JD-Next, the alternative law school admissions program, did not receive full approval by the American Bar Association on Feb. 22.
The ABA’s Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar instead approved a recommendation from its standards committee that the JD-Next program should not yet be deemed a “valid and reliable” predictor of an applicant’s law school grades.
The decision maintains the process by which law school admissions offices must seek special ABA permission to use the JD-Next program to admit new students.
Daniel Thies, chair of the standards committee, recommended at the council meeting that “more data and more study be gathered” before deciding whether the JD-Next program meets the standard.
The approach utilized by JD-Next sets it apart from admissions tests like the LSAT.
JD-Next starts with an eight-week online contracts course for prospective law students and culminates in a law school-style exam. About 50 law schools have received special ABA permission to admit students with JD-Next scores.
David Klieger of Aspen Publishing, the program director for JD-Next, said in a statement that it is disappointing the ABA did not grant the program full approval, but “institutions still have the option to incorporate JD-Next through the use of a variance, and potential law students continue to benefit from it.”
The Law School Admission Council, which develops and administers the LSAT, said a statement that it supports the ABA’s decision on JD-Next.
“Admissions professionals across the United States have achieved record-setting levels of racial, ethnic and gender diversity each of the past three years using the LSAT, and we are committed to supporting students and schools during this critical time for legal education,” the LSAC’s statement said.
JD-Next was created in 2019 with a mission to provide admitted law school students with the essential reading and analysis skills needed for success in law school. The program was developed and piloted by the University of Arizona.
JD-Next is designed to bridge gaps in preparedness and level the playing field for all students, regardless of their background. The program focuses on eliminating admission test score disparities, particularly when compared to admissions tests like the LSAT or GRE.
