UB Law School Class of 2013 Poised for Success

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- From some of the best colleges and universities in the nation, and with grade point averages and LSAT scores among the highest in University at Buffalo Law School history, the UB Law School's newest class of students began their law school careers this month positioned for academic success.

The UB Law School Class of 2013 consists of 219 students, enrolled from among 1,896 total applications to the law school. They reflect the school's commitment to access and diversity, and continue a rich tradition of diversity in the student body.

Members of the incoming class range in age from 20 to 52; slightly more than one-in-four of the students is 24 years old. Women make up 45 percent of the class and 14 percent of the class represent ethnic and racial minorities. One in 10 of the incoming students already hold advanced degrees in fields other than law.

Most notable is the academic quality of the class, reflected in their undergraduate grade point averages and Law School Admissions Test scores. Median GPA for the Class of 2013 is 3.48, and the median LSAT score increased to 158.

"The Class of 2013 is stellar," said Lillie Wiley-Upshaw, vice dean for admissions and financial aid at the UB Law School. "We have a tradition at UB Law School of admitting smart, talented and diverse students who come from every walk of life, and this class follows in that tradition.

"I am especially excited about this class because of their outstanding academic credentials. Nationally, the 158 LSAT score represents the top 25 percent of all test-takers."

Some of their individual stories are just as compelling, Wiley-Upshaw said. Among the members of the Class of 2013 are:

• A former professor at the National University of Mongolia

• A veteran human resources specialist for Oxfam America, the international relief and development organization that fights poverty, hunger and injustice

• A volunteer in an orphanage for HIV-positive children in Cape Town, South Africa

• A professor of English from Lille, France.

About one-in-nine members of the new class hail from outside of New York State, including international students and U.S. states including California, Virginia and Florida. Their undergraduate majors range from film production to finance, accounting to anthropology, and marketing to mechanical engineering. They come to Buffalo from colleges and universities that include Cornell University, Boston College, the University of Notre Dame, New York University, Dartmouth College and George Washington University.

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.