Understanding American University Washington College of Law LSAT Score Requirements
The American University Washington College of Law (AUWCL), a private law school in Washington, D.C., is part of American University. It holds a place on the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Law Schools” list. Founded in 1896 with the goal of creating the first co-educational law school that allowed women to be applicants, WCL holds the distinction of being the first law school founded by women and having the first female dean and the first all-woman graduating class. In 1949, the school merged with American University after moving to several locations around Washington, D.C., during its first few decades of operation.
Location and Reputation
Located in the nation’s capital, WCL is in the heart of where laws are made and has a large international program both inbound and outbound. WCL has a reputation for curating the nation’s most passionate legal professionals. The school consistently produces a wide range of journals, publications, essays, and lectures on a variety of legal topics, which are fully accessible to students.
Academics and Programs
WCL offers a wide selection of class options. The courses are challenging, and the hours are long, but the school is equipped with a top-notch roster of professors. The school offers full- and part-time programs leading to the JD degree, which is awarded after satisfactory completion of 86 credit hours, 32 of which are prescribed. All degree candidates must also fulfill an upper-level writing requirement. A modified version of the Socratic method is the dominant form of teaching in the first year, and faculty increasingly employ methodologies such as role-playing, simulations, and small-group collaborative exercises.
One major bonus of attending WCL is the easy entry into the world of law. Since the student body is quite small, students have direct access to professors and other faculty to get a more personalized experience. When you attend WCL, you’ll learn a lot about humanitarianism, so if this is your field of interest, it’s worth your effort to apply. Most WCL professors are deeply involved in nonprofit and government organizations. As a student, you’ll be able to network with people directly involved in the D.C.
After completing the required curriculum, students elect a course of study drawing from advanced courses, seminars, independent research, externships, and clinical programs. JD students take upper-level courses with LLM students, learning side by side with more than 180 practicing attorneys from around the world. In the Legal Rhetoric Program, basic legal research and writing skills are taught to groups of students by full-time faculty (23 students per section) and practicing attorneys (12 students per section). During the spring semester of the first year, full-time students enroll in an elective first-year course in addition to their required courses. Examples of first-year elective courses are International Law, Introduction to Intellectual Property Law, and Introduction to Public Law.
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The Washington College of Law was one of the first law schools to develop modern clinical legal education. Typically, more than 200 second- and third-year students participate in one of the 11 law clinics each academic year-making the Clinical Program one of the largest in the nation. All 11 clinics are open to third-year students, and 7 are open to second-year students. Full-time faculty and practitioners-in-residence work collaboratively to teach students about client-centered, ethical practices.
Dual Degree Programs
American University offers five domestic dual-degree programs for students seeking to enhance their law degree with additional graduate coursework. These programs include a JD/MA in International Affairs with the School of International Service; JD/MBA with the Kogod School of Business; and JD/MPA, JD/MPP, and JD/MS in Justice, Law, and Criminology programs with the School of Public Affairs. In addition to our domestic dual-degree programs, the law school offers international dual-degree programs with law schools in Melbourne, Australia; Ottawa, Canada; Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Madrid, Spain. The program places upper-level students in many governmental, nonprofit, and public interest entities throughout the DC metropolitan area, the United States, and abroad. The nationally recognized Stephen S. Weinstein Trial Advocacy Program prepares about 400 students each year to enter the legal community with solid trial litigation skills.
Admission Requirements and Process
When looking to apply to law school, you should review the rankings of each university that interests you. The rankings give you a big-picture view of the overall quality of the school, programs, and faculty, and will give you an idea of employment opportunities that will await you after graduation. Without a doubt, a school with a high ranking is going to have a lower acceptance rate, because the highest-ranking law schools are more attractive to applicants. Take prestigious schools such as Harvard Law (15.6%) and Stanford (9%), for example. These schools are synonymous with success and attract highly qualified students from all over the world. So, their acceptance rates are much lower than the national average (45%).
American University Washington College of Law’s acceptance rate hovers around 48%. It’s a top-quality school with an acceptance rate that is higher than the median. This makes getting into WCL far less competitive than getting into other schools in the country, yet WCL still can offer a wide range of valuable programs.
When applying to a law school, be sure to look beyond the acceptance rate. Yes, a high-ranking law school will deliver a valuable degree, but make sure the school offers the right programs for your career goals. Keep your eye on application requirements such as regular and early decision deadlines to increase your chances of being accepted to American University Washington College of Law, as missing these deadlines will significantly lower your chances of acceptance. Occasionally, fewer slots may be available for admission. That is why we sometimes see slight drops in an acceptance rate. Interviews aren’t granted.
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Applicants to the law school are admitted based on the strength of their entire academic and related record. The Committee on Admissions gives primary emphasis to the undergraduate record, LSAT scores, and major accomplishments and achievements, whether academic, work related, or extracurricular. The committee considers the benefits from having racial, ethnic, cultural, economic, and geographic diversity among its students. Admission to the law school is highly selective, so applying early in the admission cycle is encouraged.
