How to Get Into Yale Law School: The Ultimate Guide
/How hard is it to get into Yale Law School? Learn the Yale Law School acceptance rate and admissions requirements, plus essays examples that work
LEARN HOW TO GET INTO YALE LAW SCHOOL
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Part 1: Introduction
For aspiring lawyers, attending Yale Law School is the unparalleled dream. Yale’s is the highest ranked, most selective law school in the United States, boasting renowned faculty members, small class sizes, an untraditional grading system, and a plethora of illustrious and powerful alumni, including two former Presidents, three sitting Supreme Court Justices, and many other leading figures in politics, academia, business, and media.
If you hope to add your name to the Yale Law School alumni list, you probably already know that you’ll need stellar undergraduate grades and standardized test scores, stand-out personal essays, and that little, mysterious, crucial something extra to be a competitive applicant.
This guide will go over everything you need to know to tackle your Yale Law School application, including statistics, a discussion of standardized tests, an overview of all the application components, and full-length examples of personal essays.
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Part 2: Yale Law School programs
Most students looking to practice law will be interested in earning a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. In addition to its JD program, Yale Law School also offers a few other graduate degrees: Master of Laws (LLM), Doctor of the Science of Laws (JSD), Master of Studies in Law (MSL), and PhD in Law.
Yale’s JD program is what we’ll cover in this post.
Yale Law School also permits JD students to enroll in joint degree programs with a number of other Yale graduate programs, pending case-by-case approval. While students can seemingly propose a dual-degree course of study in any program that will complement their legal studies, most common are JD-MBAs or JD-MA programs in fields such as Global Affairs. If a joint degree program interests you, depending on the specific program in question, you’ll either need to apply to your non-JD program at the same time that you apply to Yale Law or you’ll apply during your first year of law school.
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Part 3: Yale Law School admissions statistics
With an incoming class size of around 200 students per year and a 4:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Yale Law School is on the smaller end of top-tier law schools in a way that can make it seem like an even more elite club.
Here are some statistics on Yale Law School’s class of 2026:
Number of applicants: 4,471
Number of offers of admission: 246 (5.50%)
Class of 2023 incoming size: 201
GPA distribution and range:
25th percentile: 3.89/4.0
50th percentile: 3.96/4.0
75th percentile: 4.00/4.0
Range: 3.25–4.27
LSAT distribution and range:
25th percentile: 172/180
50th percentile: 175/180
75th percentile: 177/180
Range: 158–180
Though there is no minimum GPA or LSAT score for applicants, the lowest GPA and LSAT scores received by a member of Yale Law School’s class of 2026 were 3.25 and 158, respectively. Admitted students with very low scores likely have other aspects of their applications that are extraordinary.
To get into Yale Law School, you should spend your undergraduate years working hard to earn top grades. You should also invest plenty of time studying for the LSAT to aim for a score of at least 175, preferably 176 or above. Remember that while it’s absolutely possible to get in with a lower score, 50% of successful applicants scored 175 or higher.
Note: Beginning with the 2019-2020 cycle, Yale began accepting GRE scores in place of the LSAT. Additionally, applicants can submit scores from the LSAT-Flex or the GRE General Test at Home. While Yale gives no preference to one test over another, you may only submit one test score; you cannot submit both an LSAT score and a GRE score.
Yale Law School application
To apply to Yale Law School, you’ll need to sign up for the Law School Credential Assembly Service (CAS), which you can access online via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). You’ll then submit your entire application online through LSAC.
For the class of 2027, YLS opened its application system on September 1, 2023, and applicants have been able to submit their applications since October 1, 2023. Applications must be submitted by February 15, 2024.
The components of your Yale Law School application are:
An application form
Transcripts from every undergraduate and graduate institution you’ve attended, submitted directly to LSAC
At least two letters of recommendation from former professors, submitted to LSAC (and no more than four letters of recommendation total)
LSAT or GRE scores (note: while LSAC will automatically report your LSAT scores to Yale, to submit GRE scores, you’ll need to designate Yale as a score recipient through the testing organization, ETS)
Essays:
Mandatory: law school personal statement (no length guidelines given)
Mandatory: a 250-word essay on “an idea or issue from your academic, extracurricular, or professional work that is of particular interest to you”
Optional: various addenda, such as a diversity statement or an explanation of unusual items that appear elsewhere in your application
While some law schools require dean’s certificate forms as part of their application, Yale only requires them if and when you receive an admission offer and decide to accept.
