This is the go-to guide for getting into Southwestern Law School. We suggest you read until the end… Not only will we layout the exact GPA and test scores you should aim for when applying to Southwestern Law School, but we’ll also offer creative ways to help your application stand out from the pack. We breakdown Southwestern Law School statistics better than any article out there and show you how these have changed over time. Also, make sure to check out Southwestern Law School on CampusReel to see what it’s really like here. You can also use the below calculator to help determine your likelihood of acceptance at Southwestern Law School

WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES AT SOUTHWESTERN LAW SCHOOL?

Your SAT Score
400

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Your ACT Score
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Your GPA*
X.XX
on a 4.0 scale
This free college chances tool calculates your acceptance chances at Southwestern Law School or any other U.S. college

Please note all chances are estimates based on test score and GPA averages.

*or select a school above for a specific calculation

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What GPA do you need to get into Southwestern Law School?

Southwestern Law School’s average GPA is 3.15. Southwestern Law School does require GPA. Southwestern Law School is currently selective. However, be aware that oftentimes schools in this GPA range are increasing their selectivity in hope of increasing “prestige”. We can’t read the minds of Southwestern Law School application readers, but they likely want to increase the average GPA from 3.15 to 3.31 this year – to play it safe, we recommend striving for the 3.31 GPA.

*BEFORE CONTINUING PLEASE NOTE: GPA and “prestige” DO NOT mean a college is right for you. Southwestern Law School may seem amazing on paper, but you may hate it… That’s why 700,000 students transfer colleges every year – they end up going to the wrong school. It’s crucial to watch the videos on CampusReel and make sure you can envision yourself on Southwestern Law School’s campus. These Southwestern Law School admission statistics do not sufficiently tell you what a college or university is like.

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What is Southwestern Law School’s acceptance rate?
Last year Southwestern Law School’s acceptance rate was 0.0. However, check out how the acceptance rate has changed over time.

2016 2017 2018
Acceptance Rate N/A N/A N/A
As you can see, Southwestern Law School is just as competitive as it was last year.

Acceptance rate alone does not indicate your likelihood for getting into Southwestern Law School – it’s a very high level understanding of the true competition. Use the acceptance rate as a general guide for curating a list of 10-15 schools that fall into different ranges of competitiveness. Then, use the below data to get a deeper understanding of how your application will compare to the rest of the pool.

WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES AT SOUTHWESTERN LAW SCHOOL?

Your SAT Score
400

Check this box if you are not submitting an SAT score
Your ACT Score
Select a score

Please note all chances are estimates based on test score and GPA averages.

*or select a school above for a specific calculation

Need chances at another college?

Select a School
Does Southwestern Law School Require Test Scores?

Southwestern Law School requires that you either take the SAT or ACT. See the table below for how Southwestern Law School’s accepted students have performed on both tests. You may be wondering how many test scores should you submit. Generally, don’t freak out about taking the test too often. Industry consensus is that you can submit up to 6 tests as a reasonable limit.

Southwestern Law School SAT Requirements

Southwestern Law School’s average SAT score is – – this is the sum of the math and reading portions of the SAT (the 1600 scale). Check out the below table for a deeper look into how students performed – it’s also very interesting to look at the average test score over time. The trend over time helps give insight into whether Southwestern Law School is getting more or less competitive.

25th Percentile 75th Percentile Average
Math – – –
Reading – – –
2019 Total – – –
2018 Total – – –
2017 Total – – –
Southwestern Law School’s average SAT score is -. To be a competitive applicant for Southwestern Law School your SAT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the -, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted. To consider Southwestern Law School a “target” school (one that you are likely to get into) you should aim for a score of -.

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Southwestern Law School ACT Requirements

Southwestern Law School’s average ACT score is -. To be a competitive applicant for Southwestern Law School your ACT score should come close to the average. If you’re closer to the -, you’re likely going to have a tougher time getting accepted. To consider Southwestern Law School a “target” school (one that you have a good chance of getting into) you should aim for a score of -.

25th Percentile 75th Percentile Average
Math – – –
Reading – – –
Writing – – –
2019 Total – – –
2018 Total – – –
2017 Total – – –
How hard is it to get into Southwestern Law School?

As you can see from the data above, Southwestern Law School is exceptionally difficult to get into. Not only should you be aiming for a 3.15 but also SAT scores around -. Getting into Southwestern Law School is no easy feat and you will need to set yourself apart with more than just numbers and data. Read on to learn how.

