This month, the Law School Admission Council announced more changes to the LSAT test-taking process. Effective September 1, 2017, the law school admissions test will now be offered six times a year.
Prior to this, the exam was administered quarterly, and aspiring lawyers were only allowed to re-take the LSAT up to three times within a two-year period.
In addition to this change, LSAC also lifted the former restriction on retakes during a two-year period.
These two changes come following word that the LSAT was offered via tablet last month on a trial basis. Not to mention that more schools have taken notice of ABA Standard 503, which allows accredited law schools the option to offer alternatives to the entrance exam.
Since this latter resolution was passed, two law schools (The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and Harvard Law School) are now offering the GRE in addition to the LSAT to enroll in their programs. Others are also seriously considering the switch. Most recently, an Illinois law school announced it was toying with the idea.
Dean of Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law, Daniel Rodriguez is open to adopting the change.
This is a new world. Law schools are looking at much more sophisticated data. It’s just simply a matter of time, and probably a short amount of time, before the hegemony of the LSAT will destabilize and law schools will be looking at other criteria for admission.
As more schools consider and even adopt other admissions exams into their legal education programs, the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has quite a bit to consider. The council is meeting in Chicago this July to consider the rules of procedures for accredited law schools.
Do you have thoughts on the matter? Should alternatives be offered to the LSAT? The ABA is currently seeking your feedback. Written comments and requests to speak at or attend the upcoming hearing should be sent via email to JR Clark by Monday, July 10, 2017.