1L cohort represents an unprecedented seven years of record-setting student achievement
The USC Gould School of Law recently welcomed its JD Class of 2028, a highly accomplished group of 228 students whose academic achievements marked another milestone, furthering the school’s upward trajectory.
The scholarly profile of the Class of 2028 is among the strongest ever, shared David Kirschner, USC Gould Associate Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid and Innovation. With a median LSAT of 169 and a median GPA of 3.91, the class ties the record for the highest combined scores in Gould’s history, matching the benchmark set by last year’s entering class. In addition, this cohort represents the lowest acceptance rate to date, having been selected from the second-largest applicant pool in the law school’s history.
“Through their education and experiences, these students represent the pinnacle of achievement,” said Franita Tolson, USC Gould Dean and Carl Mason Franklin Chair in Law. “We’re delighted to welcome students whose exceptional academic potential is matched by the richness of their lived experiences, leadership and passion for the law.”
The Class of 2028 includes students from a broad range of interests and backgrounds, including two Fulbright Scholars.
They represent 25 U.S. states and earned degrees from more than 90 different undergraduate institutions across 52 fields of study, spanning political science, history, engineering, biology and other STEM disciplines. Thirty-two percent are the first in their families to graduate from college or pursue graduate education. And, 64% of the incoming class are women.
In addition, many 1L students bring significant professional experience, having worked in large law firms, government agencies, and court systems — as well as a producer for the Smithsonian Channel and a biologist at an octopus farm. They also demonstrated their leadership in founding new initiatives, such as a nonprofit multilingual theater company in Paris, a literacy outreach organization, and advocacy groups focused on diabetes and support for learning needs.
Several also bring an international lens to their legal education. Some have taught in Ukraine and Mexico, conducted research in Bogotá, Columbia, and lived in countries such as Austria, China, Morocco, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Uganda and Vietnam, among others. These experiences contribute to a cohort with a strong global perspective and varied cultural insights, Kirschner noted.
Among their noteworthy creative and artistic accomplishments, one received the BMI John Lennon Award for an original composition; another has charted on the Billboard Top 50 and has written and produced music for some of the industry’s most prominent artists; and one led the television literary department at global talent agency ICM Partners.
The class also includes students with world-class athletic backgrounds, including a member of Team USA in fencing, a national-level rower, an equestrian show jumper and a former competitive downhill skier.
During his remarks, Kirschner passed along a message of encouragement to Gould’s newest class: “While all of you have done truly impressive things to get here… you all find yourselves in the same position today — at the starting line — ready to create new experiences, while supporting one and other on this law school journey.”
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