UB's Incoming Law School Class Among the Best Ever

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo Law School this semester welcomes one of its most accomplished and selective classes in its 120-year history, a group of students Law School Dean Makau W. Mutua called a "breakthrough" for UB Law and the foundation on which to make UB one of the finest law schools in the country.

The school's class of 2011 was chosen from a national application pool of over 2,300 applicants, an increase of 52 percent from the previous academic year. Only 31 percent of the applicants were admitted, making this year's class one of the most highly selective in recent years.

"It is undoubtedly one of our strongest classes ever," according to Mutua. "It raises our selectivity and places UB Law in a strong position to improve its reputation in the profession, in the legal academy and among prospective applicants."

The 222 first-year law students had a median LSAT score of 157, with 25 percent of those accepted scoring 160 or better. The class earned a median grade-point average of 3.48; 25 percent of those come to UB with a 3.71 GPA or above.

"This is simply a stellar class. Top credentials, fine undergraduate educations, interesting backgrounds," said James R. Newton, associate dean for administration. "I would say that this class has it all."

Newton praised the law school's admissions office for a "superb" job and said the credentials of this class presented an "exciting future for these students and UB's Law School." The students come from some of the top universities and colleges in the nation, including Duke University, University of California at Berkeley, Vassar, Georgetown University and Cornell University.

The average age is 24, with 30 percent over age 25. Twelve percent of the class holds advanced academic degrees. Sixteen percent come from out of state, and 48 percent are females.

"The class of 2011 is impressive and demonstrates the competitive advantage we have in the legal education marketplace as SUNY's only law school," said Lillie V. Wiley-Upshaw, vice dean for admissions and financial aid. "Our students made a smart choice. We offer a high-quality legal education at an affordable tuition. They will be surrounded by other exceptional students and will earn a law degree that will allow them to fulfill their professional dreams -- without having to mortgage their future."

Wiley-Upshaw also said UB's Law School has increased its scholarship money by 55 percent over the previous year.

Mutua said an accomplished and selective law class is central to the academic excellence and overall reputation of any law school, and is particularly crucial to UB at this point in its development. "It's the pivot on which great programs are built," Mutua said. The increase in this year's class statistics is a significant step toward enhancing UB's excellence and achieving a higher awareness of that status among other academic institutions throughout the country, he said.

Since its founding in 1887, the University at Buffalo Law School -- the State University of New York system's only law school -- has established an excellent reputation and is widely regarded as a leader in legal education. Its cutting-edge curriculum provides both a strong theoretical foundation and the practical tools graduates need to succeed in a competitive marketplace, wherever they choose to practice. A special emphasis on interdisciplinary studies, public service and opportunities for hands-on clinical education makes UB Law unique among the nation's premier public law schools.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.