How to Get Into American Law (2026-2027 Guide)

American University Washington College of Law is based in Washington, DC's Tenleytown neighborhood, with full-time and part-time evening JD programs. Its strengths include international law, intellectual property, public interest, and clinical training.

This guide walks you through how to get into American Law.

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Admissions numbers
Application essays
Resume
Recommendations
Interviews
Deadlines and testing
Scholarships and cost
Programs and curriculum
Employment outcomes
Areas of study
Clinics and experience
Faculty and journals
Student life

1. American Law Admissions Numbers and Statistics

American Law Class of 2029:

LSAT: 75th: 164 | Median: 163 | 25th: 158
GPA: 75th: 3.80 | Median: 3.70 | 25th: 3.44

American Law Class of 2028:

LSAT: 75th: 163 | Median: 162 | 25th: 157
GPA: 75th: 3.76 | Median: 3.64 | 25th: 3.37

These are full-time division figures. The entering 2026 full-time class has 362 students, compared with 354 in 2025. Both medians rose, and the lower quartiles moved up too. The 2026 evening division has 56 students, up from 51 in 2025, and medians of 161 and 3.65.

Aim to be at or above at least one median to be competitive. Above both puts you in a stronger position. Below both medians, this is a prayer, not a reach.

For context on how medians affect your strategy, see How to Build a Smart Law School List.

2. American Law Application Essays

Personal Statement (required)

American recommends two to three double-spaced pages in at least 11-point type. The open-ended prompt asks who you are and why you want to attend law school, either generally or at American specifically.

For more on addressing school interest within this personal statement, see my Why X Essay Guide.

For more on how to write a personal statement, see my Personal Statement Examples and Personal Statement Guide.

Community Impact Statement (optional)

The suggested length is one page. Explain personal circumstances that have particular relevance to your application, using material not already covered in the personal statement.

For more on how to write a diversity or perspective statement, see my Diversity Statement Examples and Diversity Statement Guide.

Public Interest/Public Service Scholarship application (optional)

PIPS requires a separate application with three short essays, a resume, and an optional but strongly recommended recommendation. PIPS emphasizes a demonstrated commitment to public interest and public service.

For more on making all of these essays work together, see my Cohesive Narrative Guide.

Addenda and Character & Fitness (if applicable)

American limits an optional addendum to one page or less. Answer each character and fitness question as written and keep disclosures updated.

I'll be publishing a guide to addenda and character and fitness.

3. American Law Resume Requirements

Submit a resume; American recommends one to two pages. Include education, employment, accomplishments, service, and relevant activities or interests.

For more on preparing your resume, see my Resume Examples and Resume Guide.

4. American Law Letters of Recommendation

American requires one and accepts up to two letters of recommendation. Academic letters are strongly recommended for current students and recent graduates. Professional letters are appropriate after significant time away. A completed file can enter review with one letter unless you request a hold.

For more on recommendations, see my LOR Guide (Applicants) and LOR Guide (Writers).

5. American Law Interview Process

American does not conduct evaluative admissions interviews.

6. American Law Deadlines and Early Decision

Testing Policy

American accepts LSAT or GRE scores earned within five years. For priority review, it recommends the February 2027 LSAT or a GRE taken by February 28, 2027. If you're considering the GRE, read my LSAT vs. GRE guide before deciding.

Application Dates and Fees

For fall 2027 entry:

Application opens: September 1, 2026.
Early Decision Round 1 completion: December 11, 2026, at 4 p.m. Eastern; decisions by December 18.
Early Decision Round 2 completion: February 10, 2027, at 4 p.m. Eastern; decisions by February 17.
Priority deadline: March 1, 2027.
Final submission: July 16, 2027, at 4 p.m. Eastern.
Final file completion: July 23, 2027, at noon Eastern.

The $70 application fee is waived for applications submitted by December 31, 2026. Regular review is rolling, so a polished fall application gives you more room than a July submission. Submission alone does not make the file complete.

Early Decision

Both ED rounds are binding. Admitted applicants must withdraw other applications and pay a $900 nonrefundable deposit by January 8 or March 5, respectively. Merit and need-based aid remain available, but you may have to commit before knowing the award. Choose regular decision when comparing scholarship offers is essential.

For a full breakdown of early decision strategy, see Should You Apply Early Decision to Law School?.

Program Formats

The standard full-time JD takes three years; the evening JD takes four. ED applicants must select a division and cannot switch after admission.

7. American Law Scholarships and Financial Aid

Tuition and Fees

For 2026-2027, full-time tuition is $69,670, with $2,182 in mandatory fees. The two-semester cost-of-attendance budget totals $104,914 before health insurance and individual loan-fee adjustments. Health insurance is $2,759 unless waived with qualifying coverage.

Merit Scholarships

All applicants receive automatic merit consideration. Full-time merit awards can renew for three academic years with good academic standing. Limited institutional need-based grants are available to qualifying full-time JD students. The March 1, 2027 financial-aid deadline is separate from the July admissions deadlines.

