The impending doom of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), once supposed to have been shaken by the paradigm shift to Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) acceptance in law school admissions, clearly seems to have been mistaken. Historically, taking the LSAT was the only way to seek legal education, but things began to change in 2016. This was when Arizona Law announced it would also consider applicants with GRE scores— a move that was later endorsed by the American Bar Association, and now over 50% of law schools accept the GRE.
Yet, against this backlash, the LSAT is far from beaten. Law schools landscape is witnessing an intriguing trend: more and more aspiring lawyers registering for the LSATs. So much so that the exam conducting body has had to add an additional day to the test, marking a transition from three to four testing days for the June administration, as reported by the ABA Journal. Interestingly, as this source mentions, by April 26, a staggering 36,000 students had registered for the next LSAT, significantly surpassing the 27,000 test-takers from the largest session since the advent of COVID-19 in November 2020.
But what’s fueling this renewed interest in the LSAT? One possible factor could be that June is the last chance to take the LSAT with its famed logic games section that is soon to be discontinued as part of an upcoming revamp of the exam format. Enhancing this intrigue, current social and political issues seem to be motivating many individuals to consider a career in law. A generally increasing dissent towards the Supreme Court verdicts has galvanized many to take up law studies to combat inequalities and injustices.
Consequently, while the unprecedented circumstances surrounding us may be daunting, they seem to have unintentionally inspired a wave of motivation towards pursuing a career in the field of law, reinvigorating the relevance of LSAT in the law school admission process.