Overview

Applicants
5,668
Acceptance Rate
14%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.77
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
213

Test Scores

LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
161 - 168

Deadlines

Application Deadlines
March 31

Application Process

Rolling Admissions
Yes

Application Fee
$75

CAS Service Used
Yes

Applicants accepted in terms other than fall
No

Transfer Applicants Accepted
Yes

Deferred Admission
Yes

Other Admission Factors

Academic

LSAT Score
Undergraduate GPA
Essay / Personal Statement

Selectivity Rating

Faculty Information

Student/Faculty
7:1
Total Faculty
149

41.7
Female
17.4
Underrepresented Minorities


Students Say

The Boston College Law School is a Jesuit institution that provides a holistic legal education balancing theory and practice. The school “does a nice job of blending high academic expectations and a sense of community,” which fosters a commitment to social justice in its students. This is done by providing opportunities to aid real clients in need via clinics (such as the Prison Disciplinary Clinic or the Ninth Circuit Appellate Program) or the Legal Services Lab, which offers legal services to the community. Attendees are also able to sharpen their courtroom skills via the Oral Advocacy Program. Additionally, externships represent a crucial part of a BC Law education: The flagship Semester-in-Practice Programs let students spend up to 37 hours a week working in the field either locally or around the world, all while still attending an accompanying seminar. Tethered Externships offer students the chance to combine a traditional course with an experiential seminar that features a part-time placement in the field. Students particularly point out that the “core 1L curriculum is very strong,” as first-years choose from an array of skills-based elective offerings, such as Legal Interviewing and Counselling or Negotiation, coming away with “solid research and legal writing skills.” Plus, there are “a wide variety of ways to get involved, including student groups, journals, mock trials, [and] moot court.” The school “makes it very easy to put together your own curriculum while providing enough guidance to make educated class choices.”

As for faculty, professors at BC Law are “capable, engaging, [and] kind individuals” who make the school “a wonderful place to study the law.” Most “craft their curricula with a focus on practical skills,” and they “offer a wide variety of approaches to legal thought.” As one student shares, “Each course is challenging and intellectually stimulating.” Professors are also able to offer help outside the classroom, as many “are well-known and respected in the Boston legal community, … [which is a] huge asset when looking for jobs or internships.” Overall, they “are top-notch in their qualifications and helpfulness” and “want their students to be good citizens and use their legal knowledge to be stewards of justice.” Students admit that some of the classrooms “are slightly outdated,” but the law library “is in excellent shape and is well-maintained.” They also note that any “technical resources are high quality and robust.” Another benefit is that the administration “is making great strides to address student comfort and mental health,” and they are “extremely responsive to student concerns.” Career Services “is extremely helpful in preparing 1Ls for on-campus interviewing and applying to big law firms,” the only caveat being that “the infrastructure is definitely one that feeds towards big law.” Fortunately, the “alumni network in Boston is genuinely incredible” and “is a great benefit in assisting students develop a practical knowledge of our industry.”

Career overview

Pass Rate for First-Time Bar Exam
96%
Median Starting Salary
$215,000
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
98%
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
92%

Career Services

On campus summer employment recruitment for first year JD students
Yes

On campus summer employment recruitment for second year JD students
Yes

# of Employers that Recruit on Campus Each Year
335

Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Biglaw (e.g., Choate Hall & Stewart, Cooley, Goodwin, Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Ropes & Gray, Wilmer Hale) Business (e.g. BJs Wholesale, KPMG, PWC, Wayfair) Federal Government (e.g. US Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, IRS, judges & courts, JAG) State/Local (e.g., Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, Community Legal Aid, Middlesex District Attorney's Office, NY Attorney General, Massachusetts Juvenile Court) NonProfit (e.g., ACLU, Greater Boston Legal Services, Bronx Defenders, Florence Project, Kids in Need of Defense, Conservation Law Foundation, Lawyers for Civil Rights)

Graduates Employed by Area

70%
Private Practice
10%
Public Interes
7%
Judicial Clerkships
5%
Government
4%
Business/Industry

Graduates Employed by Region

63%
New England
17%
Mid-Atlantic
7%
South
6%
Pacific
2%
MidWest
2%
South West
1%
International

Prominent Alumni

John Kerry
Former Senator, U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate

Debra Wong Yang
Partner, Gibson Dunn; Former United States Attorney for the Central District of California

Yolanda Lyle
Vice President of Executive Operations and Chief of Staff to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer Inc.

David Simas
CEO, Obama Foundation

Lara E. Montecalvo
Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

Dates

Financial Aid Rating
Mar 31

Financial Aid Statistics

Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$59,586

% Students Receiving Some Aid
97%

Expenses per Academic Year

Tuition
$66,600
Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$23,988
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$1,300
Fees
$513

Student Body Profile

Total Enrollment
733
Parent Institution Enrollement
14,600

Number of Foreign Countries Represented
15
Average Age at Entry
25

% Out-of-State
75%
% International
4%

Demographics

22.00%
% Under-represented Minorities

100% are full time
0% are part time
54% female
46% male

Campus Life

Students Say

The community at BC Law feels like “a small undergrad community” where “many students attend the same social events and spend time together on-campus.” It's “super easy to make friends” here, as “there are many student-organized and sponsored activities” and “a strong social scene.” Here you'll find “a very inclusive environment [with] no visible competition amongst the students.” As one states, “Everyone genuinely wants to help each other succeed and navigate through the academic and professional challenges of law school.” And students who are further along in the program are “committed to helping those in the years below them.” As the school is located on “a small, enclosed campus in a somewhat isolated location,” there is “a strong sense of collegiality and mentorship” with “a lot of friendship and collaboration.” One enrollee sums it up by saying, “If I could do law school all over again, I would come right back to BC.”

More Information

% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%

Admissions Office Contact

Contact
Kim Gardner
Senior Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid

Address
885 Centre Street
Newton, MA 02459

Phone
617-552-4351

Email
bclawadm@bc.edu


Articles & Advice