Kaplan Test Prep Survey: Law Schools’ Apprehension to Allow Applicants to Use GRE® for Admissions Drops
September 18 2017 - 8:45AM
Business Wire
Kaplan Test Prep’s 2017 law school admissions officers survey
shows more law schools warming up to the idea of allowing
applicants to submit GRE scores instead of LSAT® scores*. According
to the responses of 128 law schools across the United States, 25
percent say it’s an admissions policy they plan to implement, up
from just 14 percent in Kaplan’s 2016 survey; 45 percent say they
have no plans to do so, a drop from 56 percent who ruled it out in
last year’s survey; and 30 percent are not sure, the same as in
2016.
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The survey release comes on the heels of announced plans by
Harvard Law School and Northwestern University Pritzker School of
Law to join University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law in
giving prospective students more options for how to get in. Opening
up the application pool to GRE takers also gives law schools more
prospective students to choose from during what continues to be a
time of historically low application volume. But this change also
come at a time when the American Bar Association, which governs the
nation’s 200+ law schools, is deliberating on what to do about the
issue: allow law schools to continue accepting the GRE or at least
temporarily put a halt to it.
Law schools who plan to begin accepting the GRE offered a range
of reasons, often expressing concerns that if they don’t they will
be at a student recruitment disadvantage:
- “I'm thinking that it's going to become
the norm. It's one of those situations where you're going to be
left behind.”
- “We plan to do it in part because
Harvard is doing it. When they do things, people tend to fall in
line, thinking it's right.”
- “Accessibility. The GRE is offered
every day of year and prospective students don't have to register
so far in advance. And there are more test centers.”
- “We have a range of applicants, many of
whom are interested in non-traditional careers that would be better
served by having them take the GRE.”
Among the shrinking plurality of law schools who say they plan
to remain LSAT-only, admissions officers largely said they were not
sold on the idea that the GRE is as predictive as the LSAT is in
determining first year success in law school. They also said that
until the ABA rules on the issue, that their policy will remain
unchanged:
- “We'd have to do some significant
research that the GRE is an effective test for measuring law school
performance. Given our size, we probably wouldn't have the number
of students who have taken the GRE to do that sort of study
here.”
- “Many people here don't hold the same
opinion about the validity of the GRE. We would also like to know
the ABA's disposition. Validity studies cost money and with law
schools strapped for cash, that's not easy.”
- “The ABA hasn't fully weighed in on it
yet and we don't want to have a new enrollment method only to not
have it available down the road.”
- “We're waiting to see the outcomes of
Harvard and Arizona—not only how the students have done while in
school, but also bar passage rate.”
“Our survey finds the clearest sign yet that there is a shift
toward greater GRE acceptance among law schools, but there’s still
much uncertainty since one ruling from the American Bar Association
could put an end to the practice,” said Jeff Thomas, executive
director of pre-law programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “However and
importantly, there are numerous caveats for applicants who plan to
seek the GRE route to get into law school. Firstly, most applicants
will still have to take the LSAT as only three law schools accept
the GRE this year. And even if you rock the GRE, but bomb the LSAT,
law schools will see your LSAT score. You can’t only send the score
you want to the schools you want. You will not be able to withhold
your LSAT score. That means that while a high GRE score could
mitigate against a weaker LSAT score, it will not be overlooked
entirely. Plan on taking the LSAT.”
For a one-minute video on Kaplan’s survey results, visit
here.
To schedule an interview about Kaplan’s survey results, please
contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or
212.453.7538.
*Based on the results of a Kaplan Test Prep survey conducted by
phone in April-May 2017 of 128 law schools, including 18 of the top
30, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.
Test names and other trademarks are the property of the
respective trademark holders. None of the trademark holders are
endorsed by nor affiliated with Kaplan or this survey.
About Kaplan Test Prep
Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) is a premier provider of
educational and career services for individuals, schools and
businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the
test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings
as well as a complete array of print books and digital products,
Kaplan offers preparation for more than 100 standardized tests,
including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate
school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys,
physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and
graduate admissions consulting services.
Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings
Company (NYSE: GHC)
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170918005184/en/
Press:Kaplan Test PrepRussell Schaffer,
212-453-7538russell.schaffer@kaplan.comTwitter: @KapTestNews,
@KaplanLSATPrep
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