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Reviewed by:
Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University
Reviewed: 8/14/23
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Want to join a law school with an innovative and comprehensive curriculum that’ll launch you into a prosperous legal career? Read on to learn more about how to get into UC Irvine Law School!
If you consider yourself a visionary, you’ll fit right in at UC Irvine Law. This law school is the culmination of several generations of revolutionary dreamers who were not satisfied with the status quo and wanted to redefine, reimagine, and reinvent legal education. At UCI, no ambition is too big!
Despite being a relatively new institution that was created about 15 years ago, UCI has become a larger, more dynamic, and diverse school than was ever expected. To date, its students have completed over 125,000 hours of pro bono work, and UCI continues to place strong emphasis on grappling with important issues and serving the public.
But enough about UCI and more about how you can join this established law school!
The UC Irvine Law School acceptance rate of 19.5% suggests this school is selective in its admission process.
To ensure you meet UCI’s standards and can join its diverse and accomplished student body, it’s essential you focus on your LSAT and GPA scores. Strong academic performance will demonstrate your ability to handle the rigor of law school coursework, which UCI searches for in its applicants.
A recent UC Irvine Law class had a median LSAT score of 167, which is what you should set as your target to be considered a competitive applicant. Achieving this competitive LSAT score will require thorough preparation, practice, and persistence.
Many applicants invest significant time and effort into LSAT preparation courses, self-study materials, and practice tests to maximize their performance and achieve this score.
The admissions committee expects your GPA to be just as impressive as your LSAT score. Previous successful applicants had a median GPA of 3.72.
Here’s the complete list of application materials required to apply to UC Irvine Law:
In order to be considered for admission, all students must possess a bachelor’s degree. You may choose any major that you’re interested in but are encouraged to challenge yourself and hone the academic skills required to thrive in law school, such as research, critical thinking, analytical thinking, and writing.
Students are given the choice to write and submit the GRE or LSAT to fulfill this requirement. Review the format of both tests to decide which will better reflect your skills and abilities.
You are highly encouraged to only write one of these tests; if you write the LSAT and GRE, you will still be required to submit your LSAT scores. Regardless of the test you take, scores older than five years will not be considered valid.
Applicants must also write a 750-word personal statement sharing meaningful experiences, skills, motivations, and aspirations with the admissions committee. Your personal statement should be polished and provide the committee with deeper insight into who you are and who you hope to become.
The second mandatory essay is a 750-word “Why UCI Law” statement. This essay should showcase your genuine interest and alignment with UCI and explain why you chose it among all of the other law schools.
Research the school extensively to understand its mission, values, programs, faculty, and unique opportunities, and highlight the aspects that resonate with you.
The final essay you have the option to write is a 500-word “inclusive excellence” statement that should focus on your commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. You should discuss any engagements you’ve participated in to support or advance diversity and how you plan on contributing to UCI’s diversity.
To share the extracurriculars, work experiences, and volunteer pursuits you dedicated so much time and effort to during your undergrad, you’re required to submit a resume. This resume should also include any awards, honors, certificates, or publications you earned.
UC Irvine Law requires a minimum of two and a maximum of three letters of recommendation. Students are urged to submit letters from academic sources, but professional ones will also be accepted.
When applying to law school, it is crucial to be mindful of the tuition costs and additional fees associated with each institution. Understanding these costs will allow you to develop a practical budget and feel adequately prepared to step into this next chapter of your life! Here’s a breakdown of UCI’s estimated cost of attendance:
Source: UC Irvine Law School
UCI offers extensive scholarships and financial aid to help cover these high costs of attendance!
Keep these deadlines in mind to ensure you apply to UCI on time!
Source: UCI Law School
It’s important to note that these notification periods are only estimates. While the admission committee aims to have decisions in by these dates, you may receive one after.
UC Irvine Law has an impressive first-time bar passage rate of 88.7%, which is over 10% higher than the national average!
UC Irvine Law ranks 35th in the nation and is best known for its clinical training, which ranks sixth; tax law program, which also ranks sixth; and intellectual property law program, which ranks ninth.
For any remaining questions about UC Irvine Law, read on to find your answers.
Yes, UCI Law is a competitive school. With a low acceptance rate of less than 20% and high admission standards, students must demonstrate their academic excellence to have a shot at getting into this prestigious school.
An LSAT score of 167 or higher will be considered the most competitive at UCI Law.
Students are encouraged to maintain a GPA of 3.72 to get into UCI Law.
Yes, the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Law is widely regarded as a good law school. It has established a strong reputation for itself and consistently ranks among the top law schools in the United States. It has also received recognition for its innovative curriculum, clinical training, exceptional faculty, and commitment to service.
At UC Irvine, John Lennon’s famous lyrics, “you say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one,” ring true! At this law school, you’ll be surrounded by ambitious students and faculty that are ready to redefine law for the better!
Ensure you submit a competitive applicant so you can study and work with these dreamers and become a revolutionary leader!
