Tulane University

LA · Private · West South Central

Acceptance rate: 40% (2,069 applicants)
Median LSAT: 161 (middle 50%: 159–164)
Median GPA: 3.67 (middle 50%: 3.47–3.81)
Tuition: $0 (per year, nonresident)
Bar passage: 76.1% (-5.8 pts vs. state average)

Deadlines

Application deadline: No Formal Deadline

Essays

Prompt 1 (No set length (2 to 3 pages suggested))

Describe an experience, challenge, responsibility, or effort that required you to take action, exercise judgment, or make a meaningful contribution. What role did you play, how did you approach the situation, and what impact did your actions have on you, others, or the outcome? We are interested in how you approach challenges, make decisions, take responsibility, and learn from experience. The significance of an experience often lies in how you engaged with it, not the scale of the outcome.

Prompt 2 (No set length (2 to 3 pages suggested))

Describe an interaction with another person, a group of people, a family (whether actual or chosen), a community, or an organization that has influenced your understanding of yourself or the world around you. How has that interaction shaped the way you communicate, collaborate, approach differing perspectives, pursue your interests, or engage with others? There is no expectation that you discuss hardship, disclose personal information you prefer to keep private, or present a single defining identity. We are interested in understanding the relationships, communities, and other influences that have shaped your perspective.

Prompt 3 (No set length (2 to 3 pages suggested))

If Tulane Law, New Orleans, the Gulf South, or a particular area of legal interest is part of your decision to apply, describe that connection. What draws you to it, how has it influenced your interests or aspirations, and how do you see Tulane supporting your development? You do not need to have a fixed career plan or a fully defined professional path. We are interested in the interests, questions, goals, and opportunities that are shaping your future direction and motivating your interest in legal education.

GPA/LSAT explanation (No set length)

You may attach an additional statement to describe any experiences or circumstances not addressed elsewhere in your application that may have adversely affected objective measures of your academic performance (such as grades, GPA, or course evaluations) or your standardized test results. If you choose to provide this information, the Admissions Committee would appreciate it if you also answered the following questions: Do the circumstances you describe still exist today? If so, how might they affect your success in a law school program?

Editor's notes

Apply in the fall. Tulane has no hard deadline, but it starts deciding admissions and merit scholarships in mid-December and says seats and money get tighter later. The fee waiver ends on Mardi Gras Day (Feb. 9, 2027), so there's a small cash reason to finish early too.
Your scholarship offer is probably your only one. Tulane awards most merit money from the admission file at the moment it admits you, and it doesn't increase the award when tuition goes up. Ask about renewal conditions before you deposit.
Tulane's FAQ tells you what it wants from the essay: something that goes beyond a list of what you did. It also says you don't need to know exactly why you want law school. If you do have a real reason, like maritime, environmental or civil law, which Tulane teaches in depth, say it plainly.
There's no interview, so the written file carries everything. Tulane reads letters even though they're optional. Two letters from people who know your work well are worth sending.