No two ways about it: getting into one of the top 5 law schools in the United States is extremely challenging.  Your candidacy is a culmination of the hard work you put forward for academics (aka GPA), the hours you dedicated to preparing for the LSAT, and the most salient experiences that pushed you to want to be a lawyer.

Though the top 5 law schools aren't for everyone, if you have your heart set on one of the best, you should know which school or schools make the most sense for your numbers and long term goals as a lawyer. 

#1 Yale

Yale's program is clinically driven (20 clinics in total!) and is ranked number 1 by US news. 

GPA (median / 25th - 75th)

3.92 / 3.84 - 3.98

LSAT (median / 25th - 75th

173 / 170 - 176

Faculty/Student Ratio

4.2:1

Tuition

$64,267.00

Interesting Alum

The dynamic duo - Bill and Hillary Clinton - both graduated from Yale Law School.  In 1969, Hillary was one of 27 women in Yale Law School's entering class - the total was 235.  She refined her passion for children protection law there, and was also an avid activist for anti-war policy.

#2 Stanford University 

GPA (median / 25th-75th)

3.93 / 3.82 - 3.99

LSAT (median / 25th-75th)

171 (169 - 174)

Faculty/Student Ratio

4:1

Tuition

$62,373.00

Interesting Alum

Sandra Day O'Connor Supreme Court Justice hailed from Stanford.  Like many notable alum, she served on the Stanford Law Review; however, many people don't know that she worked under Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist (who she also briefly dated!).

#3 Harvard University

GPA (median/25th-75th)

3.9 / 3.8 - 3.97

LSAT (median/25th-75th)

173 / 170 - 175

Faculty/Student Ratio

7.6:1

Tuition

$64,978.00

Interesting Alum

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (the notorious R.B.G) attended Harvard Law before transferring to Columbia.  She was one of 9 of 500 women in her entering class.  Ginsburg built her career on gender equality, and championed both male and female cases before the Supreme Court to reinforce gender equality.  

#4 University of Chicago

GPA (median/25th-75th)

3.89 (3.73 - 3.96)

LSAT (median/25th-75th)

171 (167 - 173)

Faculty/Student Ratio

5.1:1

Tuition

$64,089.00

Interesting Alum

James Comey, the former FBI director who was dismissed under president Trump, attended University of Chicago. 

#5 Columbia University

GPA (median/25th-75th)

3.75 / 3.63 - 3.84

LSAT (median/25th-75th)

172/ 170 - 174

Faculty/Student Ratio

4.9:1

Tuition

$69,916.00

Interesting Alum

Both Franklin D Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt attended Columbia Law School.  Some sincerely historic figures.  Also, as mentioned above, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a graduate from here!