Overview

Applicants
2,234
Acceptance Rate
19%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.76
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
96

Test Scores

LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
164 - 166

Deadlines

Application Deadlines
March 15

Application Process

Rolling Admissions
Yes

Application Fee
$0

CAS Service Used
Yes

Applicants accepted in terms other than fall
Yes

Transfer Applicants Accepted
Yes

Deferred Admission
No

Other Admission Factors

Academic

LSAT Score
Undergraduate GPA
Letters of Recommendation
Essay / Personal Statement

Selectivity Rating

Faculty Information

Student/Faculty
4:1
Total Faculty
138

76
Female
10
Underrepresented Minorities


Students Say

If you鈥檙e frothing to 鈥済et [inside] the courtroom immediately after law school,鈥 Baylor University just might be the program for you. The school has a reputation for 鈥渃rafting [great] trial lawyers鈥 and its mandatory 鈥減ractical skills [courses]...are legendary.鈥 Many also note that Baylor鈥檚 鈥渓egal writing and research classes teach students not only to write, but also how to think.鈥 Students truly 鈥渓earn how to [draft] contracts, how to [compose] quality memos and briefs, how to fill out and file litigation documents, and everything in between.鈥 In other words, they graduate 鈥渞eady [to practice.]鈥

Of course, Baylor鈥檚 鈥渟mall鈥 size is a boon as well. If you鈥檙e fortunate enough to attend, you鈥檒l quickly discover that 鈥渢he administration, faculty, and staff are all very concerned with the student body.鈥 Indeed, 鈥渢hey don鈥檛 spend all day closed away in their offices, but have an open-door policy and welcome students to come in and ask questions, learn, and practice together.鈥

Students do warn that the classes at Baylor are 鈥渢ough鈥 and 鈥渄emanding.鈥 While the 鈥減rofessors are the nicest people in the world...in the classroom, they are the Judge [and] [t]hey treat you as if you are an attorney representing your client.鈥 One colorful student goes as far as saying, 鈥淏aylor Law is basically the beginning of Full Metal Jacket. A professor almost said verbatim, 鈥楲et me see your warface!鈥欌 Thankfully, the faculty maintains a 鈥渉ands-on鈥 approach and remains 鈥渋nvested in every single student.鈥 They never hesitate to 鈥済o out of their way to help out.鈥 And, most importantly, the law professors here actually 鈥渉ave personalities to boot!鈥

When it comes to employment, we鈥檙e told that 鈥渋t鈥檚 not hard [to get jobs] in Texas.鈥 After all, students boast that Baylor grads have the 鈥渉ighest鈥 bar passage rate in the state. Plus, the program has 鈥渁n excellent reputation.鈥 Students also have access to 鈥渁n outstanding alumni network鈥 as well as 鈥渁 career office that prepares you well and creates some great networking and job search opportunities.鈥 Nevertheless, a handful of students caution that 鈥測ou have to put the work in when it comes to internships and networking. Jobs won't just fall into your lap and they are very upfront about that.鈥

Career overview

Pass Rate for First-Time Bar Exam
92%
Median Starting Salary
$90,000
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
93%
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
53%

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
230

Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Baker Botts; Bell Nunnally & Martin; Bracewell; Dykema; Foley & Lardner; Gray Reed & McGraw; Hartline Barger; Vinson & Elkins; Husch Blackwell; Jackson Walker; K&L Gates; Kelly Hart & Hallman; Locke Lord; McCathern; Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr; Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee; Norton Rose Fulbright; Pirkey Barber; Polsinelli; Reed Smith; Winstead; Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons; Walters, Balido & Crain; MG+M The Law Firm; various District Attorney offices; various Federal and State District and Appellate courts

Graduates Employed by Area

56%
Private Practice
14%
Government
12%
Judicial Clerkships
5%
Business/Industry
3%
Public Interes
3%
Academic

Graduates Employed by Region

90%
South West
3%
South
3%
Mountain
2%
Pacific
2%
New England
1%
Mid-Atlantic

Prominent Alumni

Leon Jaworski
Special Prosecutor for the Watergate trials

Priscilla Richman (Owen)
Judge, U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

John G. Hannick
Vice Admiral (Ret.) U.S. Navy

Mark White
Former Governor of Texas

Shannon Sedgwick Davis
Bridgeway Foundation, CEO

Dates

Financial Aid Rating
Feb 1
Application Deadlines
Apr 1

Financial Aid Statistics

Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$64,025

% Students Receiving Some Aid
93%

Expenses per Academic Year

Tuition
$61,782
Estimated On-Campus Room and Board
$13,764
Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$15,489
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$9,917
Fees
$95

Student Body Profile

Total Enrollment
458
Parent Institution Enrollement
17,059

Number of Foreign Countries Represented
6
Average Age at Entry
24

% Out-of-State
30%
% International
0%

Demographics

26.00%
% Under-represented Minorities

100% are full time
0% are part time
55% female
45% male

Campus Life

Students Say

Baylor law students don鈥檛 beat around the proverbial bush; they admit that the school is 鈥渧ery competitive and you are up against colleagues who are talented, hard-working, and intelligent.鈥 In fact, the vast majority 鈥渟tudy for...hours鈥 on a daily basis. Thankfully, despite the push for legal greatness, students report that their peers are still 鈥渧ery cooperative.鈥 Almost 鈥渆very [person] will go out of their way to help anyone else to the extent our honor code allows.鈥 And, in the end, it鈥檚 easy to find a 鈥渨onderful group of colleagues and friends.鈥

With regards to life outside the classroom, some students grumble that hometown Waco 鈥渋s excellent for studying and not much else.鈥 However, others counter that 鈥渇ood and entertainment [options]鈥 are slowly 鈥渄eveloping,鈥 thanks in part to HGTV鈥檚 Fixer Upper (which films in Waco). Of course, these future JDs are quite capable of making their own fun. As one student shares, 鈥淢y friends and I go to trivia night every week, participate in law school IM games, have our own game nights, and go out for a drink or two on the weekends.鈥 Plus, Baylor is 鈥渉alfway between Austin and Dallas, two major cities with lots of jobs鈥 and plenty of nightlife!


More Information

% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%

Admissions Office Contact

Contact
Jenny Branson
Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid

Address
One Bear Place #97288
Waco, TX 76798

Phone
254-710-6872

Email
jenny_branson@baylor.edu


Articles & Advice