Analyzing trends in admissions, acceptance rates, enrollment rates, applicants, and admitted students across institutions
Law school admissions for University of Kentucky College of Law have undergone significant changes over the past decade. Acceptance rates have become considerably more competitive, making it increasingly difficult for applicants to gain admission.
In 2016, University of Kentucky College of Law law schools received 696 applications, admitted 419 students (acceptance rate: 60.2%), and enrolled 113 students (enrollment rate: 16.2%). For the academic year 2025-2026, applications reached 1,236, admissions totaled 504 (acceptance rate: 40.8%), and enrollments were 143 (enrollment rate: 11.6%).
Law school acceptance rates have fluctuated over the years, influenced by factors such as application volume, law school capacity, and changes in the legal job market.
In 2016, the average acceptance rate for law schools was around 60.2%, with some highly competitive institutions accepting less than 10% of applicants. By 2026, the average acceptance rate had decreased to approximately 40.8%, reflecting increased competition among applicants.
This decline in acceptance rates has made it more challenging for prospective law students to gain admission to their desired schools, particularly at top-tier institutions.
| Year | Acceptance Ratio | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 60.2% | 696 | 419 |
| 2017 | 65.8% 5.6% | 757 61 | 498 79 |
| 2018 | 43.2% -22.6% | 922 165 | 398 -100 |
| 2019 | 48% 4.9% | 837 -85 | 402 4 |
| 2020 | 49.6% 1.6% | 782 -55 | 388 -14 |
| 2021 | 60.7% 11.1% | 689 -93 | 418 30 |
| 2022 | 45.8% -14.9% | 870 181 | 398 -20 |
| 2023 | 50.1% 4.4% | 822 -48 | 412 14 |
| 2024 | 52.5% 2.4% | 1,043 221 | 548 136 |
| 2025 | 48.2% -4.3% | 1,020 -23 | 492 -56 |
| 2026 | 40.8% -7.5% | 1,236 216 | 504 12 |
Enrollment rates reflect the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll at a law school. These rates indicate the attractiveness and competitiveness of institutions in converting admitted applicants into enrolled students.
In 2016, the average offer acceptance rate (enrolled over admitted) was approximately 27%, while the overall enrollment rate (enrolled over applicants) was 16.2%. By 2026, the offer acceptance rate had increased to around 28.4%, and the overall enrollment rate decreased to 11.6%.
Key differences between these metrics:
| Year | Enrollment Rate | Offer Accept Rate | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 16.2% | 27% | 419 | 113 |
| 2017 | 23.7% 7.4% | 35.9% 9% | 498 79 | 179 66 |
| 2018 | 12.2% -11.5% | 28.1% -7.8% | 398 -100 | 112 -67 |
| 2019 | 17.2% 5% | 35.8% 7.7% | 402 4 | 144 32 |
| 2020 | 12.8% -4.4% | 25.8% -10.1% | 388 -14 | 100 -44 |
| 2021 | 19% 6.2% | 31.3% 5.6% | 418 30 | 131 31 |
| 2022 | 16% -3% | 34.9% 3.6% | 398 -20 | 139 8 |
| 2023 | 14.5% -1.5% | 28.9% -6% | 412 14 | 119 -20 |
| 2024 | 14.6% 0.1% | 27.7% -1.1% | 548 136 | 152 33 |
| 2025 | 12.7% -1.9% | 26.2% -1.5% | 492 -56 | 129 -23 |
| 2026 | 11.6% -1.1% | 28.4% 2.2% | 504 12 | 143 14 |