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Part 4: Yale Law School essays (examples included)
In this section, we’ll go over how to approach writing each of the essays in Yale Law School’s application, plus show you full-length example essays.
Some general guidelines to keep in mind when writing your essays:
Focus on crafting the very best writing you can and make sure to proofread your essays for correct grammar and spelling. Since writing well is an incredibly important skill for lawyers, Yale’s admissions officers will absolutely be paying attention to how you write in addition to what you write.
Be sure to carefully follow essay instructions, including length guidelines. Going over a specified word limit will show you don’t know how to follow directions, which is not a great look for someone hoping to work in a field as intricate as law.
Yale Law School personal statement
When applying to law school, we recommend starting by writing a personal statement that you can later tweak to cater to every school to which you apply.
Here’s what Yale Law School says about the personal statement. Emphases are ours: “The personal statement should help us learn about the personal, professional, and academic qualities an applicant would bring to the Law School community. Applicants often submit the personal statement they have prepared for other law school applications.”
Aim for about 500 words.
Here’s an example that our student, Rebecca, wrote to apply to Yale Law School:
Growing up thirty minutes from Lake Michigan, I always loved water. As a child, my family spent most summer weekends at the beach, where I ran nervously into the freezing blue lake and spent hours combing the sand for interesting stones and shells. Bordered by four of the five Great Lakes, Michigan has the most freshwater coastline of any state—it’s where you want to be when a climate apocalypse comes.
In early 2015, the news that Flint, Michigan’s water had elevated lead levels began to make local headlines. I was in my freshman year at the University of Michigan and enrolled in an ecology class focused on aquatic ecosystems. I remember one day, shortly after I first heard about the situation in Flint, standing on the banks of the nearby Huron River during a field trip, in complete disbelief that less than an hour from where I stood, clean water could not be found.
I’d never paid much attention to politics up to that point, but as an aspiring environmental scientist and a native Michigander, I felt a mixture of horror, sadness, and anger when I thought about how the residents of Flint had been put in danger so that the government could save money. How could water—the thing we had so much of in Michigan—be full of poison?
By the spring of 2016, Flint was national news and a state of emergency had been declared on local, state, and federal levels. My friend, Mariam, who was part of a student activist group, invited me to participate in a bottled water collection drive which culminated in a group of us driving up to Flint a few weeks later to drop off the supplies we’d gathered.
It was there that the economic and racial contours of the situation sharpened in my eyes. When we dropped the water off at Flint’s Red Cross chapter, it became obvious to me that the majority of people who were suffering were working class and black. Having grown up in a primarily white suburb and then moved to affluent Ann Arbor for college, it was completely unimaginable that something so devastating would be allowed to happen in the version of Michigan that I personally knew.
When I first read the term “environmental racism” in an article about Flint, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Though by this point I’d declared Ecology, Evolution, & Biodiversity as my major, I’d never before considered that race could have anything to do with what I was studying. Nevertheless, “environmental racism” perfectly summed up what I’d observed in my visit to Flint.
As I read more about environmental racism, I began to understand that disadvantaged communities all over the country and the globe were being impacted by toxic environments. Though I’d always imagined myself changing the world as a scientist out in the field, the more I learned, the more I felt that working from the angle of policy and law would be the most effective contribution I could make towards achieving environmental justice.
I am applying to Yale Law School in order to equip myself to help communities like Flint as an environmental policy lawyer. With valuable resources like the Environmental Protection Clinic and the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, I know that Yale’s Program on Law and the Environment will provide the strongest possible foundation for me to do this crucial work. And belonging to the community of YLS’s exceptionally motivated future legal leaders would offer me the challenge, support, and inspiration to aim high as I demand a better and more equitable future.
