Overview

Applicants
919
Acceptance Rate
69%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.28
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
168

Test Scores

LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
145 - 151

Deadlines

Application Deadlines
April 1

Application Process

Rolling Admissions
Yes

Application Fee
$60

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

Faculty Information

Student/Faculty
15:1
Total Faculty
91

47
Female
9
Underrepresented Minorities


Students Say

Rhode Island may only have one law school in the state, but the stellar faculty and strong academics of the student body, make Roger Williams an impressive law school to attend. The small size draws students in, who are comforted “that everybody knows your name, whether it’s a librarian, your professor, or the dean.” Students are “encouraged to practice conscious lawyering” and the coursework is “innovative and creative.” Students have access to “experiential learning opportunities” and professors work to create “a name and legacy.” Roger Williams’ students brag that the faculty helps students “succeed in a personalized manner. They take the time to get to know you and truly understand your idea of law.”
The professors are just a small part of what makes Roger Williams so successful. Students get to meet “with the hiring partners of the biggest law firms in Providence,” and RWU makes sure their students are ready for careers once they graduate. As one student told us, “Every student is guaranteed at least one semester of clinic or externship placement, if they choose, and students are able to spend a full semester in practice through these programs.”
Every law school is constantly improving and Roger Williams is no different. Students say that the school can do more to “improve diversity in opinion . . . that not only promotes healthy debate but encourages and integrates it into our learning.” Other students mention they’d like “more diverse networking opportunities beyond the public interest realm.” And, while one student mentions the program is “on the forefront of ethnic diversity,” others say the school should “become more open about addressing diversity in the classroom as well as in the real world.”
Many students mention the Marine Affairs Institute as another huge help in creating positive experiences and opportunities for students. The school has “a strong relationship with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association), where they reserve one internship with their general counsel for a RWU student.” Roger Williams also connects to other schools: “There is an option to get a dual degree with a JD and a Masters of Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island.” This expands student options, so they can be more experienced lawyers, or continue work in law-adjacent fields.
Roger Williams is “very public interest oriented, so it is refreshing to be in an environment that is dedicated to ‘giving back.’” The Feinstein Center is also a great way for students to “explore options in public interest law and helps to facilitate a student’s interest in the field.” Many students also talk about the stellar Financial Aid department, which is “straightforward and dedicated to helping us find ways to pay for our education.”

Career overview

Median Starting Salary
$55,000
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
80%
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
58%

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
10

Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Rhode Island Supreme Court; Rhode Island Superior Court Law Clerk Department; Connecticut Superior Court; New Jersey Superior Court; Rhode Island Attorney General's Office; numerous public defender offices; Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services; law firms in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey.

Graduates Employed by Area

25%
Judicial Clerkships
24%
Private Practice
16%
Business/Industry
10%
Government
4%
Public Interes
2%
Academic

Graduates Employed by Region

71%
New England
16%
Mid-Atlantic
6%
South
4%
Mountain
2%
Pacific
1%
South West

Prominent Alumni

Randall Lewis
General Counsel, EHC Global

Aaron Frey
Maine Attorney General

Lucy Plovnick
Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP, Washington DC

Betty Ann Waters
Subject of movie "Conviction"

Katherine Sulentic
NCAA, Associate Director of Enforcement

Dates

Financial Aid Rating
Mar 15

Financial Aid Statistics

Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$53,240

% Students Receiving Some Aid
95%

Expenses per Academic Year

Tuition
$35,735
Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$16,500
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$1,500
Fees
$1,080

Student Body Profile

Total Enrollment
454
Parent Institution Enrollement
4,550

Number of Foreign Countries Represented
6
Average Age at Entry
25

% Out-of-State
65%
% International
0%

Demographics

27.00%
% Under-represented Minorities

100% are full time
0% are part time
52% female
48% male

Campus Life

Students Say

Students enjoy Bristol, Rhode Island’s “relaxing” and “beautiful view[s].” “RWU is in a great location . . . close to several high profile law schools, the local bar association” and the “opportunity to bring big name speakers to our campus, such as U.S. Supreme Court justices, and international speakers.” The city allows easy access to Boston as well as Providence. Even so, one student told us “having a car is definitely an advantage” to travel to other cities, and another student mentioned the law school should simply relocate to the capital.
A few other students point out that a social divide seems to appear between liberal and conservative students: “It’s a very liberal leaning school, far beyond the average, which provides great camaraderie for those on the left but not so much on the right.” Some students are concerned about how money is allocated, since they feel “the law school societies no longer have available student funds,” but another student simply mentions that before, “there was free pizza everywhere.” Over thirty campus clubs are assets to students who say they “want our peers to emerge as our colleagues and we are encouraged to have amicable relationships with each other.”

More Information

% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%

Admissions Office Contact

Contact
Michael Donnelly-Boylen
Assistant Dean of Admissions

Address
10 Metacom Avenue
Bristol, RI 02809-5171

Phone
401-254-4555

Email
Admissions@rwu.edu