Public Interest/Public Service Scholarship

PIPS covers three years of tuition and requires a separate application. Both the scholarship application and JD file must be complete by January 31, 2027. Scholars undertake service and leadership commitments, including 75 pro bono hours. PIPS cannot be combined with other American merit, need-based, or restricted awards. Award decisions begin in March and continue through mid-April.

For more on scholarship strategy, see How to Negotiate Law School Scholarships.

8. American Law Dual Degree Programs

American's domestic dual degrees generally take three and a half to four years full time, with independent admission to each program:

JD/MA in International Affairs: With the School of International Service.
JD/MBA: With the Kogod School of Business.
JD/MPA, JD/MPP, and JD/MS in Justice, Law and Criminology: With the School of Public Affairs.

International combinations include a JD/JD with the University of Ottawa and JD/LLM pathways with LUISS in Italy and Comillas in Spain. Students apply for those international programs after enrolling at American.

9. American Law Employment Outcomes (Class of 2025)

American's Class of 2025 employment outcomes (reported to the ABA, measured 10 months after graduation):

Full-time, long-term bar-passage-required employment (ABA): 69.4%
BigLaw (firms with 101+ attorneys): 17.3%
Federal clerkships: 1.0%
Public service (including government): 19.0%

DC was the largest employment destination, followed by Maryland and New York. Government and public interest work form a meaningful part of the class's employment picture, while large firms account for a smaller share. American's location supports semester-time experience with agencies, public-interest organizations, and firms. Match the price you pay to the kinds of jobs you would realistically pursue, not just the most selective outcome in the class.

10. American Law Areas of Study and Specializations

International trade and investment: The Program on International Trade, Investment and Development connects trade coursework with investment and development questions. Padideh Ala'i's trade expertise and Susan Franck's work on investment arbitration give applicants more specific academic reasons than simply wanting an international career.

Intellectual property: The Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property combines copyright, trademark, patent, and technology work with the Glushko-Samuelson Intellectual Property Law Clinic. It offers a route from policy questions to supervised client representation rather than treating IP as only patent practice.

Human rights: The Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law Clinic provide distinct academic and experiential avenues.

Law and government: The Program on Law and Government sits alongside administrative-law scholarship, government-related coursework, and Washington externships.

11. American Law Clinics and Experiential Learning

American's in-house clinics include:

Community and Economic Equity Development Law Clinic: Advise small businesses, cooperatives, and nonprofits on organizational documents and related transactional needs.
Immigrant Justice Clinic: Work on immigration representation and advocacy, including detention and removal matters.
Decarceration and Re-Entry Clinic: Represent incarcerated clients seeking sentence reductions, parole, or commutation, and help develop re-entry plans.
Entrepreneurship Law Clinic: Serve as transactional counsel to startups, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations in DC and Maryland.
Janet R. Spragens Federal Tax Clinic: Represent low-income taxpayers in disputes with the IRS.
Criminal Justice Clinic: Develop criminal practice skills through its defense and prosecution components.

Pro Bono and Experiential Learning

The general student pro bono pledge is voluntary: 75 hours, including at least 50 law-related hours. PIPS scholars have separate service obligations.

Past IP-related externship sites include the U.S. Copyright Office, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Federal Communications Commission, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Those placements connect specialized coursework with regulatory, policy, and litigation work.

12. American Law Notable Faculty and Journals

Faculty

Christine Haight Farley: Professor of Law. Studies trademark and intellectual property law and serves as co-faculty director of the Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property.
Padideh Ala'i: Professor of Law. Works on international trade and WTO law and directs the Program on International Trade, Investment and Development.
Susan Franck: Professor of Law. Studies investment arbitration empirically and wrote Arbitration Costs: Myths and Realities in Investment Treaty Arbitration.
Janie Chuang: Professor of Law. Studies human trafficking and labor migration and has advised the United Nations and International Labour Organization.

Journals

American University Law Review: General legal scholarship by professors, judges, practitioners and other legal writers.
Administrative Law Review: Published with the ABA's administrative-law section. It publishes articles and student commentary on administrative law.
American University International Law Review: Articles on international, foreign and comparative law, including trade and human rights.
American University Business Law Review: Articles and case-law analysis on business law, including financial regulation, international trade and antitrust.
American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law: Scholarship on gender, feminist legal studies and social policy.

13. American Law Culture and Student Life

American's law campus is one block from the Tenleytown-AU Metro station, not in the downtown government district. That distinction matters when planning commutes, housing, and externships. The evening division also brings students balancing legal study with established work and family responsibilities.

Full-time first-year students study in sections of roughly 80 to 90, while Legal Rhetoric classes are substantially smaller. DC connects that classroom work to agencies, courts, firms, and public-interest organizations. Past externships at the Copyright Office and Federal Circuit illustrate the possibilities. Build your schedule around the commute and workload rather than assuming proximity makes every opportunity manageable.

Want Help Getting Into American Law?

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Note: While I try to keep this guide up to date, always verify deadlines, requirements, and policies at the American Law website before applying.

Think you spotted an outdated requirement or something that doesn't look right? Email moshe@sharperstatements.com with the school and a link to the current information.