Published: April 13, 2011

Fordham Law School (FLS) is ranked number 30 out of the 180 law schools considered in the ranking, according to U.S. News & World Report. The Fordham Law evening school program, one of the school’s divisions, is ranked number two out of 80 similar programs in the nation.

As of now, FLS does not have a required LSAT score. However, scores have steadily increased since 2009. Assistant Dean for Enrollment Stephen Brown said, “Our top quartile for the overall class (day and evening) is 168, and bottom quartile is 163.” All  of these scores are up one point from 2009. Brown is expecting similar LSAT scores for the upcoming year.

FLS has not adjusted their GPA requirement. The median GPA has raised 0.01-0.02 since 2009, keeping the school at a steady academic level.

According to Brown, this year’s application pool dropped by more than 12 percent. However, Brown and the admissions board are content with this figure. He said, “Much of the decline was [due] to lower GPAs and LSAT scores. FLS is currently around the 20th most competitive school by GPA and LSATs.

Despite the recent 12 percent decrease, Brown believes more undergraduate students are considering the investment in law school. For the past seven to eight years, application numbers have been increasing. He said, “I think with all the publicity about jobs and schools’ reporting of information, applicants are paying more attention.”

Shanu Bajaj, FCLC ’13 and president of FCLC’s Pre-Law Society (PLS), said that she agrees with Brown, but “students should not be too meticulous about these ratings.”

She said, “Each student has their own expectations of law schools and their own priorities. Not every law school is perfect for them.”

In addition, Bajaj said, “[PLS tries] to expose students to different aspects of law as well as what different law schools have to offer. Our mission is to make sure our members are well-informed about the LSATs, law schools, the admissions process, as well as the financial aspect.”