The University of Pittsburgh School of Law strives to admit to its JD program a class of highly qualified students who appear likely to succeed in and graduate from this law school and become productive members of the legal profession or related professions. The Admissions Committee uses a holistic approach that considers myriad variables, including, but not limited to, GPA; LSAT score; rigor of undergraduate coursework; prior work and educational experience; commitment to justice; life experience; leadership ability or potential; demonstrated ability to overcome personal or structural barriers; evidence of discipline and responsibility; motivation to succeed at law school; and circumstances that put the applicant’s academic and personal achievements into context, including socioeconomic status, experience in a single parent home, family responsibilities, cultural background, race and ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, the language spoken in the home, and other information in the applicant’s admissions record. There is no minimum GPA or LSAT score required. Consistent with the goal of providing an enhanced educational environment that promotes critical thinking and increases the ability to communicate, work, and interact, the School of Law seeks to enroll qualified members with varying backgrounds.
Subject to the exceptions listed below, by the time of matriculation, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree awarded by an accredited U.S. college or university or an equivalent degree from a recognized non-U.S. institution.
Exceptions
The School of Law may accept applicants into its Accelerated Law Admissions Program (“ALAP”) who have completed three-fourths of the credits leading to a bachelor’s degree from an institution with which the School of Law has an existing ALAP arrangement. For a list of such institutions, please contact the Admissions Office. Graduates from recognized non-U.S. institutions may be accepted so long as the quality of the program of education of those institutions is equivalent to that of accredited U.S. colleges and universities. For questions about whether your non-U.S. institution qualifies under this exception, please contact the Admissions Office.
Applicants must have taken the LSAT within the past five years, except for those applicants who seek admission after having successfully completed the LLM program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.