Analyzing trends in admissions, acceptance rates, enrollment rates, applicants, and admitted students across institutions
Law school admissions for Widener Law Commonwealth 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, Widener Law Commonwealth law schools received 506 applications, admitted 341 students (acceptance rate: 67.4%), and enrolled 66 students (enrollment rate: 13%). For the academic year 2025-2026, applications reached 909, admissions totaled 549 (acceptance rate: 60.4%), and enrollments were 156 (enrollment rate: 17.1%).
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 67.4%, with some highly competitive institutions accepting less than 10% of applicants. By 2026, the average acceptance rate had decreased to approximately 60.4%, 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 | 67.4% | 506 | 341 |
| 2017 | 67.7% 0.3% | 535 29 | 362 21 |
| 2018 | 61.3% -6.3% | 592 57 | 363 1 |
| 2019 | 62.1% 0.8% | 617 25 | 383 20 |
| 2020 | 68.1% 6% | 561 -56 | 382 -1 |
| 2021 | 56.3% -11.8% | 597 36 | 336 -46 |
| 2022 | 58.9% 2.6% | 778 181 | 458 122 |
| 2023 | 60.2% 1.3% | 668 -110 | 402 -56 |
| 2024 | 65% 4.8% | 720 52 | 468 66 |
| 2025 | 66.5% 1.5% | 776 56 | 516 48 |
| 2026 | 60.4% -6.1% | 909 133 | 549 33 |
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 19.4%, while the overall enrollment rate (enrolled over applicants) was 13%. By 2026, the offer acceptance rate had increased to around 28.2%, and the overall enrollment rate increased to 17.1%.
Key differences between these metrics:
| Year | Enrollment Rate | Offer Accept Rate | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 13% | 19.4% | 341 | 66 |
| 2017 | 20% 7% | 29.6% 10.2% | 362 21 | 107 41 |
| 2018 | 19.9% -0.1% | 32.5% 2.9% | 363 1 | 118 11 |
| 2019 | 18.6% -1.3% | 30% -2.5% | 383 20 | 115 -3 |
| 2020 | 19.4% 0.8% | 28.5% -1.5% | 382 -1 | 109 -6 |
| 2021 | 19.1% -0.3% | 33.9% 5.4% | 336 -46 | 114 5 |
| 2022 | 15.9% -3.2% | 27.1% -6.9% | 458 122 | 124 10 |
| 2023 | 20.5% 4.6% | 34.1% 7% | 402 -56 | 137 13 |
| 2024 | 20.1% -0.4% | 31% -3.1% | 468 66 | 145 8 |
| 2025 | 20.6% 0.5% | 31% | 516 48 | 160 15 |
| 2026 | 17.1% -3.6% | 28.2% -2.8% | 549 33 | 156 -4 |
