Status: Current student, full-time
Dates of Enrollment: 9/2004-Submit Date
Survey Submitted: October 2005

Stanford Law School is an extraordinarily difficult institution to which to gain acceptance. I believe the acceptance rate for this year's incoming class was around 7 percent. I imagine that most people who apply are strong applicants, as few people who have unrealistically poor records will waste money applying (though I'm sure a few will), so that figure is amazingly low.

In this regard, a super-high GPA from a prestigious undergrad is almost a prerequisite. However, I believe that the single most important factor for gaining admission at Stanford (especially if your numbers are low) is to have a truly unique story/life experience to tell. My classmates are some of the most interesting people I've ever met--they have fought in wars, run international charities, been senior managers in Fortune 500 companies and have PhDs in interesting fields from the most prestigious universities worldwide, the list goes on.

One final thought: in your application, stress how much you want to attend Stanford specifically. The school undoubtedly cares about its yield ratio and I think averring to the fact that SLS is your top choice would be to such an applicant's advantage. Good luck!

Academics: Students Speak

Status: Alumnus/a, full-time
Dates of Enrollment: 8/2003-5/2006
Survey Submitted: March 2007

The law school is amazing. Given all the talent that walks around the halls of the school, it remains a surprisingly collegial environment. The first year seems brutal, but unlike at other schools, it's still pretty great. The 2Ls and 3Ls make an effort to put the 1Ls at ease about finals. The other members of your class actually want you to succeed and, as a result, don't hide library books that you need to complete an assignment. The professors are fantastic and take an interest in their students' lives.

There is a wide selection of classes given how small the school actually is. First-year classes average around 60 people per class (i.e., two sections have class together). For 2Ls and 3Ls, the class sizes vary depending on the topic. Introductory classes can be as large are 100 people, but there are plenty of seminars that average around 20 to 25 people. It's not hard to get into popular classes unless it's a seminar and even then, it's not impossible. Most classes are graded on a mean of 3.4. However, paper classes and very small classes are usually off-mean. The workload is very manageable. The school seems dedicated to creating well-rounded legal scholars. People actually have lives at this school. There is an active social scene and the Bay Area is filled with fun things to do, whether it's of the outdoorsy or the urban type.

Employment Prospects: Students Speak

Status: Alumnus/a, full-time
Dates of Enrollment: 9/1993-6/1996
Survey Submitted: March 2007

Generally, you will get your foot in the door with any employer. The rest is up to you.

Status: Alumnus/a, full-time
Dates of Enrollment: 9/2000-5/2003
Survey Submitted: March 2007

The alumni network is very strong and very helpful. Most graduates get jobs at large, prestigious law firms. This proves fairly easy through on-campus recruiting due to the small size of the class and the prestige of the school. Internships are likewise encouraged--and many students take a semester to do an externship or earn a significant portion of credit one semester in an internship. There is also a loan-repayment program (LRAP) that helps students who go into public interest jobs.

Employment Prospects: The School Says

The Office of Career Services offers extensive resources, programming and individual counseling aimed at helping students make educated choices and reach their career goals. Employment rates for our graduating classes range from 97 to 99 percent. Over 45 percent obtain jobs somewhere other than the West Coast. While a significant percentage of our students begin their careers in jobs on the West Coast, this is not due to a lack of East Coast opportunities--over 65 percent of employers participating in on-campus interviews are interviewing for non-West Coast offices. Students stay on the West Coast because, having spent three years in California, they have decided that it is where they want to live.

A substantial majority of students (over 90 percent) find positions throughout the United States and abroad through the relatively painless on-campus recruiting or judicial clerkship application processes. Students applying for fellowships, government honors programs or alternative careers inevitably invest more time and energy in the job search than those going through these on-campus programs, they also receive considerable one-on-one assistance from our career counselors.

Quality of Life: Students Speak

Status: Current student, full-time
Dates of Enrollment: 9/2004-Submit Date
Survey Submitted: October 2005

You can't go wrong with the quality of life at Stanford--it's absolutely fantastic! I cycle from Palo Alto every morning and find myself cycling up Palm Drive with the sun in my face, 100 feet high palm trees flying past, a crazy number of squirrels running around the place, and Memorial Church ahead. The entrance to heaven may not be much better.

The weather for the first and last few months is always in the mid-70s during the day with little humidity and in the mid-50s at night. The "winter" involves drizzle every few days and such terrifyingly low daytime temperatures of 50. There is so much to love.

The campus, itself, is beautiful and enormous--8,000 acres I believe. Housing is quite expensive, but if one is willing to live three to five miles away and drive/cycle it's possible to find a place for less than $800 per month.

Social Life: Students Speak

Status: Alumnus/a, full-time
Dates of Enrollment: 8/2001-5/2004
Survey Submitted: May 2005