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Reviewed by:
Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University
Reviewed: 11/01/23
If you’re interested in attending a law school that can provide you with an exceptionally well-rounded legal education, read on to learn more about how to get into UC Davis Law School.
Source: UC Davis School of Law
The University of California Davis Law School’s highest priority is supporting its students’ academic and career goals. To ensure they live up to this promise, UC Davis offers a friendly faculty that is deeply committed to teaching, a unique and supportive learning environment, world-renowned clinics, and a vibrant student community.
If this sounds like the perfect place for you to kickstart your legal career, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about how to get into this distinguished law school!
According to the recent admissions cycle, UC Davis Law School has an acceptance rate of 33.16%. This means that competitive students have a promising chance of gaining acceptance to UC Davis.
Take a look at acceptance rates at UC Davis throughout the last few years to get an idea of the university's admission trends and selectivity.
Getting into UC Davis Law School is competitive, as it is a highly regarded institution with a strong emphasis on academic excellence. The acceptance rate typically ranges from 25-35%, making it moderately selective. Applicants need a strong GPA, LSAT score, and compelling personal statement to stand out. Demonstrating a clear passion for law, relevant experiences, and alignment with the school’s values can increase your chances.
To increase your chances of acceptance, book a free consultation with an admissions counselor at Juris Education. Their application guidance will help you navigate the UC Davis law application process with confidence and maximize your chances of success.
Knowing you have a fair chance of getting into this school might be reassuring, but it’s essential you understand the role your scores play in guaranteeing you this chance.
The two most important scores the admissions committee will consider when reviewing your application are your undergraduate GPA and LSAT. Here are the target scores you should aim for to maximize your chances of acceptance:
The median LSAT score of recent matriculants is 163, with the upper 75th percentile at 165 and the lower 25th percentile at 159. Aiming for a score of 163 or higher will help sell your case as a competitive applicant.
The LSAT will be one of the most challenging parts of your law school journey. While you’ll have to complete several exams throughout your legal education, your LSAT will give you your first real taste of what it takes to be a lawyer!
The median GPA of recent matriculants is 3.68, with the upper 75th percentile at 3.87 and the lower 25th percentile at 3.48. You should aim for a GPA of 3.68 or higher to improve your chances of getting accepted.
Your GPA is the other score that will play a huge role in the admission committee’s selection process. This score gives them insight into your academic potential and affirms you can handle their extensive curriculum.
Source: UC Davis
While we can’t stress the importance of your LSAT and GPA scores enough, they aren’t the only components the admissions committee will factor in when assessing your candidacy.
Law schools aim to review applicants using a holistic method that considers more than just their academic performance.
Keep reading for a complete list of UC Davis’ admission requirements.
As mentioned, your GPA is an essential part of your application. Considering this, you may be wondering which major you should choose to best prepare for law school. The truth is, there is no perfect major that can prepare you for law school!
As such, you should pick a major you feel most passionate about so you’re interested enough to maintain your grades.
Don’t choose a major simply because you believe it will make you appear smarter. For instance, choosing a science-based major when you’re more inclined to do well in the liberal arts won’t work in your favor! Instead, you’ll likely struggle to achieve the grades you need to get into UC Davis.
With that being said, you should still explore other disciplines and take electives outside of your major! This way, you can pick up a new skill or two that can help you in law school.
UC Davis offers students the option to write either the LSAT or GRE. Depending on your skills, you should choose whichever exam you believe will best reflect your academic qualities and skills.
Do not write both exams; UC Davis will have access to any LSAT scores that are submitted to LSAC and will favor these over your GRE.
You’re also required to submit a personal statement with your application. This statement should be two to four pages long and share information that you believe will help the admissions committee get to know you better. UC Davis lists the following topics as valid subjects to discuss in your personal statement:
This is by no means an exhaustive list of what you can write about in your personal statement, but it should help you in the brainstorming process!
To confirm the academic potential indicated by your scores and transcripts, another admission requirement is letters of recommendation. You’re required to submit at least two letters of recommendation and up to three.
These letters should be written by recommenders who know you well and can vouch for your eligibility for law school. As such, it is best if these letters come from academic mentors or professors who worked closely with you and observed your academic performance.
Ensure each letter shares new information to further prove your candidacy and demonstrate how well-rounded you are.
The final application material you’ll have to prepare is a resume. This resume should be one to two pages long and list all relevant extracurricular, work, and volunteer experience you’ve gained.
It should also mention any awards, honors, or publications you participated in.
You may also submit an addendum and/or diversity statement with your application if you feel it will help the admissions committee understand your application better.
Your addendum should address any weak parts of your application, like a low GPA, LSAT or GRE score.
The diversity statement should share circumstances or experiences involving, but not limited to, your race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, or socioeconomic status that provide you with a unique view on law.
UC Davis School of Law is ranked 55th in the Best Law Schools rankings, indicating its strong position and reputation in legal education. When we look at specific areas of law, UC Davis shines in several.
For instance, it's tied for 35th place in Business/Corporate Law and 19th in Constitutional Law. It's also highly regarded in Criminal Law, where it's again tied at the 18th spot. Moreover, the school performs well in fields like Dispute Resolution, Environmental Law, Health Care Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Law, Tax Law, and Trial Advocacy.
The position of UC Davis Law in the rankings indicates that it offers strong programs in various legal domains. So, if you're thinking about pursuing a legal career, UC Davis is a university to consider.
As you begin preparing all of your application materials, there are key deadlines you should keep in mind to ensure there are no delays, and you’re able to join UC Davis’ JD program on time:
Source: UC Davis Law School
Students must create an LSAC account to apply to UC Davis Law School, regardless of if they’re writing the LSAT or GRE. Your transcripts, letters of recommendation, and LSAT scores will be reviewed through this portal.
Your other application materials must be submitted through UC Davis’ online application portal.
It’s no secret that law school is expensive. As you begin gathering all of your application materials, it’s important you also consider how much money you’ll have to invest into your legal education.
California residents can expect to pay around $57,409 a year for tuition and fees, and non-residents can expect to pay around $69,654.
The UC Davis Law School achieved an impressive 87.4% bar passage rate for first-time examinees. This means that a large majority of UC Davis matriculants who took the bar exam for the first time were successful in passing it.
Take a look at the stats below to get a better understanding of how UC Davis School of Law's bar passage rate compares to the state's overall bar passage rate.
In this guide, we’ve discussed the most important admission statistics you should know and consider when applying to UC Davis Law School.
In case you still have questions, here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about this school.
UC Davis is moderately competitive. It has an acceptance rate of 33.16% but still has relatively high LSAT and GPA expectations.
You should aim to score 163 or higher on the LSAT to fall within the competitive range of matriculants. Since this score is considered to be high, achieving it will require adequate preparation and a solid study plan involving reliable resources.
Yes, UC Davis is a great law school! It provides an extensive curriculum to its students to prepare them for whatever area of legal practice they choose. With a supportive learning environment and five legal clinics, UC Davis provides students with valuable experience that will make them stand out post graduation.
Tuition and fees cost $57,409 a year for residents and $69,654 for non-residents.
Students should maintain a GPA of around 3.68 when applying to UC Davis Law School.
UC Davis is best known for its Environmental Law program that ranks 17th in the nation!
As we’ve established, UC Davis Law School can act as an excellent stepping stone in your legal journey! With its dedicated faculty and considerable resources, it can help shape you into an outstanding lawyer!
Reviewed by:
Former Head of Northeastern University's Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University
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