An ABA committee has recommended that ABA accreditation standards no longer require an entrance exam, such as the Law School Admission Test or Graduate Record Examination (GRE). If the ABA adopts the recommendation, law schools could use the LSAT or GRE, but would not be required.
The ABA is the only professional school accreditor that mandates the use of an admission test, and the change would bring it into alignment with other accreditors.
The LSAT, which is administered by the Law School Admissions Council, has been around since 1948, and is designed to predict first-year grades. The LSAC, which plays an integral role in law school admissions, has expressed caution with any change.
“We believe the LSAT will continue to be a vital tool for schools and applicants for years to come, as it is the most accurate predictor of law school success and a powerful tool for diversity when used properly as one factor in a holistic admission process.”
Historically, law schools only used the LSAT to determine a student’s acceptance. But in 2016, the University of Arizona College of Law began using the GRE as well. In 2018, an Educational Testing Service report found that the GRE could accurately predict grades for first-year students. The ABA approved the use in December 2021.
There are 83 law schools that now accept the GRE, but the number of students admitted who take the test is very small — less than 1%.