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Southwestern Law School Requirements

Now you know where you need to be for getting into Southwestern Law School from a grade and test score perspective. Let’s quickly outline what else you’ll need to provide for your application to get reviewed, and then we’ll move onto the most important section: differentiating your app.

Recommendations Status
School Rank N/A
GPA N/A
School Record N/A
How to get into Southwestern Law School

Follow these steps to maximize your chances of getting into Southwestern Law School. Everything you read above will help prepare you for what you need to achieve to have a shot at Southwestern Law School, but these steps will take you even further in applying that knowledge and differentiating your application.

Main Academic Excellence that is in line with Southwestern Law School admission standards.
Score at least a – on the SAT or – on the ACT.
Maintain a GPA of at least a 3.15.
Join Extracurriculars that Align with Southwestern Law School’s Values.
Join your school band, a sports team or another group activity. If Southwestern Law School values music heavily, for example, then try to participate in an organization related to that topic.
Volunteer in your hometown. Los Angeles has tons of ways to be involved beyond just the college. Southwestern Law School wants applicants that are also good ambassadors for the school – they want students who will give back to the local community and broader Los Angeles area in general.
Spend your summer doing something that speaks to your values, personal growth, leadership qualities and other less quantifiable characteristics. Southwestern Law School needs to see past your test scores and grades – they need to know that you will be a valuable and contributing member of their community. You are more than grades and test scores – your experiences should demonstrate that.

Prepare Your Application
Write a stellar essay that shows Southwestern Law School something they can’t figure out from the other parts of your application. For a detailed guide on writing the best college essay, check this out.
Get teacher recs that speak to your character. If you know what you’re majoring in and include that in your Southwestern Law School app, try to have at least 1 recommendation from a teacher in that department.
Apply Before the Deadline. Too many students wait until the last minute to submit their application, and too much can go wrong during this precious time window. Since many students are applying on the last day, it’s possible that Southwestern Law School’s own system crashes. Don’t risk the added stress this can cause – submit your app a few days early.

Overview

Applicants1,900Acceptance Rate48%Median Undergrad GPA3.30Accepted Applicants Who Attend341

Test Scores

LSAT25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)151 – 155

Deadlines

Application DeadlinesApril 1

Application Process

Rolling AdmissionsYes

Application Fee$60

LSDAS Service UsedYes

Applicants accepted in terms other than fallNo

Transfer Applicants AcceptedYes

Deferred AdmissionYes[+] More

Other Admission Factors

Academic

LSAT Score

Undergraduate GPA

Letters of Recommendation

Essay / Personal Statement

National Comparison: Overview of Facts

15 in Presence of Minority Faculty

Southwestern Law ranks #15 in terms of the highest percentage of faculty who are racial or ethnic minority (26.6%).

28 in Presence of Minority Students

Southwestern Law ranks #28 in terms of the highest percentage of students who are racial or ethnic minority (52.2%).

41 in Highest Tuition

Southwestern Law ranks #41 in terms of highest tuition among full-time law students ($53,966). We rank from a total of 283 tuition rates from 194 law schools, ranking twice those law schools that have different in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.

62 in Library Size

Southwestern Law ranks #62 in terms of library size with 542,873 volumes or equivalents.

70 in Presence of Female Faculty

Southwestern Law is tied for #70 in terms of the highest percentage of faculty who are female (42.4%).

85 in Acceptance Rate

Southwestern Law ranks #85 in terms of student selectivity with an acceptance rate of 46.1% among those who applied for admission.

95 in Private Sector Salary

Southwestern Law is tied for #95 in terms of the median starting salary among graduates working in private practice as law firm associates ($70,000).

115 in Median LSAT

Southwestern Law is tied for #115 in terms of the median LSAT score (153) among those applicants granted admission who enrolled as full-time students. The LSAT measures reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning.

143 in Student to Faculty Ratio

Southwestern Law is tied for #143 in terms of lowest student to faculty ratio (8.1:1).

157 in Median Undergraduate GPA

Southwestern Law ranks #157 in terms of highest median undergraduate GPA (3.22) among those applicants granted admission who enrolled as full-time students.

165 in Employment Rate at Graduation

177 in Employment Rate at 10 Months

Southwestern Law ranks #165 in terms of graduates employed at the time of graduation (19.3%) and #177 in terms of graduates employed ten months after graduation (58.6%).