You must apply online via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) electronic application service. The general rolling admissions priority deadline is March 1. Applicants who apply after March 1 may not hear a decision until after April 1. The $70.00 application fee is automatically waived for applications submitted by the fee waiver deadline listed on our Admissions Timeline & Requirements. Our law school does not waive/pay the fee for an applicant's LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Report. If you select to apply under our General Rolling Admissions Process, you may submit your application starting September 1. Applications are sent to the Committee on Admissions in the order in which they are received and completed. Therefore, it is advantageous to complete your application early in the process so your file will be reviewed when there is more space available in the incoming class. Currently we offer two binding Early Decision Options with application deadlines in December and February. If admitted to AUWCL as an Early Decision Option candidate, you must enroll at AUWCL, withdraw all applications at other law schools regardless of your status and not initiate any new applications.
Please be sure to proofread each component of your application before you submit it. Once you submit documents to our office, they become our property. We can only add an addendum to your application if it contains completely new information. The recommended length is 2-3 pages. Our personal statement prompt is open-ended in order to give you the chance to discuss what you feel is important for the Committee on Admissions to know about you. We require one letter of recommendation and allow a maximum of two. Once we receive at least one letter of recommendation and the rest of your file is complete, your file is sent to the Committee on Admissions for review. If you request that we hold your file until two letters are received, this delays the review process and therefore your decision. If you are still in school or have recently graduated, we strongly suggest an academic recommendation. If you have been out of school for a significant time or an academic recommendation is not feasible, you may submit professional recommendations instead. Your resume should give further context to your application and give an overview of your experiences and accomplishments.
LSAT/GRE Score Submission
All first-year applicants must have taken either the LSAT or GRE within the past five years. We recommend that fall 2024 applicants take the LSAT no later than February. Applicants taking the GRE are encouraged to take the test by February 28 so we receive the scores by the March 1 priority deadline. You can submit your application prior to taking the LSAT or GRE. AUWCL receives all LSAT test scores from the Law School Admission Council that fall within the five-year LSAT reporting window. To be consistent with LSAT reporting, applicants who have taken only the GRE must submit all scores from the last five years. Applicants who have taken both the LSAT and GRE may choose whether to report their GRE score(s). If an applicant reports scores from both the LSAT and GRE, we are required to report the highest LSAT score to the American Bar Association (ABA). We will only accept official GRE score reports from ETS. Please indicate American University Washington College of Law as a score report recipient using our designated institution code of 4203. Once we receive your application, we request your CAS Report, which is required whether you take the LSAT or GRE. AUWCL considers the cumulative undergraduate GPA reported on your CAS report for admission and merit scholarship purposes. LSAC standardizes undergraduate GPA across applicants by combining transcripts for all undergraduate institutions attended and converting to a standard 4.0 system. Therefore, the GPA on your CAS report may not match your degree-granting school GPA.
Additional Requirements
If you previously enrolled in a law school, you are required to submit a copy of your law school transcript and letter of academic standing. All matriculating students must have an official undergraduate transcript indicating degree conferral on file. Foreign-educated applicants must submit their final transcripts to LSAC. All applicants must answer character and fitness questions on the application. Please read these questions carefully as they may vary from law school to law school. Generally, the severity of the action and any pattern of violations have the greatest effect on the committee's decision. When submitting the electronic application, there is an optional Community Impact Statement where you can attach a separate statement explaining how your personal circumstances are of special relevance to your application. If there is information the Committee on Admissions should know about you or your educational background that would be better addressed separately from the personal statement or optional diversity statement, you may attach an addendum to your application.
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Holistic Review
Your undergraduate academic record and the LSAT or GRE are important factors in reviewing your admissions file. Beyond your LSAT or GRE score and undergraduate cumulative grade point average, the Committee on Admissions evaluates your transcript and consider factors such as a marked improvement in grades, degree of difficulty of your major, employment during college, activities that indicate proven leadership ability or community service, graduate education, work experience, and other measures of professional achievement and personal and intellectual maturity. AUWCL ascribes to a holistic review process, so while LSAT or GRE and GPA are important indicators of academic ability, they are not the only aspects considered. The Committee on Admissions reviews each applicant's transcripts, taking into consideration semester-by-semester trends and types of courses taken. Applicants can sometimes balance out a lower GPA with a higher LSAT or GRE score or vice versa. Additionally, if outside factors contributed to your LSAT, GRE, and/or GPA being lower than expected, you may consider including an academic addendum with your application to explain these circumstances to the Committee on Admissions. In order to be fair to all applicants, a graduate degree GPA can never replace your undergraduate GPA for review or merit scholarship purposes. However, the Committee on Admissions considers all transcripts, including graduate work, while reviewing files. If you feel there is something important that the Committee on Admissions should know about you, you should explain it your own words somewhere in your admission file. It is up to you to articulate your interests and background in your file.
