More law schools are accepting Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores in place of Law School Admission Test (LSAT) results, a change that is gaining support in the legal profession. While most attorneys still prefer the LSAT, approximately one in five lawyers (21 percent) who were surveyed by Robert Half Legal are in favor of this shift in the law school application process.
“The GRE is gaining acceptance among law schools, with Georgetown University Law Center and Harvard Law School among the more than 20 institutions that allow GRE scores as part of a strategy to attract a wider range of applicants,” said Jamy Sullivan, executive director of Robert Half Legal. “The GRE also holds appeal with prospective law school students since it is offered more frequently than the LSAT, can be used with other postgraduate applications and allows test takers to control which scores they want to report.”
Sullivan noted that while the American Bar Association has recommended changes to the standardized admissions test mandate for accredited law schools, the LSAT remains a prerequisite at the majority of them. She added, “Prospective students should thoroughly research the application requirements of every law school they’re interested in before deciding whether to take the LSAT or GRE. In some cases, candidates may opt to sit for both examinations.”
The survey was developed by Robert Half Legal and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on responses from 200 lawyers in the United States: 100 of the respondents are employed at law firms with 20 or more employees, and 100 are employed at companies with 1,000 or more employees.
