Overview
Applicants
4,227
Acceptance Rate
41%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.75
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
236
Test Scores
LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
(enrolled students)
157 - 164
Deadlines
Application Deadlines
March 1
Application Process
Rolling Admissions
Yes
Application Fee
$50
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
10:1
Total Faculty
109
35
Female
9
Underrepresented Minorities
Students Say
William & Mary, in Williamsburg Virginia, has enjoyed a long and successful history since its founding in 1693, and its public law school, the William & Mary Law School, still 鈥渙ffers a great value for the quality of education.鈥 William & Mary faculty are celebrated by students as 鈥渇antastic and willing to help the students rather than focusing on their own research,鈥 though many are 鈥渙ftentimes the preeminent experts in their field.鈥 鈥淟earning the Erie doctrine,鈥 one student explained, 鈥渇rom the man that pioneered the theory of horizontal Erie is a once in a lifetime experience.鈥 Nonetheless, they 鈥渞outinely hang out in the lobby and discuss classes or just to interact causally with the students,鈥 and students rarely find them intimidating. There is a 鈥済reat mix of seasoned faculty and younger faculty who are all at the top of their respective legal fields,鈥 which contributes to the school鈥檚 鈥渇orward thinking and innovative approaches to legal education鈥 with 鈥渁 great balance of both theory and the practical hands-on.鈥
There is a wealth of opportunities here for practical development. Students love 鈥渢he very specialized electives where you can surprise yourself by how much you learn while at the same time possibly discovering a new passion.鈥 Additionally, 鈥渢here are countless opportunities to get practical experience via externships and clinic experiences鈥 that become 鈥渋ntegral in getting summer internships.鈥 Students report leaving 鈥渇irst year having experience doing client intake and client interviews.鈥 Students say that the school鈥檚 Legal Practice Program, 鈥渋ncluding 鈥楲egal Writing鈥 and oral presentation skills, has taken great strides evolving over the past few years in order to best suit students鈥 needs and prepare us for the world of practice.鈥 The program includes 鈥渘umerous adjunct professors鈥 who provide 鈥渋nteresting insight.鈥 And while 鈥渢he legal writing program has its problems,鈥 鈥渢he administration truly wants to hear feedback from students and continues to make successful changes to provide meaningful training for practice.鈥 These efforts 鈥渢o give students an opportunity to become great writers and practitioners鈥 seem to be paying off. One student reported that, 鈥渄uring my 1L summer externship, my supervising attorneys were very impressed with how advanced my legal argumentation and writing skills were.鈥
Students are pleased with facilities and resources, finding that 鈥渢here are always available seats in the library, and study room reservations are easy to make.鈥 Technologically equipped classrooms help to 鈥渃reate a comfortable learning environment,鈥 and 鈥渢he actual law school building is also lovely with great nooks and crannies for studying.鈥
There is a wealth of opportunities here for practical development. Students love 鈥渢he very specialized electives where you can surprise yourself by how much you learn while at the same time possibly discovering a new passion.鈥 Additionally, 鈥渢here are countless opportunities to get practical experience via externships and clinic experiences鈥 that become 鈥渋ntegral in getting summer internships.鈥 Students report leaving 鈥渇irst year having experience doing client intake and client interviews.鈥 Students say that the school鈥檚 Legal Practice Program, 鈥渋ncluding 鈥楲egal Writing鈥 and oral presentation skills, has taken great strides evolving over the past few years in order to best suit students鈥 needs and prepare us for the world of practice.鈥 The program includes 鈥渘umerous adjunct professors鈥 who provide 鈥渋nteresting insight.鈥 And while 鈥渢he legal writing program has its problems,鈥 鈥渢he administration truly wants to hear feedback from students and continues to make successful changes to provide meaningful training for practice.鈥 These efforts 鈥渢o give students an opportunity to become great writers and practitioners鈥 seem to be paying off. One student reported that, 鈥渄uring my 1L summer externship, my supervising attorneys were very impressed with how advanced my legal argumentation and writing skills were.鈥
Students are pleased with facilities and resources, finding that 鈥渢here are always available seats in the library, and study room reservations are easy to make.鈥 Technologically equipped classrooms help to 鈥渃reate a comfortable learning environment,鈥 and 鈥渢he actual law school building is also lovely with great nooks and crannies for studying.鈥
Career overview
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
90%
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
87%
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
100
Employers who most frequently hire graduates
http://law.wm.edu/careerservices/documents/class_of_2016_employment_highlights.pdf
Graduates Employed by Area
40%
Private Practice
18%
Government
17%
Judicial Clerkships
10%
Business/Industry
4%
Public Interes
2%
Academic
Graduates Employed by Region
64%
South
15%
Mid-Atlantic
9%
Pacific
4%
South West
2%
MidWest
2%
Mountain
2%
New England
1%
International
Dates
Financial Aid Rating
Feb 15
Application Deadlines
Dec 1
Financial Aid Statistics
Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$42,341
% Students Receiving Some Aid
96%
Expenses per Academic Year
In-State Tuition
$26,411
Out-Of-State Tuition
$34,854
Estimated On-Campus Room and Board
$12,018
Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$12,018
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$1,650
Fees
$6,146
Student Body Profile
Total Enrollment
633
Parent Institution Enrollement
8,617
Number of Foreign Countries Represented
12
Average Age at Entry
24
% Out-of-State
74%
% International
4%
Demographics
16.60%
% Under-represented Minorities
100% are full time
0% are part time
55% female
46% male
Campus Life
Students Say
William & Mary 鈥渉as a great community feel and a lot of opportunities to get involved鈥攊ncluding five reputable law journals.鈥 The school emphasizes the 鈥渋dea of a Citizen-Lawyer,鈥 Thomas Jefferson鈥檚 founding mission to create lawyers who contribute to society and live up to a high moral code, and 鈥渋s exemplified by faculty and upperclassman.鈥 Students remain close 鈥渄espite being graded on a curve,鈥 and create a friendly 鈥渃ooperative atmosphere,鈥 without 鈥渃ut-throat鈥 competition. They develop a close 鈥渃ommunity (which isn鈥檛 a word often associated with law school),鈥 and 鈥渢he upperclassmen are supportive鈥 and provide 鈥渙utlines, career advice, [and] networking鈥 opportunities.鈥 While it is impossible to 鈥渞eally eliminate competition at law schools ([full of] a bunch of type-A weirdos who are graded on a mandatory curve),鈥 one student jokes, 鈥淲illiam & Mary really has reduced the competition significantly.鈥 Yet, this collective fondness and involvement in each other鈥檚 lives sometimes develops a penchant for gossip: 鈥淪ince we鈥檙e such a small school, people learn each other鈥檚 business very quickly,鈥 and 鈥渨e are pretty gossipy.鈥 While Williamsburg may be small with 鈥 only three to four 鈥榣aw school鈥 bars,鈥 students make up for it 鈥渨ith Public Service Fund and school-sponsored events.鈥 鈥淚f you want a place that you can focus on law school but still have an outlet for fun, this is the place to be.鈥
More Information
% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%
Admissions Office Contact
Contact
Faye Shealy
Associate Dean
Associate Dean
Address
Office of Admission
PO Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
PO Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Phone
757-221-3785
Email
lawadm@wm.edu
