Overview

Applicants
1,472
Acceptance Rate
55%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.56
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
157

Test Scores

LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
153 - 160

Deadlines

Application Deadlines
April 1

Application Process

Rolling Admissions
Yes

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
112

40.18
Female
10.71
Underrepresented Minorities


Students Say

At Villanova University School of Law, students find “a good balance in an interactive and educational atmosphere” through a blend of lecture, discussion, and serious hands-on experience. Students say the “absolutely wonderful” professors are the heart and soul of the program. “Instructors are all extremely intelligent and have a wealth of real-world experience, yet remain in touch with students,” says a 1L. In fact, he tells us, “My law school professors are much more helpful and approachable than my undergrad professors were.” Another student agrees that the “professors’ knowledge and experience is fundamental to the Villanova experience.” Many here happily report a lack of the “heavy competitive atmosphere that you hear about at other schools,” noting, “We all encourage each other to do well.”
Villanova takes a fairly traditional approach to introductory course work, and students say, “There is still a heavy reliance on the Socratic Method and many classes use a lecture format (especially in the first year).” In the next two years, students continue studying the basic principals of law, while adding elective courses to their schedule. Experiential learning is emphasized throughout the curriculum, and students dole out praise for the school’s strong legal writing and research courses, simulation programs, clinics, and externships. The school has a “clear emphasis” on “solidifying students’ legal writing skills.” In addition, students take on real legal work thanks to the school’s “strong commitment to community service and pro bono work.”
For a Catholic institution, it should come as no surprise that a “Catholic identity” reigns supreme. However, some students wish opportunities for service were not restricted by the administration’s commitment to Catholic values. (“No ‘regular hours’ in the forty-hour work week can be spent helping efforts to litigate for women’s reproductive freedom, and the participating organization must be aware of the policy.”) Ultimately, many wonder “how the administration will balance the school’s Catholic mission with its mission as a legal institution.”
Villanova’s eagerly anticipated, state-of-the-art law school facility opened in August 2009 on a site adjacent to the university’s suburban Philadelphia campus. Law students no longer have cause to bemoan the “severe lack of classrooms, computers, parking spots, hallways, lockers, and space in general” that they complained about in years prior as the new facility offers twice as much space as the old building and a new 500-car parking garage, to boot. While they may complain that the campus has a “high school atmosphere,” students also say they leave Villanova well-prepared for their professional career in the adult world. Students insist that “opportunities for practical experience are abundant,” and the “Career Services Department works really hard to help students find jobs in the private and public sectors.” They note that the school has “strong professional contacts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware” and that “major firms routinely interview on campus and hire many Villanova graduates.”

Career overview

% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
73%

Career Services

On campus summer employment recruitment for first year JD students
Yes

On campus summer employment recruitment for second year JD students
Yes

Employers who most frequently hire graduates
LAW FIRMS IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION, PARTICULARLY IN PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, AND DELAWARE; STATE AND FEDERAL JUDGES; AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AT ALL LEVELS.

Graduates Employed by Area

36%
Private Practice
14%
Business/Industry
12%
Judicial Clerkships
6%
Government
3%
Public Interes
1%
Academic

Graduates Employed by Region

52%
Mid-Atlantic
11%
South
4%
New England
2%
MidWest
2%
Mountain
2%
Pacific

Prominent Alumni

Hon. Edward G. Rendell
Former Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Doug Gaston
Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Comcast Cable

Jeffrey A. Pott
General Counsel, AstraZeneca

Kelly A. Ayotte
US Senator, New Hampshire

Jami Wintz McKeon
Chair, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Dates

Financial Aid Rating
Apr 1
Application Deadlines
Mar 1

Financial Aid Statistics

Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$42,791

% Students Receiving Some Aid
87%

Expenses per Academic Year

Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$16,605
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$5,008

Student Body Profile

Total Enrollment
594
Parent Institution Enrollement
10,697

Number of Foreign Countries Represented
2
Average Age at Entry
24

% Out-of-State
44%
% International
0%

Demographics

15.00%
% Under-represented Minorities

100% are full time
0% are part time
49% female
51% male

Campus Life

Students Say

When they are not hitting the books, Villanova students live the high life at the many bars, clubs, and restaurants in Philadelphia, as well as at campus events. A student assures us, “The Student Bar Association spends a lot of time planning activities to students. There are many active students groups as well.” According to another, “Students get along well and the ones that choose to socialize together have a great time.”
Still, many students choose to maintain a life outside of school, living off-campus with their friends or spouses. Getting to campus is easy since “the train runs literally out the front door of the law school.” One student advises, “there is a bar that students usually hang out at which can be fun, but sometimes after seeing these people all day and every day, it’s good to do something away from the law school crowd.” Luckily, that is easy to accomplish at Villanova thanks to the school’s “amazing” location. One student enthuses, “It is twenty-five minutes from Philadelphia, as well as a short drive to New York City, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, the beaches, and skiing!”
Most students say that they get along with their classmates, though some say the student body is pretty “homogenous” and “not exactly diverse.” However, “Villanova has openly stated that they feel that diversity is a compelling interest at the institution” and many believe that “in time, Villanova will be one of the more diverse legal institutions.”

More Information

% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%

Admissions Office Contact

Contact
Bayrex Marti
Executive Director, Admissions & Financial Aid

Address
299 North Spring Mill Road
Villanova, PA 19085

Phone
610-519-7010

Email
admissions@law.villanova.edu