What tier is Cornell Law School?

Cornell Law School is consistently ranked as a top-tier, elite law school, typically within the T14 (Top 14) or T20 in national rankings, often considered part of the second tier after the "Big Three" (Yale, Harvard, Stanford) but firmly in the top echelon for hiring and prestige, usually alongside schools like Duke, Northwestern, UVA, Michigan, Berkeley, NYU, Columbia, and UPenn. It's a highly selective program that produces accomplished graduates, though specific rankings shift slightly year to year, with recent reports placing it around #18 or #13-#14.

Is Cornell a T14 law school?

Meanwhile, schools like UT Austin (+2), Washington University in St. Louis (+2), and Vanderbilt (+5) broke into a now-expanded “T14,” edging out longtime member Cornell, which dropped to #18.

What are the Tier 3 law schools?

Tier 3 law schools are generally those ranked by U.S. News & World Report outside the top 100-139 range, making up the bulk of ranked schools, often including solid regional programs like DePaul, Howard, Marquette, and many state-affiliated schools, offering strong local practice opportunities but with significantly lower chances of landing prestigious "Big Law" jobs compared to Tier 1/2 schools, with success heavily depending on grades, debt, and regional focus. 

Is Cornell a top 20 law school?

Yes, Cornell Law School is consistently considered a top law school, generally ranking within the top 20 nationally by publications like U.S. News & World Report, often considered part of the prestigious "T14" or T20, despite recent fluctuations that have placed it slightly outside the traditional T14 (Top 14) into the #18 spot for 2025, but still firmly within the elite tier.
 

What are the top 14 law schools?

Top 14 law schools

• Berkeley.
• Columbia.
• Cornell.
• Duke.
• Harvard.
• NYU.
• Northwestern.
• Stanford.

College Rankings: 5 Tiers of Colleges in the United States

What is the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 law schools?

Law school tiers categorize law schools based on factors like reputation, faculty qualifications, bar passage rates, and graduate employment outcomes. Tier 1 schools are the most prestigious and competitive, while Tier 2 and Tier 3 schools offer strong programs with varying selectivity.

What does T14 stand for?

Introduction: Why the “T14” Holds Such Power

For many, that ambition translates into three characters and one number—“T14.” The “T14” refers to the 14 law schools that have, without fail, anchored the top of national rankings since those rankings were first published.

Is Cornell Law elite?

Cornell Law School, known as Cornell Law, is an Ivy League law school in Ithaca, New York. Cornell Law was established in 1887 and is one of the smallest elite law schools in the U.S.

Is Cornell a Tier 1 university?

The Ivy League is a group of eight prestigious private universities in the Northeastern US: Harvard University, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania. While the eight Ivies are all considered Tier 1, not all Tier 1 schools are part of the Ivy League.

Is Cornell harder than Harvard?

Harvard is generally considered harder to get into due to its lower acceptance rate (around 3-4%) compared to Cornell's (around 7-8%), making it more selective for admission. However, academic difficulty after admission is subjective, with Cornell having a reputation for being rigorous and potentially harder to graduate from in certain demanding programs (like engineering or sciences), while Harvard is known for strong academics with some perceptions of grade inflation, though both are extremely challenging. 

Who are the Golden 5 law firms?

"Golden 5" likely refers to London's elite Magic Circle law firms: A&O Shearman, Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May, known for high-stakes corporate work, top salaries, and global reach. While "Golden 5" isn't an official term, it captures the prestige of these UK firms, which are central to global finance and major transactions, demanding long hours for significant rewards.
 

What is the toughest law school to get into?

The hardest law schools to get into consistently include Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Chicago, often due to extremely low acceptance rates (around 5-17% for the top tier) and exceptionally high GPA/LSAT requirements (median LSATs often 173+). Yale Law School is frequently cited as the most difficult, with acceptance rates sometimes below 6% for a highly competitive applicant pool. 

What are tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 universities in the USA?

There's no official definition for Tier 1, 2, or 3 universities, but generally, Tier 1 refers to elite, highly selective schools (e.g., Harvard, Stanford) known for top research; Tier 2 includes strong, competitive universities (e.g., NYU, UCLA) with excellent programs but less fame; and Tier 3 covers solid regional or state universities offering good value, focusing more on teaching than research and with easier admissions, like many state schools or liberal arts colleges. These tiers are informal labels, often based on prestige, selectivity, research output, and endowment size, not official classifications. 

