08/23/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 08/23/2024 08:14
By Law Communications
August 23, 2024
On Monday, August 19, Washington and Lee University School of Law enrolled 125 students in the J.D. Class of 2027.
"We are delighted to welcome these exceptional students to W&L Law," said Dean Melanie Wilson. "I have every confidence that they possess the talent, as well as the grit, to succeed with the guidance and support of our dedicated faculty and staff."
The entering class boasts the strongest academic profile the law school has seen in more than 10 years. The median LSAT score for the class is 166, and the class's median undergraduate grade point average is 3.73. The members of the class earned undergraduate degrees from 88 different institutions.
Sixty-three percent of the class worked for a year or more before entering law school in fields such as business, politics, and the military. Ten members of the class already hold graduate degrees from other institutions, and five members boast military service. The class includes seven Eagle Scouts and nine members of Phi Beta Kappa.
The median age of class members is 24, with ages ranging from 21 to 38. The class is 43 percent female, and 34 percent of the class identifies as racially or ethnically diverse. Fourteen percent are first-generation college students, and 66 percent are the first in their immediate family to attend law school.
Why W&L Law? First year law students share what brought them to Lexington.
The first-year students hail from 28 states, the District of Columbia, and four foreign countries, including Canada, China, France, and South Korea. The U.S. state with the greatest representation is Virginia, followed by Texas, California, and North Carolina.
A number of the Class of 2027 have worked abroad and traveled extensively. Consistent with this international orientation, members of the class speak a variety of languages, including Ancient Greek, Arabic, Bambara, Cantonese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Nepali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.