Disability Accommodations
If you have a disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities, you may be eligible for disability-related accommodations. To determine eligibility, we will need, from an appropriate licensed health care professional, comprehensive and relevant documentation that explains the current impact of your disability and makes a recommendation for accommodation(s). For admitted students who have made a deposit to accept admission in the entering class, the Associate Director of Disability Support is available for consult meetings prior to registration.
Admission Decisions and Enrollment
General rolling admissions applicants may receive a decision any time between mid- to late-October and late March. Early Decision applicants should refer to the notification dates listed here. Decisions are made on a regular basis, but not all applicants who applied early in the process receive the first decisions. Our Committee on Admissions may hold your file until we have a sense of that year's applicant pool. In order to accept your place in the entering class, you must submit a $900 seat deposit by your seat deposit deadline. The deposit is credited toward tuition charges for the fall semester. Applicants should apply for admission to the year in which they intend to enroll. Admitted students who cannot matriculate in the entering class due to unforeseen circumstances may request a one-year deferment. Unfortunately, due to the size of our applicant pool and limited class size we are unable to admit all applicants who impress the Committee on Admissions. If we offer you a place on our waiting list and you wish to remain in consideration, you must submit the Waiting List Reply Form. Although each year is different, historically AUWCL admits a number of candidates from the waiting list during the late spring and throughout the summer. Applicants who remain on the waiting list receive a final notice in mid to late August to let them know our class has been filled.
International Students
Typically around 10-15 first-year international students enroll at AUWCL each year from a diverse array of countries. Applicants who are applying for a student (F-1) visa must attend full time (at least 12 credit hours per semester). I-20 forms are not available to admitted students until you have submitted a seat deposit. You must show evidence of sufficient private or government funding to cover the cost of attendance for at least one year in order to be issued the appropriate immigration document. If your native language is not English AND one of your college or university level degrees was not conducted in English, you must take the TOEFL exam and submit your score through the LSAC credential service. We recommend a minimum TOEFL score of 100 iBT (internet-based test, or 600 paper-based test). The Committee on Admissions will consider waiving the TOEFL on a case-by-case basis. Applicants who earned their undergraduate degree outside the United States or Canada MUST take the LSAT or GRE and have their academic credentials evaluated by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) using the authentication and evaluation (A&E) feature included in LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS). bachelor's degree.
Merit Scholarships
The AUWCL Office of Admissions considers all admitted applicants for merit scholarships; a separate application is not required. Merit scholarships are primarily determined by applicant academic indicators (LSAT or GRE and undergraduate GPA). Merit scholarships are renewed for each year in law school per the policies outlined in the Required Reading. The Office of Admissions generally begins awarding merit scholarship in late January and continues throughout the admissions cycle. The PIPS scholarship is awarded to incoming (1L) full-time JD students only. The scholarship is awarded to those with a demonstrated commitment to public service, strong academic credentials, and a desire to pursue a public interest or public service career upon graduation.
Student Life and Outcomes
AUWCL is a great college for students who wish to focus their careers on humanitarian issues and civil service. The relationships you will build at WCL will last a lifetime. You’ll be up close and personal with industry experts and top-notch professors. The alumni network will indulge you in the D.C. legal community, which will help open doors to future employment opportunities. Another notable aspect of this law school is that it offers part-time enrollment, which is great for students who work a full-time job but still want to pursue their education. If you’re someone passionate about civil rights and social programs, this is the right school for you. Though WCL may not be as competitive to get into as other schools in Washington, D.C., you’ll still need to work hard. The course material is tough, and the classes are large. However, professors make an effort to ensure every student has the materials they need to progress. The law school has five established journals and several publications edited and published by students.
Our typical first-year entering class is about 400 students, made up of around 330 full-time and 65 part-time students. Full-time first-year students are split into four sections of about 80-90 students each. Part-time students form a fifth section. You will take all of your first-year courses with your section, except Legal Rhetoric, which has 12-24 students per class. Our alumni work in a variety of sectors, including law firms, government, judicial clerkships, business and industry, and public interest.
Most graduates find employment within 10 months after graduating. About 26% of graduates end up working for law firms, and 43% find jobs in Washington, D.C. That’s no surprise - because there are over 200 supervised faculty clinics available to students.
Campus and Location
AUWCL is located in Northwest DC, just one block from the Tenleytown-AU Metro station on the red line. Our 8.5-acre campus is situated just off Tenley Circle, between Nebraska Avenue and Yuma Street. It consists of three buildings - Warren, Yuma, and Capital. Students needing to get back and forth from American University's main campus about one mile away may take the AU Shuttle, which picks up at both the Tenleytown-AU Metro station and the law school. The law school moved to its home at Tenley Campus in January 2016. The Warren Building contains classrooms, the Ceremonial Classroom (an appellate courtroom), and the Pence Law Library. The Capital Building houses administrative offices, the student-edited publications, and a courthouse that includes the Weinstein Courtroom and smaller courtrooms.
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