the ABA average pass rate, which is 73.23%. 

Source: UCLA Law, FAQs

Decisions are released on a rolling basis for all decision pathways. 

How to Get Into UCLA Law School: Tips to Improve Your Admission Chances

The task of achieving admission to UCLA School of Law may seem daunting, but don’t worry. Here are some tips to get into UCLA Law School to help you tackle the application process!

• Have a Strong Application Narrative: Your application materials should be cohesive and meld well with one another. Think about some common themes in your journey to law school (perseverance, community service, a passion for learning, etc.) and lean into those themes as you put your application together. 
• Focus On Your Grades: Your grades are incredibly important for admission to UCLA Law, so study hard! According to their admissions policy, “UCLA Law places substantial weight on traditional measures of academic ability, namely grades and standardized scores.” Prioritize your GPA and LSAT scores!
• Highlight Your Skills: While UCLA Law has no preference for a certain undergrad major, they do pay attention to the skills you can demonstrate through your schooling. In your application, show that you possess “strong critical thinking, writing, problem-solving and analytical skills.” 

With these admission tips for UCLA Law School, you’ll be able to put together a stellar application for law school! 

‍

What Does UCLA Law School Look For? 

It’s important to tailor your application to the specific school you’re applying to, but how do you know what UCLA Law is looking for? 

Well, their admissions policy states that they seek to admit students who can contribute “vital, diverse viewpoints” to the school’s academic community. When applying, consider how you have cultivated a diverse worldview! 

Along with qualities that your application will likely already display, such as work experience, public service, and career goals, UCLA School of Law pays attention to factors that indicate that you will contribute to the school’s community. This may include leadership qualities, unique life experiences, or language ability. 

If you can demonstrate any of these things in your application, UCLA Law will be impressed! 

FAQs: How to Get Into UCLA Law School

If you still have questions about how to get into UCLA Law School, read on for more answers. 

1. Is UCLA a Good Law School? 

Considering that UCLA Law ranks in the top 20 national law schools, UCLA Law is a great school to pursue or further your law education. 

2. What GPA Do You Need for UCLA Law? 

While there is no GPA you “need” to get into UCLA Law, you should strive to achieve a GPA higher than 3.92 (the median class GPA) if possible. 

3. What LSAT Score Do I Need for UCLA Law School? 

UCLA Law doesn’t have LSAT score cutoffs, but it would be best if you achieved an LSAT score of 170 or higher to be a more competitive applicant. 

4. What is UCLA School of Law’s Acceptance Rate? 

UCLA Law’s acceptance rate is 15.5%. 

5. When Is the UCLA Law Application Deadline? 

UCLA’s priority deadline for Early Decision is November 15. All applications must be submitted by February 1. 

Get Into One of California’s Premier Law Schools Today 

UCLA School of Law is an excellent addition to your school list. Getting into UCLA Law requires knowing more about the admissions process, submitting a perfect personal statement, and understanding the UCLA Law School requirements. 

Now that you know how to get into UCLA Law School, you can submit a well-written application and maximize your chances of success. Good luck!