Is brown or Cornell harder to get into?

Generally, Brown University is considered slightly harder to get into than Cornell University, as Brown typically has a lower acceptance rate (around 5-7%) compared to Cornell (around 8-9%), though both are extremely selective Ivies. Cornell's larger size allows it to admit more students, making its overall rate higher, but admission to specific colleges within Cornell (like Hotel School or Engineering) can be as tough as any other top school. 

Is Cornell Law worth it?

JD Admissions & Requirements

Cornell Law School is a prestigious JD program located in Ithaca, New York. In the competitive 2025 law school rankings, Cornell Law School was ranked 18 by US News & World Report, making it a top-tier law school for admissions-focused applicants.

What are mid-tier law schools?

This means that the tier 2 law schools include:

• Vanderbilt University.
• Washington University in St. Louis.
• Northwestern University.
• University of Texas at Austin.
• University of Georgia.
• University of Notre Dame.
• University of Southern California.
• University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign.

Is Cornell the hardest ivy?

No, Cornell is generally considered the least selective Ivy League to get into due to its larger size and diverse colleges, but it has a reputation for being one of the hardest to graduate from because of its rigorous coursework, especially in its large introductory classes and some state-affiliated colleges with public school grading curves. While its acceptance rates (around 8-9%) are higher than Harvard or Princeton, it's still an elite school, and its difficulty often comes from grading deflation and demanding programs. 

What is Cornell Law School ranked?

Cornell University 2025 Law & Specialties Rankings

Cornell University is ranked No. 18 (tie) out of 195 in Best Law Schools.

Why is Cornell so prestigious?

Cornell's prestige stems from its status as an Ivy League university with exceptionally strong, specialized programs (like Engineering, Hotel Management, Vet Medicine, Architecture), a unique land-grant mission making it more accessible and diverse, rigorous academics with tough grading, a vast global network, and a history of producing influential alumni, all under a beautiful, expansive campus in Ithaca. Its "Any Person, Any Study" motto fosters broad opportunities, contrasting with more traditional liberal arts Ivies, while its strong research and real-world connections solidify its elite reputation. 

What are the big 3 law schools?

The "Big Three" law schools, consistently ranked at the very top, are Yale Law School, Stanford Law School, and Harvard Law School, known for prestige, high selectivity, and strong placement into top-tier legal careers, though some sources group University of Chicago and Columbia into a slightly broader elite tier (T14) alongside these three. These schools, along with others like NYU, UPenn, Berkeley, Virginia, and Michigan, dominate the highest rankings and offer excellent paths to "BigLaw" firms. 

What's special about Cornell Law?

Dedicated Teachers, Engaged Scholars

In addition to being prolific scholars, our professors are committed to the classroom. With a low student-faculty ratio, you'll have more opportunities to interact with and get to know your professors than at most top law schools.

What law school overlooks a lake?

Cornell University overlooks Cayuga Lake, and many gorges and waterfalls are just steps from the Law School. Ithaca weather allows for a variety of outdoor activities, ranging from boating, swimming, and hiking in the summer to cross-country skiing and ice skating in the winter.

What are the top 5 law schools?

The top 5 law schools consistently include Yale, Stanford, Harvard, University of Chicago, and University of Pennsylvania, often followed closely by NYU, Duke, and University of Virginia, according to major rankings like U.S. News & World Report, though specific order varies by publication and year, with Stanford, Yale, and UChicago often leading recent lists. These elite institutions offer top-tier legal education, attracting highly competitive applicants globally for their prestigious programs and strong career outcomes.
 

What LSAT score do I need for T14?

To get into a T14 law school, aim for an LSAT score in the high 160s to the 170s, with many successful applicants scoring 170 or above, as this is crucial for offsetting GPAs and increasing scholarship chances, though a 166-172 range covers most T14 medians, requiring exceptional GPA or other factors if below the 75th percentile. 

What's the average salary after T14?

Median starting salary in that space is likely $160k. Some market leaders have recently moved to $180k.