What can we take away from Rebecca’s essay?
Rebecca chooses a chronological approach that is loosely organized around the timeline of the Flint water crisis. Using the Flint story as a spine, she seamlessly weaves in information about her academic interests, geographic and socioeconomic background, and political awakening. While a chronological order is by no means necessary to writing a good essay, it works well here because it anchors the personal information that naturally leads into Rebecca’s explanation of why she would benefit from a Yale education.
On that note, while the subjects of Yale and law serve as the culmination of Rebecca’s essay, they take up little space relative to the essay as a whole. Instead, Rebecca uses the majority of her essay to tell a story about herself, which is what a personal statement should do. This approach is much more likely to stick with an admissions officer than a summary of all of Yale Law School’s amazing attributes.
When she does turn to YLS, she offers a few specifics while also nodding to the clearest and most powerful thing Yale has going for it: the people. The professors and peer group will push Rebecca to be the best lawyer she can be.
Yale Law School 250-word essay
Yale Law School also requires a 250-word essay, known as the “Yale 250,” in addition to a personal statement. Their application notes: “The 250-word essay is an opportunity to explore an idea or issue from your academic, extracurricular, or professional work that is of particular interest to you. The idea or issue you choose does not have to be law-related; this is simply another opportunity for faculty readers to learn more about how you would engage in the Law School community.”
Since the 250-word essay is open-topic, many applicants have difficulty figuring out how to approach writing it. Good topics for the 250-word essay range widely. But here are a few general guidelines:
1. Write about yourself, rather than penning an ode to Yale.
2. Do not use the Yale 250 to explain bad grades or offer excuses for other extenuating circumstances; save anything urgent regarding context for the addenda.
3. The Yale 250 is about adding color and often quirk to your application. Think of it as a chance to add texture about something—perhaps something surprising—that you didn’t get to cover in your main personal statement. We’ve seen applicants write about their love of basketball brackets or streetwear fashion.
Here’s what another one of our students, Malcolm, wrote for his Yale 250-word essay:
People who visit my house often exclaim that I have a green thumb. While plants adorn nearly every surface in my home, I don’t find the claim of a green thumb accurate. That’s because I know a true one—my mother.
Growing up, our small apartment was equally densely populated by plants—from dramatically draping vines propagated from found pieces to cacti abandoned by the dumpster and nursed back to health. No person, book, or website made my mother such a skilled horticulturalist. Instead, she has an intuitive ability to understand what a plant needs. “Look how brown it is,” she’d insist. “It’s telling you something.”
When I first moved out, I was eager to replicate my mother’s jungle. To my dismay, my new greenery browned at an alarmingly quick rate. Suffice to say, I hadn’t inherited her legendary green thumb.
While initially discouraged, my desire to feel at home prompted me to do what I do best: research. I went down every online rabbit hole about fertilizer, soil, and the indefinable “bright indirect light.” When a plant began to yellow or drop leaves, I’d spend hours reading about how I could improve its water or light levels. Eventually, I learned to understand the signals my plants were transmitting, which had been previously imperceptible to me. While I don’t have an inborn green thumb, diligence has made my plants thrive. Even my mother says so.
Let’s break down what works about Malcolm’s essay:
In this essay, Malcolm uses a casual, occasionally humorous tone, which is not always the right choice but works here because he balances it with tight, vivid writing.
While Malcolm chooses to discuss an extracurricular activity, horticulture, that doesn’t immediately seem connected to law, he uses it to convey personal qualities that would make him a good lawyer: diligence, a love of research, and an insistence on accurate definitions.
Though they are not the main subject of his essay, Malcolm also transmits small but informative details about his upbringing. Through the essay, we learn that he and his mother lived in a small apartment and that their plants were often found rather than bought.
Yale Law School optional essays
Yale Law School Addenda
Although they are optional, Yale Law School allows applicants to add addenda to their applications. Items you might attach as addenda include explanations of deficient grades, test scores, or any other items in your application materials that you feel need clarifying. Remember that you should only ever explain away bad grades if you have a real story about what happened and if you can turn the weakness into a strength by explaining how you grew from a difficult situation.
