Kentucky is a southeastern state with a lot of activity, including horse racing, automobile manufacturing, bluegrass music, college basketball, moonshine and bourbon—in fact, 95% of the world’s bourbon is made in Kentucky. The culture of Kentucky is considered blended. The state is mostly Southern, but with Midwest and Southern Appalachia influences. Kentucky is bound by the Ohio River in the north and the Appalachian Mountains in the east. Louisville is the state’s largest city and where the Kentucky Derby takes place. Kentucky also takes credit for the world’s longest cave system, which can be found in Mammoth Cave National Park, in addition to long, impressive navigable waterways, streams and the largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River. This mishmash state blended with natural and man-made wonders has a slice of everything, including three Top Law Schools as per the US News and World Report. Keep reading to determine if attending law school in Kentucky is right for you. 

Top Law Schools in Kentucky

1. 1.  University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law
2. 2. University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
3. 3.  Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law

There are three high-ranking law schools in Kentucky. Each comes with a top-rated law program. Keep reading to see if you meet the requirements to qualify as a competitive candidate. 

1. 1.  University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #67

Tuition: $25,218 (full-time)

Average GPA: 3.62

Average LSAT Score: 157

Acceptance Rate: 45.7%

Bar Passage Rate: 90.6%

Also coming in at number 67, alongside the University of Kansas School of Law, is the J. David Rosenberg College of Law at the University of Kentucky. Located in Lexington and initially founded from a law program at Transylvania University in 1799 (not the home of Dracula, but fun to imagine; rather, a private university also located in Lexington, Kentucky). The law program officially began operations in 1908 and became one of the first public law schools in the nation. 

The dean of the College of Law is Mary J. Davis, the first female dean. Alongside other firsts, in 1913, the school became the first in the nation to institute a trial practice program.

Student-run law journals include the Kentucky Law Journal, which is the tenth oldest law review published in the United States, established in 1881; and the Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture and Natural Resources Law, a multi-disciplinary journal of law, science and policy.

The application deadline for J. David Rosenberg College of Law is April 30. Full-time tuition for in-state students is $25,218 and on the higher end for out-of-state students at $51,374. The Bar passage rate is an impressive 90.6% and you’ll need a 157 LSAT score to be in the running, but the good news is the acceptance rate is fairly high at 45.7%. 

2. 2.  University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #94

Tuition: $23,898 (full-time)

Average GPA: 3.56

Average LSAT Score: 156

Acceptance Rate: 51.5%

Bar Passage Rate: 87.4%

The Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at University of Louisville (Brandeis) was established in 1846 and is the oldest law school in Kentucky and the fifth oldest in the country. The school has a law clinic that offers students a chance to gain experience on moot court teams. They also run skills competitions and have three student-edited law journals.

Boasting a high Bar passage rate at 87.5%, alongside a high acceptance rate at 51.5%, in addition to tuition on the more affordable end at $23,898 for full-time in-state students and $28,898 for full-time out-of-state students, the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law comes with many desirable facets. 

Application deadline falls on April 15, so be sure to get your package in on time, especially since it coincides with tax season.  

3. 3.  Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law

U.S. News Top Law School Ranking: #147-192

Tuition: $23,033  (full-time)

Average GPA: 3.37

Average LSAT Score: 153

Acceptance Rate: 65.2%

Bar Passage Rate: 65.5%

The Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights was founded in 1893. There is a deep sense of justice laid out in the foundation of the school. It was named for U.S. Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Abraham Lincoln in 1864.  

Full-time and part-time options are offered, in addition to joint degrees in JD/Master of Business Administration, JD/Master of Health Informatics and JD/Master of Business Informatics. 

The average LSAT score is slightly lower than other top schools at 153 and the acceptance rate is higher than average at 65.2%. The Bar passage rate is significantly lower than the other two top schools in Kentucky at 65%. Tuition for full-time in-state students is $23,033 and in the mid-range for full-time out-of-state students at $36,735. If you’re planning to attend part-time, tuition is $12,625 for in-state and $20,003 for out-of-state. 

How Do I Get Accepted to a Law School in Kentucky?

Whether you’re applying to the best law school in Kentucky or another part of the country, the process is the same. The first step in the law school admissions timeline is to take the LSAT. Although there are no required LSAT scores for law school, all of them have median LSAT scores that give you a pretty good indication of how you compare to their previous incoming class. Remember, law schools want to attract the best of the best, so make sure you give yourself the ultimate shot by getting a high LSAT score.

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