Penn State Dickinson Law

PA · Public · Mid-Atlantic

Acceptance rate: 43% (1,912 applicants)
Median LSAT: 159 (middle 50%: 157–161)
Median GPA: 3.71 (middle 50%: 3.50–3.86)
Tuition: $60,048 (per year)
Bar passage: 87.6% (+7.4 pts vs. state average)

Deadlines

Binding ED I: Dec. 1, 2026
Binding ED II: Feb. 1, 2027
Regular decision: June 1, 2027

Essays

Personal statement (2 pages, double-spaced)

A personal statement is required to complete your application. The statement should address factors that have been significant in your development and identity; experiences or circumstances that may distinguish you from other candidates; or any special achievements or accomplishments. You should feel free to discuss a topic or topics of your choice. Your personal statement should not be a narrative version of your resume. Please limit your submission to two pages of double-spaced type.

Short answer: persistence (1,000 characters)

Briefly describe an instance in which you had to persist through challenges or overcome an obstacle to achieve a goal. (1000 character limit)

Short answer: work during college (1,000 characters)

If you worked to help finance your undergraduate education, briefly describe your situation. Include the approximate number of hours you worked weekly, during the school year and/or summer. (1000 character limit)

Specific interest statement (1 page, double-spaced)

A brief additional statement outlining your specific interest in Penn State Dickinson Law is preferred, but not required. You may wish to discuss how our programmatic offerings or learning environment align with your interests. Please limit your response to one page of double-spaced type.

Inclusion and belonging statement (2 pages, double-spaced)

We encourage you to submit a supplemental statement discussing how you will advance Penn State Dickinson Law's antiracism work by drawing upon your lived experience, equity mindset, or actions to promote inclusion and belonging, justice, or antiracism. You may use this space to share an example of how your experiences, your work, or your upbringing (i.e., your family, home, neighborhood, or communities) has shaped your values and perspective. Please limit your submission to two pages of double-spaced type.

Addendum (No limit stated)

You may include an addendum addressing pertinent information to provide the admissions committee with additional insight into your admission application.

Supplemental essays (No limit stated)

In addition to your personal statement, you may want to include a supplemental essay that addresses any discrepancies between your LSAT and GPA, explains how you add to the diversity of our community, or provides other relevant information to the admissions committee.

Public Interest Scholars supplemental statement (No limit stated)

It is strongly recommended that candidates submit the optional supplemental statement specifically highlighting the following: past leadership in community or public service; sincerely-held long term career goals related to public interest; current public interest programs or opportunities at Penn State Dickinson Law of interest to the candidate.

Editor's notes

Decide early whether this is your first choice. Both early decision rounds are binding, and ED I answers you by Dec. 30. If you're a Pennsylvania resident or a Penn State graduate, being admitted before April 15 also locks in the $20,000-a-year Keystone grant.
The application is free, so the cost of applying is your time. Spend it on the supplemental essay only if you have a discrepancy to explain or something the personal statement can't hold.
Pick a location on purpose. Carlisle sits near the state capital; University Park puts you on Penn State's main campus with more cross-disciplinary options. The cost of attendance differs by about $4,400 a year.
Public interest applicants should apply for the Public Interest Scholars program and write the supplemental statement. The money is small; the fellowship access and coaching aren't.