Duke University, School of Law Admission
Duke University, School of Law Undergraduate Program
Duke University, School of Law Application

The Facts

Duke University is a rather large, private institution located in the town of Durham, North Carolina, and has a combined graduate and undergraduate population of over 22,000 students. The university's law school, however, is significantly smaller, and is home to about 640 graduate law students. The average age of enrollment is around 25, and it is rather rare for students to enter the school directly from their undergraduate education. The school is perhaps best known for its diversity of teaching styles and methods, its wonderful research resources, as well as for its many internship, externship, and clerkship opportunities. The school offers degrees in the 3 year JD, the 1 year LLM, as well as the 1 year S/JD for international students only. The school also offers a wide range of joint degrees in the JD/MA in cultural anthropology, east Asian studies, economics, English, forestry and environmental studies, history, humanities, philosophy, public policy studies, religion, as well as romance studies, the JD/MS in electrical and computer engineering, as well as mechanical engineering, the JD/MBA, JD/MPP, JD/MEM, JD/MTS, JD/MD, JD/PhD, as well as the JD/LLM in international and comparative law. Some of the most popular programs of study include courses in the areas of criminal law, international justice and law, as well as civil procedure.

Admission to Duke University's School of Law is extremely competitive among the many students who apply; last year, over 4,100 students applied for admission to the school, and approximately 870 of those students were accepted. Eventually however, only about 220 of the admitted students actually enrolled for the coming semester. The admitted students had an average LSAT score ranging from 162 to 169, as well as an average undergraduate GPA of about a 3.7. Students are notified of their admissions status on a rolling basis, and there is currently no early application program in place.

The school of law has 90 faculty members, and students seem to agree that they are extremely dedicated and truly care about the success and well-being of their students. The school also has a very manageable student to faculty ratio of 12:1, and the small classes allow for plenty of interaction and discussion.

Employment Facts

Duke School of Law students don't seem to worry too much about getting a job after graduating. 100% of the most recent graduating class were able to find jobs within a few months of receiving their degree. They also had an average starting salary of about $110,000. Some of the most common employers for graduates include national and private law firms, business, industry, governmental organizations, as well as public interest groups.

What's Good

"The faculty here is outstanding, and they have a real gift for making classes highly engaging."

"The internship opportunities here are wonderful, and you really get an opportunity to apply your new skills."

"There is a great spirit of community here, and there is hardly any negative competition between us."

What's Bad

"I wish there was more financial aid available to us graduate students. This school isn't cheap."

"The facilities are a bit cramped, but we make do. The library staff will bend over backwards to help you out."

"Some of the better internships are very difficult to get. You really have to fight for them."

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