Law School Overview
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Law School Overview
At this highly ranked, Ivy League law school, traditional grades no longer exist. In fact, students do not earn any grades at all during their first term at Yale Law School; afterwards, they are graded only by honors, pass, or low pass. Class sizes are small, often with about 20 students.
There are no areas of concentration at Yale, though students may tailor course selections to suit their interests. Joint degrees are offered in conjunction with other professional and graduate schools at Yale, including the highly ranked School of Management. Students can also take courses at these schools without integrating a second major. Especially ambitious students can earn an accelerated, integrated J.D./M.B.A. in three years, the same amount of time it takes to complete a traditional J.D.
With more than 20 legal clinics at Yale, students can immerse themselves in real-life legal experiences as early as their first year. Students represent real clients in domestic violence disputes, apartment eviction proceedings, and more. In addition to clinical experience, students can test their legal smarts in workshops and on-campus centers.
Outside of the classroom, students have about 50 organizations to check out, from the student a cappella group Habeas Chorus to the Yale Federalist Society. Students can live in university-owned graduate student housing in New Haven, Conn., though most choose to live elsewhere around town.
Among the law school’s most notable alumni are former President Bill Clinton and Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.
| Year founded | 1824 |
| Public/private | Private |
| Law school designation | National |
Admissions
| Application deadline | February 15 |
| Full-time program application fee | $75 |
| Part-time program application fee | N/A |
| Admissions Phone | (203) 432-4995 |
| Admissions E-mail | admissions.law@yale.edu |
| Web site | http://www.law.yale.edu |
U.S. News Law School Compass
By signing up for a premium subscription, you'd get access to:
- Expanded Profiles & Advanced Search for 188 Law Schools
- All Entering Class Stats, Including Average LSAT Scores
- Average Starting Salary of Graduates (Public and Private Sector)
- Percent of Graduates Employed Upon Graduation
- New "My Home" Feature: Save & Compare Schools and Take Notes
- Plus: All Graduate School Data (Full Access for 1 Year from Purchase)
Academics
| Full- and part-time faculty | 135 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 7.7 - Low |
| Total faculty | 156 |
U.S. News Law School Compass
By signing up for a premium subscription, you'd get access to:
- Expanded Profiles & Advanced Search for 188 Law Schools
- All Entering Class Stats, Including Average LSAT Scores
- Average Starting Salary of Graduates (Public and Private Sector)
- Percent of Graduates Employed Upon Graduation
- New "My Home" Feature: Save & Compare Schools and Take Notes
- Plus: All Graduate School Data (Full Access for 1 Year from Purchase)
Student Body
| Enrollment (full-time) | 629 |
| Gender distribution (full-time) | |
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| J.D. candidates graduating in 2009-2010 | 197 |
U.S. News Law School Compass
By signing up for a premium subscription, you'd get access to:
- Expanded Profiles & Advanced Search for 188 Law Schools
- All Entering Class Stats, Including Average LSAT Scores
- Average Starting Salary of Graduates (Public and Private Sector)
- Percent of Graduates Employed Upon Graduation
- New "My Home" Feature: Save & Compare Schools and Take Notes
- Plus: All Graduate School Data (Full Access for 1 Year from Purchase)
Cost
| Tuition and fees | |
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Full-time: $50,750 per year |
|
| Room and board | $16,700 |
U.S. News Law School Compass
By signing up for a premium subscription, you'd get access to:
- Expanded Profiles & Advanced Search for 188 Law Schools
- All Entering Class Stats, Including Average LSAT Scores
- Average Starting Salary of Graduates (Public and Private Sector)
- Percent of Graduates Employed Upon Graduation
- New "My Home" Feature: Save & Compare Schools and Take Notes
- Plus: All Graduate School Data (Full Access for 1 Year from Purchase)
Careers
| Graduates known to be employed at graduation | 94.5% - High |
| Median private sector starting salary | $160,000 |
| Median public service starting salary | $58,645 |
U.S. News Law School Compass
By signing up for a premium subscription, you'd get access to:
- Expanded Profiles & Advanced Search for 188 Law Schools
- All Entering Class Stats, Including Average LSAT Scores
- Average Starting Salary of Graduates (Public and Private Sector)
- Percent of Graduates Employed Upon Graduation
- New "My Home" Feature: Save & Compare Schools and Take Notes
- Plus: All Graduate School Data (Full Access for 1 Year from Purchase)
Library
| Total volumes and volume equivalents | 1,273,174 |
U.S. News Law School Compass
By signing up for a premium subscription, you'd get access to:
- Expanded Profiles & Advanced Search for 188 Law Schools
- All Entering Class Stats, Including Average LSAT Scores
- Average Starting Salary of Graduates (Public and Private Sector)
- Percent of Graduates Employed Upon Graduation
- New "My Home" Feature: Save & Compare Schools and Take Notes
- Plus: All Graduate School Data (Full Access for 1 Year from Purchase)
* Law School Overview details based on 2010 data
