From the School

Chapman University Fowler School of Law offers a collaborative, rigorous, and personalized legal education. Graduates develop skills to provide passionate, ethical, and accurate service to their clients so they can make a lasting impact in their communities.

With one of the best faculty/student ratios among American law schools, Chapman offers smaller class sizes and greater access to professors. Chapman provides practical training through a variety of clinical programs and externships, as well as opportunities for participation on legal journals and award-winning competition teams. Chapman has a dedicated staff to help its graduating students obtain positions of responsibility in the legal workforce. The law school is ABA accredited and a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

Overview

From The School


Applicants
1,499
Acceptance Rate
50%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.24
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
190

Test Scores

LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
152 - 157

Deadlines

Application Deadlines
April 17

Application Process

Rolling Admissions
Yes

Application Fee
$75

CAS Service Used
Yes

Applicants accepted in terms other than fall
No

Transfer Applicants Accepted
Yes

Deferred Admission
Yes

Other Admission Factors

Academic

LSAT Score
Undergraduate GPA
Letters of Recommendation
Essay / Personal Statement

Selectivity Rating

Overall


Faculty Information

Student/Faculty
10:1
Total Faculty
83

31
Female
12
Underrepresented Minorities


Students Say

Students who attend Chapman University Fowler School of Law in Orange, California join a "dynamic" and "inclusive" community filled with "countless opportunities." To begin with, there's a tremendous "emphasis on practical classes" with numerous "clinics, externships and internships" offered. As one student elaborates, "I have been able to get some kind of practical training every semester, which has really built up my skills for practice once I get out of law school." Additionally, Chapman maintains "an excellent bar prep program" which yields "great results." Importantly, when it comes to instructors, Chapman School of Law has a healthy "mix of professors who use [the] Socratic [method] and those who do not." Chapman has done a "great job at finding [individuals] who practiced in the area they teach, so they [can] offer practical advice to supplement the material." Even better, "the professors all seem to love the subject they teach, which makes going to class fun." They're also "brilliant" and continually "push students to limit to see how great [they] can be." Chapman professors "want to help you succeed, even if that means going out of their way to do so." Many individuals here are equally impressed with the administration, which makes an "effort to get to know EVERY student." One ecstatic law student even notes, "Our deans walk the hallways practically greeting every student by name."

When it comes to the job hunt, Chapman students feel good about their options. As one grateful individual notes, "Our career services office works really aggressively at making each student competitive in the job market." Indeed, "networking opportunities" are plentiful. Further, many students are quick to note "how much the alumni are involved with the school and recruit from the school." We'll give the final words to this student who happily concludes, "The staff, faculty, and administration all seem to have one goal: to help students graduate and succeed. I never felt as if I was short on resources or aid and my overall academic experience was fantastic."

Career overview

From The School


Pass Rate for First-Time Bar Exam
58%
Median Starting Salary
$65,144
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
73%
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
77%

Career Services

On campus summer employment recruitment for first year JD students
Yes

On campus summer employment recruitment for second year JD students
Yes

# of Employers that Recruit on Campus Each Year
70

Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Crowell & Moring Rutan & Tucker Wood Smith Henning & Berman Collins Collins Muir & Stewart Green & Hall Koeller Nebeker Carlson & Haluck Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara Wright, Finlay & Zak PwC Ernst & Young (EY) Niagara Bottling, LLC Microsemi Mobilitie Warner Music Group Orange County District Attorney’s Office Orange County Public Defender's Office Riverside District Attorney’s Office San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office U.S. Department of Health & Human Services U.S. Internal Revenue Service Children's Law Center of California

Graduates Employed by Area

44%
Private Practice
20%
Business/Industry
7%
Government
1%
Judicial Clerkships
1%
Public Interes
1%
Academic

Graduates Employed by Region

93%
Pacific
3%
Mountain
2%
MidWest
1%
Mid-Atlantic
1%
South
1%
South West

Prominent Alumni

Brad Kuhn
Partner, Nossaman

Nikole Kingston
Partner, O'Melveny & Myers

Jason Rednour
Partner, Paul Hastings

Jack Anderson
Associate Counsel, Blizzard Entertainment

Steve Ruden
Partner, Knobbe Martens

Overview

From The School


Dates

Financial Aid Rating
Mar 2

Financial Aid Statistics

Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$61,958

% Students Receiving Some Aid
87%

Expenses per Academic Year

Tuition
$50,076
Estimated On-Campus Room and Board
$19,560
Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$19,560
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$1,680
Fees
$452

Overall

From The School


Student Body Profile

Total Enrollment
479
Parent Institution Enrollement
7,570

Number of Foreign Countries Represented
6
Average Age at Entry
25

% Out-of-State
6%
% International
1%

Demographics

39.00%
% Under-represented Minorities

95% are full time
5% are part time
51% female
49% male

Campus Life

Students Say

Chapman students report that, by and large, a "strong sense of community" permeates the School of Law. After all, Chapman sponsors "lots of social events and activities," which help "foster an atmosphere of inclusion." Some students do lament that their peers are "highly competitive." However, others insist just as vigorously that their classmates are "generally encouraging and supportive of one another." As one budding legal scholar explains, "If you miss class it's easy to get notes and outlines and older students always very helpful to the younger classes." Another student concurs adding, "Since there's a curve, there's competition, but it's really low key. Nobody talks about their grades, and it's pretty much a secret where everybody places, except for maybe the top of the top." And one thrilled student goes as far to say that "never in my life have I experienced a more welcoming and energetic group of people. [They're] always full smiles and open arms (even during finals)." Most law students here love Chapman's location in Orange County. Certainly, the "weather is always awesome." And, even better, the university is only "ten minutes away from Disneyland, and ten minutes away from the beach."

More Information

% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%

Admissions Office Contact

From The School



Contact
Justin Cruz
Assistant Dean of Admissions and Diversitiy Initiatives

Address
One University Drive
Orange, CA 92866

Phone
714-628-2500

Email
lawadmission@chapman.edu