Yale Law School diversity statement
Diversity statements also fall under this optional category. Yale writes: “Although Yale Law School does not require a diversity statement, many applicants submit diversity statements that help us learn more about them and how they would contribute to our community. Other applicants choose not to include diversity statements, especially if they have otherwise covered key aspects of their background and experiences in their application. One way to decide whether to include a diversity statement is to consider those aspects of your identity that are core to who you are, and make sure they are represented in your application.”
If you’re unsure whether you should include a diversity statement with your application, we suggest reading our guide to writing law school diversity statements and guide to law school admissions, which cover how to approach this decision.
Here’s an example of a diversity statement that our student, Maya, wrote to apply to Yale Law School:
In the fall of 2014, I was a twenty-nine-year-old waitress and college dropout with one semester of credits to my name. Nearly a decade earlier, as I was beginning my second semester at the University of Massachusetts, my mother’s car was struck by a drunk driver running a red light. She was killed instantly. The next day, I took a bus home to Rhode Island and never went back except once, a month later, to pick up my belongings with my dad. The semester off I’d initially allotted myself to deal with my grief morphed into two semesters, then three. Before I knew it, the momentum of my old life had swallowed me whole. I’d enjoyed my short stint in college, but in the wake of such catastrophe, I needed to be close to my family, and no one I knew argued with this logic.
For ten years, I spent time with my dad and sister, forged community with old and new friends in Providence, and held down serving jobs at restaurants around town. I’m a good waitress—I’m quick on my feet, have a remarkably sharp memory, and can banter with the best of them. However, as my thirtieth birthday approached, I began to wonder what else my life could have become had I stayed in school.
More or less on a whim, I decided to apply to Smith College’s Ada Comstock Scholars Program, which is designed for women of nontraditional age. To my surprise, I was accepted. Becoming a student again at age thirty, just twenty minutes away from where my college career had ended, was exhilarating, surreal, and challenging in ways I could not have anticipated. Though overtime I found wonderful and inspiring friends in my fellow Adas, as we were called, I was typically the only nontraditional student in the majority of my courses. I initially felt old and like an imposter, and, for the first year or two, spent a lot of time by myself.
I thought about my mother frequently during these years. My mother and I are similar in that she also left college before graduating, though in her case it was to get married after she became pregnant with me. Unlike me, she never got the chance to go back.
As I complete my final semester of college this winter, I’ll be the first person in my family to graduate from college. I will be thirty-four years old. My path as a nontraditional student often perplexes people I meet whose own paths have led seamlessly from high school to college to professional life. Over these last three-and-a-half years, I’ve come to realize that this journey has been a gift because I truly understand the value of my education, having lived a working adult’s life without it. Not only has this shown me that I can change my own life through hard work, it’s also strengthened my resolve to advocate for those who have been less fortunate than I have. I know I will use my wide range of life experiences and the wisdom and empathy they have bestowed to become the very best lawyer I can.
What can we learn from Maya’s diversity essay?
The primary point of difference that Maya highlights is her journey as an older student, though we learn that she’s a first-generation college student as well. Though both facts are important to understanding who she is as an applicant, by choosing one element of her background, her essay is given focus and clarity.
Like Malcolm, Maya uses another experience—in this case, her past work as a server—to demonstrate skills that will make her a successful attorney.
Not only does Maya detail the experiences that make her a unique candidate, she also reflects on how these experiences will shape her as a lawyer. This is the key to writing a successful diversity statement.
Final thoughts
Gaining acceptance to Yale Law School will be a challenge for any applicant, no matter how qualified. For the greatest chances of admission, first, focus on achieving the very best grades and test scores that you can. Next, tackle your essays with creativity and impeccable writing to demonstrate the unique experiences, skills, and point of view that you will bring to Yale.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on law school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into law school using his exclusive approach.
THERE'S NO REASON TO STRUGGLE THROUGH THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS ALONE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE. SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION TO ENSURE YOU LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE.