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Reviewed by:
Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University
Reviewed: 4/17/24
Are you interested in joining a law school that prepares its students for leadership and success in their careers? If so, read on to learn about the Tulane Law School acceptance rate, what it takes to get in, and how this school can kickstart your legal career!
Despite being the 12th oldest in the nation, Tulane University’s law school has always been a place of intense creativity, new ideas, and innovation.
Since its early beginnings in 1847, Tulane has taken a unique approach by exposing students to the common law systems of the Anglo-American world, and the civil law systems of the rest of the globe.
As the first law school in the nation to require pro bono service from its students, Tulane has a strong global perspective and a deep commitment to its own community. The institution also prepares its students for practice through hands-on experience.
If you’re convinced Tulane might be the perfect school for you, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about this established law school and how to get into it!
In the recent admissions cycle, Tulane received 1,501 applications and offered admission to 796 students. As such, Tulane Law School has an acceptance rate of 53%.
According to Tulane’s admissions data, its acceptance rate has stayed relatively consistent over the last few years:
Getting into Tulane Law School is moderately difficult. Around 4 out of 10 applicants are offered admission, providing significantly better odds than higher-ranking schools which often accept only 1 out of 10 applicants.
Depending on how far you are in your legal education, Tulane offers several degrees to help you advance your career:
Aside from these programs, JD students also have the option to concentrate in the following legal areas:
With such a diverse set of programs and specializations, Tulane Law School has something for every aspiring law student!
Tulane Law School ranks 78th in the nation. This school particularly shines in its environmental law program, which ranks 30th.
Position yourself as a competitive applicant with these scores:
The median GPA of recent Tulane Law School matriculants is 3.64. The lower 25th percentile of matriculants had a 3.42 GPA and the upper 75th percentile had a 3.78 GPA. Students need a GPA of at least 2.0 to be considered for admission.
The median LSAT score of recent Tulane Law School matriculants was 160. The lower 25th percentile of matriculants had a 156 LSAT score and the upper 75th percentile had a 162 LSAT score. Aiming for an LSAT score of 160 or above can position you as a competitive candidate.
Since the Tulane Law School acceptance rate is over 50%, meaning they accept more than half of their applicants, you have a fairly good chance of getting accepted. That means you need to think about starting your application! Here’s what you’ll need to apply:
While Tulane states submitting letters of recommendation is optional, you should definitely submit at least two and up to three.
To ensure these letters of recommendation convince the admissions committee of your candidacy, they should be written by professors who worked closely with you and can attest to your academic potential.
The personal essay is considered one of the most important parts of a law student’s application. This statement humanizes applicants and tells the committee information that can’t be found on the rest of their application.
Tulane gives students the option of answering at least one and up to three of the following essay prompts for their personal essay:
“Submit a personal story about an experience (or experiences) that has/have significantly shaped your life, values, or aspirations. While optional, we encourage you to “write your own question(s)”: At the top of your essay, before your first paragraph, you can let us know what question (or questions) this essay submission answers about you and your potential contributions to our law school community as reflected in your retelling of this story.”
“Describe a significant challenge or issue your community has faced and how you creatively addressed or contributed to finding solutions. How did your life experiences, background, and unique perspectives shape your approach to tackling this problem? Provide specific examples of your actions and their impact on the community. In answering this prompt, definite the word “community” as you personally see fit.”
“Describe a situation where you took a stand for a cause or principle you strongly believed was right, even when it was challenging or unpopular. How did your personal values and life history motivate you to advocate for this cause? Share the actions you took and the results you achieved through your advocacy.”
“Reflect on an experience where you demonstrated empathy and understanding towards someone with different perspectives, beliefs, or backgrounds. How did your ability to empathize and see the world from their viewpoint contribute to resolving a conflict or fostering a positive relationship? Provide specific instances of how you practiced empathy in your interactions.”
“Share an experience in which you successfully built meaningful connections with people who had vastly different views, values, or backgrounds from your own. How did you approach these relationships, and how did they shape your own beliefs or actions? Discuss how these connections have enriched your perspective.”
“Describe a situation where you effectively managed your time to support the needs of others while juggling various other responsibilities such as education, extracurricular activities, or employment. How did your organizational skills and commitment to serve others enable you to make a meaningful impact on causes you care about or the lives of those you hold dear? Explain the steps and strategies you have implemented to optimize your time management.”
“Share an experience, challenge, issue, or situation in which your own background and/or identity has played a significant role. How has your background and/or identity influenced your perspective and action? Feel free to share ways in which your background and/or identity might inform your interest in the legal profession.”
“If you have a particularly strong reason you wish to study law at Tulane, in New Orleans, or in our region of the country/world, what experiences, challenges, issues, or aspirations inform this connection? Whether you were raised in the vibrant city of New Orleans, have previously attended Tulane University, have deep ties to the State of Louisiana, or find one of the law school's areas of academic excellence to be a match with your interests, how will attending Tulane Law support your personal growth, academic pursuits, or career aspirations?”
Let’s break down exactly what you can expect to spend in your first year at Tulane:
Law school is an investment both money-wise and time-wise, and Tulane is no exception. Students can expect to pay $71,172 per year for tuition and fees.
With the additional estimated costs of living and personal expenses, the total cost of attending Tulane is approximately $100,014 a year.
To help cover these high costs, Tulane offers a range of merit and needs-based scholarships, tuition waivers, and grants to entering JD students. In most cases, these scholarships are renewable for students in their second and third years at Tulane Law School! Financial aid options like loans are also available.
Tulane Law School’s applications open in September and have a suggested deadline of March 1st, 2024. However, considering Tulane begins reviewing applications in mid-November, it’s recommended you submit your application as early as possible.
To give you a better sense of just how long the application process is, here are all of the important Tulane Law School application deadlines you should keep in mind:
Tulane Law has a bar passage rate of 82.48%. Considering this rate nearly matches the national average of 71%, it’s clear that Tulane equips its students well for success in the legal profession.
When it comes to getting into Tulane Law School, there are a few things to keep in mind. While considering the Tulane Law School acceptance rate is important, remember that it's just one piece of the puzzle. Follow these tips to get into Tulane Law School:
Students are highly encouraged to get creative and dig deep with their personal essays. In particular, Tulane appreciates when students explain adversity they experienced and how they overcame it.
Another top strategy to maximize your chances of acceptance to Tulane Law is to have long-term commitments, leadership positions, and volunteer work in the public service sector. Tulane seeks motivated students who are committed to improving the world around them.
Students tend to underestimate the importance of their letters of recommendation, which can negatively impact their admission chances. It’s essential your recommendations have a personal touch so they aren’t overlooked by the admissions officers.
You should offer your writers a resume or guide to ensure they're highlighting all your achievements.
What Tulane Law School looks for is students who demonstrate the potential to succeed as both law students and lawyers, and who will contribute to Tulane’s community and the larger legal community.
To demonstrate these characteristics, it’s essential you have the right GPA and LSAT scores, have significant extracurricular involvement in the public sector, and have compelling personal statements that share exactly what you can contribute to Tulane’s community.
If you have any remaining questions about Tulane University School of Law, read on to find your answers.
Yes, Tulane is a leading law school that is well-known for its clinical legal education, world-class faculty, and extensive curriculum. It is also an excellent option for students with lower LSAT scores!
By ranking alone, Tulane is not considered to be a top-tier school as it ranks 78th in the nation.
Tulane Law is best known for its focus on experiential learning, its dedication to providing students with a global perspective, its environmental law program, and its international law program.
It will take you three years to complete a JD at Tulane.
Tulane Law School is located in New Orleans.
Yearly tuition and fees to attend Tulane are around $66,264. With other expenses like housing and textbooks, the total annual estimated cost to attend Tulane is $100,014.
Whether you’d like to join Tulane to participate in their pro bono clinics and gain valuable hands-on experience, or to specialize in one of the nation’s best environmental law programs, this law school can provide you with the education and support needed for a prosperous legal career!
Remember, while considering factors like the Tulane Law School acceptance rate is important, it's just one aspect to take into account. Focus on your LSAT scores, undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and relevant experiences to strengthen your application. Best of luck!
Reviewed by:
Former Head of Northeastern University's Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University
