Law Schools

Another Law School Goes To The Dark Side And Will Accept The GRE

The GRE has set its sights on Los Angeles!

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Look out LSAT! The GRE train is making its way to Los Angeles and it’s taking no prisoners!

Yesterday, the UCLA School of Law announced they would allow applicants interested in the law school to forego taking the LSAT and just submit their GRE score. According to Dean Jennifer Mnookin, the move is designed to increase the flexibility for prospective students and potentially increase the pool of students considering law school:

“While we expect that the majority of our applicants in the coming years will continue to sit for the LSAT, we are pleased to join the growing list of law schools that allow for flexibility in which standardized test prospective students can take,” UCLA School of Law Dean Jennifer L. Mnookin said. “This step will open doors to prospective students while allowing UCLA Law to maintain its high standards.

“The important question for all law schools is whether our admissions policies lead us to students capable of succeeding at law school and in their professional lives,” Mnookin added. “We believe, and the data suggests, that either the LSAT or the GRE can be helpful for that purpose. We will continue to assess candidates holistically, taking into consideration test scores and grade-point averages, as well as factors including writing skills, socio-economic background, letters of recommendation, graduate study, public service and work experience.”

This isn’t UCLA’s first dip into the GRE waters. They’d previously allowed students enrolled in, or applying to another graduate program, to submit the GRE in lieu of the LSAT. UCLA now joins Harvard, Columbia, St. John’s, Brooklyn, Northwestern, Arizona, Georgetown, Hawaii, Washington University in St. Louis, Wake Forest, Cardozo School of Law, Texas A&M, BYU, John Marshall Law School, Florida State, Pace, and Chicago-Kent College of Law in full-throated acceptance of the GRE (University of Chicago and University of Georgia allow candidates in dual degree programs skip the LSAT). And according to a Kaplan survey, a full 25 percent of law schools have plans in the works to accept the GRE.

The ABA, the body responsible for law school accreditation, still hasn’t officially weighed in on the validity of law schools using anything but the GRE in admissions decisions. ABA Standard 503 currently requires admissions tests and that they be “valid and reliable” but in April, an ABA committee recommended eliminating the accreditation standard mandating that schools use a standardized test in admissions. The ABA Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has agreed to the change, but it still must be adopted by the ABA House of Delegates before it’s official. While it’s incredibly likely law schools will keep some standardized testing in admissions, the move (should it be approved) is seen as giving a green light to law schools interested in accepting the GRE.

headshotKathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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