181 in Bar Passage Rate

Southwestern Law ranks #181 in terms of bar passage rate among first-time test takers (52.3%), and it underperforms by -6.0% the state of California’s overall bar passage rate of 58.3%. (A national comparison on this metric should be taken in a qualified sense and with caution, because every state has a different bar passage rate.)

183 in Public Sector Salary

Southwestern Law is tied for #183 in terms of median starting salary among graduates working in government jobs or judicial clerkships at the federal or state level ($40,000).

About this Report
This report was released in spring 2019.

GPA & LSAT
References to the lowest, median, and highest GPA and LSAT scores reflect those of the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile, respectively, among those applicants granted admission who enrolled as full-time students in fall 2018.

Acceptance Rates
The acceptance rate is that of applicants granted admission as full-time students for classes commencing in fall 2018. The acceptance rate of the applicants does not reflect actual enrollment rates, a subset figure.

Student-to-Faculty Ratios
The student-to-faculty ratio shows the number of students for that class per faculty member. This ratio reflects the applicants granted admission who enrolled as full-time students in fall 2018.

Bar Passage Rates
The bar passage rates reflect those among first-time test takers for the winter and summer 2017 administrations of the bar examinations. The state noted is that in which the greatest number of the law school’s graduates took the bar exam for the reported period.

Employment Rates
The employment rates shown are those of the 2017 full-time graduates at the time of graduation and ten months after graduation.

Law Library Volumes
The data indicate the number of print and microform volumes, as well as volume equivalents.

Gender, Race & Ethnicity
The data shown indicate the percentage of the faculty that are male and female, respectively, and the percentage of the faculty and students that are racial or ethnic minority (Hispanics of any race, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, multiracial, non-resident alien, or unknown race).

Salaries
The salary statistics are those of full-time, long-term employed law graduates for the class of 2017 at the time of graduation and within ten months after graduation (approximately spring 2018 ), as self-reported by the graduates.

The salaries indicated for “Median Salary Private” reflect those salaries of the 50th percentile, among those graduates working in private practice as law firm associates. The salaries indicated for “Median Salary Public” reflect those salaries of the 50th percentile, among those graduates working in government jobs or judicial clerkships at the federal or state level.

In determining median salaries, jobs classified as “JD advantage” have been excluded (i.e., positions in which the employer requires a JD or considers it an advantage to hold such a degree, but in which admission to the bar is not required).

rospects for Admission & Entering Class Profile

In reviewing applicant files, the Admissions Committee considers trends in an applicant’s Undergraduate Grade Point Average (UGPA), the school(s) attended, the applicant’s major area of concentration, post-baccalaureate study, and the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).

A table lower on this page illustrates an applicant’s prospects for admission based upon UGPA and LSAT score.

2020 Entering Class Information

Of the 2020 Entering Class:

203 full-time day program
68 SCALE 2-year J.D. program
54 part-time evening program
7 part-time day program (PLEAS)

Demographics:

61% female
39% male
50% diverse
26 average age

	Full-time Programs GPA	Full-time Programs LSAT	Part-time Programs GPA	Part-time Programs LSAT	All Programs GPA	All Programs LSAT
75th	3.52	156	3.39	155	3.5	156
Median	3.28	153	3.09	152	3.25	153
25th	3.03	151	2.69	150	2.99	151

Top Five Feeder Schools:

UCLA
Cal State Northridge
UC Santa Barbara
UC Irvine
UC San Diego/USC (tie)

Top Five Majors:

Political Science
English
Psychology
Philosophy
Sociology

Prospects for admission based upon UGPA and LSAT score.

GPA	LSAT 120-144	LSAT 145-149	LSAT 150-154	LSAT 155-159	LSAT 160-164	LSAT 165-169	LSAT 170+
3.75+	Unlikely	Unlikely	Likely	Likely	Likely	Likely	Likely
3.5-3.74	Unlikely	Unlikely	Likely	Likely	Likely	Likely	Likely
3.25-3.49	Unlikely	Unlikely	Possible	Likely	Likely	Likely	Likely
3.0-3.24	Unlikely	Unlikely	Possible	Likely	Likely	Likely	Likely
2.75-2.99	Unlikely	Unlikely	Possible	Possible	Likely	Likely	Likely
2.5-2.74	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible
2.25-2.49	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Possible	Possible	Possible
2.0-2.24	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Possible	Possible	Possible