The University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law is based in Vermillion. Its offerings include Indian law, research on rural practice, and supervised client work within a small law-school community.
This guide walks you through how to get into South Dakota Knudson Law.
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1. South Dakota Knudson Law Admissions Numbers and Statistics
South Dakota Knudson Law Class of 2029:
Knudson announced 94 incoming students for fall 2026.
South Dakota Knudson Law Class of 2028:
- LSAT: 75th: 156 | Median: 152 | 25th: 149
- GPA: 75th: 3.81 | Median: 3.47 | 25th: 3.16
South Dakota Knudson Law Class of 2027:
- LSAT: 75th: 155 | Median: 152 | 25th: 149
- GPA: 75th: 3.87 | Median: 3.55 | 25th: 3.15
The LSAT median held at 152 between the 2024 and 2025 entering cohorts, while the GPA median fell from 3.55 to 3.47. The 2025 first-year class included 88 students, with 253 admission offers from 405 applications.
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. South Dakota Knudson Law Application Essays
Personal Statement (required)
The school's instructions:
“You must submit a one- to two-page personal statement with the application through the CAS. Your personal statement may contain but is not limited to the following topics: What has led to your interest in law school? What would you describe as your most significant accomplishment? What would make you a successful law student? What do you want to do with a law degree? How would you contribute to the law school community and legal profession? Describe any life experiences that have shaped you as an individual or led to your interest in law school. Describe challenges you've encountered and how you have overcome them.”
For more on how to write a personal statement, see my Personal Statement Examples and Personal Statement Guide.
Additional Essay (optional)
The school's instructions:
“All applicants are invited, but not required, to submit an additional essay that addresses one of the following prompts. The additional essay should not exceed two pages. How do you envision leveraging your JD to contribute to creating a more equitable society? What personal experiences or aspirations motivated your decision to pursue a legal education? What unique qualities or experiences do you bring to the table as an applicant, and how do they distinguish you from others?”
For more on how to write a diversity or perspective statement, see my Diversity Statement Examples and Diversity Statement Guide.
For more on making all of these essays work together, see my Cohesive Narrative Guide.
Addenda and Character & Fitness Resources
I'll be publishing a guide to addenda and character and fitness.
3. South Dakota Knudson Law Resume Requirements
A resume is optional. Present your education, employment, service, leadership, and accomplishments with a clear chronology and specific responsibilities.
For more on preparing your resume, see my Resume Examples and Resume Guide.
4. South Dakota Knudson Law Letters of Recommendation
Knudson requires two letters of recommendation. Applicants who earned an undergraduate or graduate degree within the preceding three years must include an academic letter. Otherwise, instructors, employers, or supervisors are appropriate. Knudson discounts perfunctory letters from people who barely know the applicant.
For more on recommendations, see my LOR Guide (Applicants) and LOR Guide (Writers).
5. South Dakota Knudson Law Interview Process
Knudson offers campus visits and opportunities to speak with admissions staff. Use those conversations to discuss your goals and learn about the program. Be ready to explain why this school fits your plans, and ask substantive questions about the training and community that interest you.
6. South Dakota Knudson Law Deadlines and Decision Options
Testing Policy
Knudson accepts the LSAT, GRE, or JD-Next. The June LSAT is accepted for that year's entry; February is the school's recommended testing timeframe, not its final eligible LSAT.
If you're considering the GRE, read my LSAT vs. GRE guide before deciding.
Application Dates
- Application opening: September 1 on Knudson's annual admissions calendar.
- Application deadline: July 1.
- Final transcripts: Official transcripts must reach Knudson by October 15 of the first semester. A student whose official transcript has not arrived by that date will be administratively withdrawn.
The transcript requirement applies after enrollment, not just during application review.
Program Formats
The standard JD takes three years full time. Knudson also offers a five-year flex-time option for students who need a reduced course load.
7. South Dakota Knudson Law Scholarships and Financial Aid
Merit Scholarships
All admitted students receive automatic consideration for internal scholarships, with merit and need among the factors considered. Initial offers follow admission. The university's annual FAFSA priority date is April 1.
Tuition Benefits and Costs
The LSAT tuition benefit is especially important: out-of-state students scoring 150 or higher qualify for resident tuition for all three years. This benefit does not extend to applicants using only GRE or JD-Next scores.
The full-year tuition schedule lists $12,680 for residents and qualifying LSAT applicants, $33,794 for nonresidents, and $22,190 under SD Advantage. Each category adds a $3,407 law program fee and $1,727 in activity fees. Those figures exclude housing, books, and other living expenses. Flex-time students taking fewer than 12 credits per semester pay per credit rather than the full-time amount.
SD Advantage is a separate tuition category for eligible residents of 11 states who also earned a bachelor's degree from a South Dakota Board of Regents institution. It should not be confused with the LSAT benefit. Compare the tuition category and scholarship together when assessing your actual cost.
For more on scholarship strategy, see How to Negotiate Law School Scholarships.
8. South Dakota Knudson Law Joint Degree Programs
Knudson offers concurrent study with several USD graduate programs. Students become eligible to apply after completing the first year of law school.
- JD/MBA and JD/Master of Professional Accountancy: Business and accounting study through the Beacom School of Business for interests in transactions, management, or financial matters.
- JD/MPA and JD/MS in Administration: Public administration and organizational study for students interested in government or institutional leadership.
- JD/MA programs: Adult and Higher Education, English, History, and Psychology offer combinations connecting legal study with another academic discipline.
