Analyzing trends in admissions, acceptance rates, enrollment rates, applicants, and admitted students across institutions
Law school admissions for University of South Dakota School 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 South Dakota School of Law law schools received 374 applications, admitted 240 students (acceptance rate: 64.2%), and enrolled 86 students (enrollment rate: 23%). For the academic year 2025-2026, applications reached 405, admissions totaled 253 (acceptance rate: 62.5%), and enrollments were 85 (enrollment rate: 20.5%).
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 64.2%, with some highly competitive institutions accepting less than 10% of applicants. By 2026, the average acceptance rate had decreased to approximately 62.5%, 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 | 64.2% | 374 | 240 |
| 2017 | 59.6% -4.5% | 337 -37 | 201 -39 |
| 2018 | 69.3% 9.6% | 270 -67 | 187 -14 |
| 2019 | 64.8% -4.5% | 270 | 175 -12 |
| 2020 | 64.4% -0.4% | 309 39 | 199 24 |
| 2021 | 64% -0.4% | 250 -59 | 160 -39 |
| 2022 | 69% 5% | 303 53 | 209 49 |
| 2023 | 67.5% -1.5% | 338 35 | 228 19 |
| 2024 | 76.2% 8.7% | 302 -36 | 230 2 |
| 2025 | 65.6% -10.6% | 366 64 | 240 10 |
| 2026 | 62.5% -3.1% | 405 39 | 253 13 |
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 35.8%, while the overall enrollment rate (enrolled over applicants) was 23%. By 2026, the offer acceptance rate had decreased to around 32.8%, and the overall enrollment rate decreased to 20.5%.
Key differences between these metrics:
| Year | Enrollment Rate | Offer Accept Rate | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 23% | 35.8% | 240 | 86 |
| 2017 | 15.4% -7.6% | 25.9% -10% | 201 -39 | 52 -34 |
| 2018 | 20.7% 5.3% | 30% 4.1% | 187 -14 | 56 4 |
| 2019 | 25.9% 5.2% | 40% 10.1% | 175 -12 | 70 14 |
| 2020 | 27.2% 1.3% | 42.2% 2.2% | 199 24 | 84 14 |
| 2021 | 26% -1.2% | 40.6% -1.6% | 160 -39 | 65 -19 |
| 2022 | 26.1% 0.1% | 37.8% -2.8% | 209 49 | 79 14 |
| 2023 | 24.3% -1.8% | 36% -1.8% | 228 19 | 82 3 |
| 2024 | 26.5% 2.2% | 34.8% -1.2% | 230 2 | 80 -2 |
| 2025 | 22.7% -3.8% | 34.6% -0.2% | 240 10 | 83 3 |
| 2026 | 20.5% -2.2% | 32.8% -1.8% | 253 13 | 85 2 |
