How to Get Into Loyola Law School (Los Angeles)

Housed at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, Loyola Law School was established in 1920. The school prides itself on being the first ABA-approved law school in California with a pro bono requirement for graduation. If you’re looking to gain more experience in pro bono law or surround yourself with faculty who believe pro bono law is an important part of a strong legal curriculum, Loyola Law School might be a great choice for you!

Loyola Law School: Acceptance Rate, GPA, and LSAT Scores

What do you need to know about applying to Loyola? First of all, some basic stats! Take a look:

Acceptance Rate	35.7%
LSAT Score (Median)	160
GPA (Median)	3.59
Class Size (Day/Full-time)	307
Student/Faculty Ratio	9.2:1

(Sources: US News, Loyola Law School Class Profile)

This gives us crucial info about Loyola Law School admissions–but it isn’t the full story. For example, even though the median LSAT score for the last admissions cycle was 160, the 25th-75th percentile LSAT scores were 157-161. And while the median GPA of admitted students was 3.59, the 25th-75th percentiles ranged from 3.38-3.73.

Overall, these stats reflect Loyola’s competitive, but not top-10, law school ranking: #72 overall, according to U.S. News & World Report. However, in terms of part-time programs, that ranking jumps way up: to #8. So, when you’re considering the school, taking a look at these different programs and what they offer is worthwhile.

Programs and Curriculum

Loyola Law School offers eleven separate programs–a huge spectrum! Take a look:

J.D. Day program (full-time)
J.D. Evening program (part-time)
Joint J.D/M.B.A.
Joint J.D./Tax LL.M.
Master of Laws (LL.M.)
Master of Laws (Tax LL.M.), in person
Master of Laws (Tax LL.M.), online
Master of Tax Law (M.T.), in person
Master of Tax Law (M.T.), online
Master of Science in Legal Studies (M.L.S.)
Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D)

(Learn more on theLoyola Law School’s degrees page)

For the day/full-time program, students can anticipate receiving a thorough legal education with a concentration in a particular area, ranging from Cybersecurity to the Political Process. This program lasts three years, as most traditional law programs do.

Loyola Law’s website promotes the “breadth and depth” of the education students receive, which goes beyond the classroom to the school’s clinics, partnerships, and pro-bono requirements. To help students navigate all of these choices, they also provide significant advising.

How to Apply

Suspect that Loyola might be the right law school for you? Here are the law school requirements you’ll need to meet to apply to their traditional (day) program:

The online application, with fee
Your CAS report (including your CAS GPA)
An LSAT or GRE score
Your personal statement (correctly formatted!)
Letters of recommendation (one is required, two are optional)
A resume (optional but “strongly recommended”)
Disclosures and early decision agreement (the latter only for students applying through Early Decision)

Note, as well, that Loyola requires students to have completed at least 90 credits from an accredited undergraduate institution to apply. They’ll evaluate this through your application and CAS report. In other words: you don’t need a transcript to apply, but you will have to submit one before you can enroll for classes.

Check out the Loyola Law School’s program page to learn more!

What makes Loyola Law School unique?

Just what makes this law school so special? Well, first of all, think about this: where is Loyola Law School? It’s LA location connects students to a huge number of resources and opportunities within the city itself, including its numerous clinics (Fashion law, anyone?).

Beyond that, Loyola is, of course, known for its pro bono work. This is also reflected in the clinics it offers students, from Genocide to Workers’ Rights. Its commitment to social justice draws hundreds of students there every year. And their U.S. News & World Report rankings show that this is effective: they’re ranked #4 in the U.S. for Trial Advocacy.

Overall, the Loyola Law School rankings also make it stand out in a few areas. In addition to their high Trial Advocacy ranking, Loyola also has incredibly strong tax law programs. This, too, shows up in the USNWR rankings, bringing them in at #11 nationwide (Source: US News).

If you’re a socially minded student with an interest in tax law, entertainment/fashion law, or even just in developing top-notch trial skills, then Loyola Law School just might be the right place for you!

Authors

Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Rachel is one of Magoosh’s Content Creators. She writes and updates content on our High School and GRE Blogs to ensure students are equipped with the best information during their test prep journey. As a test-prep instructor for more than five years in there different countries, Rachel has helped students around the world prepare for various standardized tests, including the SAT, ACT, TOEFL, GRE, and GMAT, and she is one of the authors of our Magoosh ACT Prep Book. Rachel has a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from Brown University, an MA in Cinematography from the Université de Paris VII, and a Ph.D. in Film Studies from University College London. For over a decade, Rachel has honed her craft as a fiction and memoir writer and public speaker. Her novel, THE BALLERINAS, is forthcoming in December 2021 from St. Martin’s Press, while her memoir, GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND, co-written with Jessica Pan, was published in 2014 by Penguin Random House. Her work has appeared in over a dozen online and print publications, including Vanity Fair Hollywood. When she isn’t strategically stringing words together at Magoosh, you can find Rachel riding horses or with her nose in a book. Join her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook!

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Catherine

Catherine supports Magoosh’s future grad school students by unlocking tricks of the test prep and application trade. She specializes in the LSAT, but also brings her experience in test prep and higher ed admissions to Magoosh students. Catherine spends her free time checking out local farmer’s markets, reading food and lifestyle blogs, and watching Bravo. She is forever in search of the best Mexican and Italian food in any given city.

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