Class of 2026 Profile

As of Aug. 23, 2023 | Related Story

The 305 students in the Class of 2026 come from 40 states and the District of Columbia, and attended 144 undergraduate institutions.

  • Median LSAT: 171
  • 25%-75% LSAT: 167-172
  • Median GPA: 3.94
  • 25%-75% GPA: 3.72-3.99
  • Age Range: 20 to 34 (average age is 24)
  • 305 students enrolled from among 5,610 applicants
  • 53.1% women, 46.6% men and 0.3% nonbinary, transgender or gender-nonconforming
  • 36.1% people of color (as defined by the American Bar Association)
  • 19% self-identify as LGBTQ+
  • 74% have postgraduate experience
  • 30% are first-generation professional/graduate school
  • 10% are first-generation college students

Geographic Representation

Students come from 40 states and the District of Columbia. The J.D. candidates also include citizens of Canada, China and South Korea. In addition to Virginia, the following states are represented by five or more students:

Alabama 6 North Carolina 8
California 20 New Jersey 8
Colorado 6 New York 27
District of Columbia 14 Ohio 8
Florida 18 Pennsylvania 10
Georgia 12 Tennessee 5
Maryland 15 Texas 16
Massachusetts 4 Utah 5
Minnesota 5 Washington 5

Where They Went to College

Members of the Class of 2026 come from 144 undergraduate schools. Schools with four or more first-years represented include:

Boston University 4 University of California, Berkeley 5
Brown University 5 University of Chicago 4
College of William & Mary 4 University of Georgia 5
Cornell University 5 University of Maryland, College Park 11
Duke University 4 University of Notre Dame 4
Emory University 4 University of Pennsylvania 6
Georgetown University 7 University of Richmond 4
New York University 5 University of Virginia 30
Ohio State University, Columbus 4 Vanderbilt University 6
Rice University 4 Wake Forest University 4
University of Texas, Austin 6 Yale University 5
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 5    

Class of 2025 Profile

Adeline Lee

ADELINE LEE, of West Windsor-Plainsboro, New Jersey, earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Wellesley College. She worked as a paralegal with the ACLU Speech, Privacy & Technology Project and as a campus free speech program coordinator for PEN America before law school.

When considering which law school to attend, Lee said, “UVA Law’s unique combination of intellect and heart, in addition to its founding history and sterling academic opportunities, were what sealed the deal.”

 
Eric Meinerding

Cincinnati native ERIC MEINERDING earned a bachelor’s degree in policy and law from Liberty University, where he has worked with students for Campus Outreach, a Christian ministry, as associate campus director for four years.

“I see UVA as a place to learn in the context of a vibrant, intelligent community, where I’ll be able to learn the law with and through my peers and their different experiences and perspectives on the law, as well,” he said.

E. Nile Smith

Stuart, Florida, native E. NILE SMITH earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida A&M University. Before law school, he was an e-commerce business analyst for Nestle Health Science and also interned for U.S. Rep. Al Lawson and at the Knight Law Firm in Tallahassee, Florida.

“UVA Law is most attractive to me for its wide variety of offerings for students interested in criminal law and consistent success in placing graduates into clerkships,” Smith said. “There is no better place for me to get a robust network, a quality legal education and meaningful clinical opportunities.”