- JD/MS in Sustainability: An interdisciplinary option for interests involving environmental issues and institutional decision-making.
The accounting and public-administration combinations are particularly relevant to the transactional and government work represented in Knudson's curriculum.
9. South Dakota Knudson Law Employment Outcomes (Class of 2025)
South Dakota Knudson Law Class of 2025 employment outcomes (reported to the ABA, measured 10 months after graduation):
- Full-time, long-term bar-passage-required employment (ABA): 78.0%
- BigLaw (firms with 101+ attorneys): 0.0%
- Federal clerkships: 3.7%
- Public service (including government): 24.4%
South Dakota was the largest employment destination, followed by Iowa and Nebraska. Small-firm practice, government, public interest, and state or local clerkships account for much of the school's professional footprint. Evaluate Knudson as a route into that regional legal community rather than building a plan around large-firm hiring.
10. South Dakota Knudson Law Areas of Study and Specializations
Indian law: The Indian Law Certificate combines coursework in tribal courts, federal Indian law, gaming and economic development, trusts and wills, and the Tribal Wills Practicum. It connects classroom study with legal needs involving tribal governments, families, and property.
Trusts and estates: Thomas Simmons holds the McDowell, King, and South Dakota Trust Company Chair in Trust and Estate Law. Estate planning, trusts and wills, and related practice opportunities support students interested in advising families, fiduciaries, and trust businesses.
Rural practice and family law: Hannah Haksgaard's research on rural lawyers complements client-facing work through the WORKS Practicum. Students interested in smaller communities can examine the relationship between access to lawyers, family disputes, property, and the practical demands of general practice.
Litigation and advocacy: Laura Rose's work with the National Trial Team connects evidence and trial preparation with competition experience. The Criminal Defense Practicum and Alternative Dispute Resolution Board offer additional ways to develop interviewing, negotiation, case analysis, and advocacy skills.
11. South Dakota Knudson Law Clinics and Experiential Learning
Knudson requires at least six experiential credits. Its supervised offerings include four named practica, alongside externships and separate pro bono opportunities.
- Criminal Defense Practicum: Students work with the Minnehaha County Public Defender's Office on criminal defense matters. Tasks can include investigation, client and witness interviews, evaluating cases, and preparing for courtroom advocacy, supported by a related classroom component.
- Innocence Project Practicum: In partnership with the Great North Innocence Project, students examine possible wrongful convictions in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. They review records, investigate evidence, work through potential legal theories, and assist with litigation-related research and writing.
- WORKS Practicum: Upper-level students assist eligible self-represented people with family-law matters, including divorce and custody. The work involves forms, legal information, and mediation-related assistance, giving students experience translating complicated procedures into practical help.
- Tribal Wills Practicum: Students help prepare estate plans for Native American clients connected to South Dakota's reservations. Under supervision, they interview clients and draft, revise, and execute documents while learning about trust property and the American Indian Probate Reform Act.
Pro Bono and Experiential Learning
- Externships: Field placements connect supervised legal work with an academic component. Opportunities span courts, government, private practice, and other legal settings, including trust-industry work. The placement's responsibilities matter as much as its institutional name.
- R.D. Hurd Pro Bono Society: Students at all class levels can participate in service projects. This is a separate avenue for helping the community; its pro bono work does not itself satisfy the experiential-credit graduation requirement.
12. South Dakota Knudson Law Notable Faculty and Journals
Faculty
- Thomas Simmons: Professor and holder of the McDowell, King, and South Dakota Trust Company Chair in Trust and Estate Law. He teaches estate planning and Tribal Wills and is a member of the American Law Institute.
- Hannah Haksgaard: Professor working in family law, property, and rural legal practice. Her book, The Rural Lawyer, examines how communities can attract attorneys. She received USD's Belbas-Larson Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2023.
- Laura Rose: Associate Professor and Heidepriem Trial Advocacy Fellow. She teaches evidence and trial techniques, coaches the National Trial Team, and advises the Alternative Dispute Resolution Board, linking doctrinal study with advocacy training.
- Patrick Garry: Professor whose teaching includes First Amendment, administrative, and employment law. His publications include The South Dakota Constitution, giving students a faculty resource for constitutional questions with a specific state-law dimension.
Journals
- South Dakota Law Review: The school's student-edited journal publishes three times each year. Students work on scholarly articles, notes, and comments and can earn academic credit while developing research, writing, and editorial skills.
13. South Dakota Knudson Law Culture and Student Life
Knudson's Vermillion setting places law students within USD's broader campus community. The Student Bar Association organizes professional and social programming, including Barrister's Ball. Organizations such as the Agricultural Law Society and Family Law and Children's Advocacy Group connect student interests with issues affecting the region.
Advocacy is another point of connection. The Sam Masten Intramural Moot Court Competition gives first-year students a route toward the Moot Court Board, while the Alternative Dispute Resolution Board holds negotiation and client-counseling competitions. These activities create opportunities to work closely with classmates beyond the ordinary classroom routine.
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Related Reading
→ How to Build a Smart Law School List
→ Should You Apply Early Decision to Law School?
→ How to Negotiate Law School Scholarships
→ 6 Proven Steps to Get Off a Law School Waitlist
→ How to Get Into Law School Below Both Medians
→ What Holistic Law School Admissions Really Means
→ Blog Directory
Note: While I try to keep this guide up to date, always verify deadlines, requirements, and policies at the South Dakota Knudson 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.
