Historically, the LSAT has been the only required standardized exam for law school admissions. This is unlike undergraduate admissions, where most schools accept at least the SAT and ACT exams, and MBA programs that will accept the GRE or GMAT for admission purposes. Law schools commitment to solely accepting the LSAT created challenges over the years. Since the LSAT requires very different prep compared to exams like the GRE, this barrier to access resulted in a smaller application pool to many law schools. This has meant a reduction in the diversity of applicants in terms of the work experience, demographic background, education, and more.
Fortunately, aspiring lawyers can now take the GRE for law school admissions. Accepting the GRE first began with University of Arizona in 2016. They announced they would accept either the LSAT or GRE. The following year, Harvard Law School made the same decision. As of today, there are 116 American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law schools that will accept GRE scores.
Rejoice! Your undergraduate curriculum and work experience may have already helped you prepare for the GRE, which focuses on three sections – analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning. These three areas sound a lot like core requirements for most undergraduate programs.
Can I Take the GRE for Law School?
Yes, but this depends on the law school! As mentioned, the GRE has been available for consideration into law school programs since 2016, although the big changes began happening after 2017. Today, more than 100 ABA-accredited law schools that will accept the GRE exam. It is important to note that there are some conditions on taking the GRE instead of the LSAT. Let’s dig into those:
Differences Between LSAT and GRE Reporting
Unlike the GRE, your LSAT scores will be automatically reported by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) to law schools you apply to. This happens in one of two ways. For applicants who don’t purchase LSAC’s Score Preview option, your scores will be released to schools at the same time it is released to you. If you purchase the Score Preview option you will have a 6-day period to consider your score before it is released to your schools. You can cancel the score in this period. With the GRE you choose which schools to report your scores to.
Common Law School Conditions on Score Reporting
Because LSAT scores are automatically reported to law schools, most schools have conditions on test takers who take both exams. For most law schools if you take both the LSAT and the GRE they will review both scores. Some schools will prioritize your highest test score, whether it is the GRE or LSAT. But, it’s important to know that some schools will weigh the LSAT more heavily if you have it.
Some law schools have specific requirements for being able to submit a GRE score instead of a LSAT score. This can include only accepting a limited amount of students with GRE scores or requiring applicants to explain their test decision.
Strategizing LSAT vs. GRE
Because valid LSAT scores are automatically reported to law schools, it’s important for you to decide on your test strategy before taking either test. If you are applying only to programs that will weigh your highest score you can feel confident taking either exam. But, if your school list includes programs that prioritize the LSAT circumstances are different. In that case you will want to be very careful about taking the LSAT if you believe the GRE will be better for your application.
How can you be careful in that situation? First, you can prioritize taking the GRE first to see what your performance. Alternatively, you can take the LSAT first, but you should purchase the Score Preview option. This way you can cancel your scores if they are not in the range you want. Remember, that if you don’t have Score Preview and cancel your scores they will be reported to all schools you apply to.
Taking practice tests for the GRE and LSAT and doing extensive research on the score requirements for programs is essential. It is likely best for you to fully commit to one test rather than trying to juggle both.
Law Schools That Accept GRE Scores?
At the time of this writing, 116 schools accept GRE scores. The list includes highly sought-after public law schools, including UCLA Law and UC Berkeley Law. The list is not shy of private law schools either, with popular top-14 schools such as Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Cornell, and University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. See the entire list below!
What GRE Score Do I Need for Law School?
The GRE score ranges differ for each school. An important document published by the ABA, called the Standard 509 Information Report, contains various data sets that can help students learn about the score they need in order to gain admission into a program. For example, say a particular law school publishes their 75th percentile scores for the GRE Verbal Reasoning at 167, and the GRE Quantitative Reasoning at 162, then it’s important to understand what these stats mean and how to use them to your advantage. If you’re applying to a school with these stats, and you’re above the 75th percentile, that’s akin to saying you did better than 75 percent of admitted, and enrolled students from that particular dataset. Otherwise, you will be applying with GRE scores that are lower than those of the majority of accepted applicants.
Ultimately, the GRE score you will need for law school depends on the final list of schools you create. Usually, selective schools will be more demanding in their admission expectations, while public state law schools may be less demanding.
Does the GRE Make Getting Into Law School Harder?
No, it is not harder to get into law school with the GRE. The purpose of considering the GRE for law school admissions was to increase the applicant pool. So, it only makes sense that the option to choose the GRE means that schools welcome GRE applicants. Statistically, it is not proven that an applicant has a higher chance by taking the LSAT either. The 509 Information Reports publish the number of applicants and enrolled students who included the LSAT and GRE. The percentages show that there is no significant advantage to choosing one test over the other.
The Future of the GRE in Law School Admissions
The future of the GRE for law school admissions looks promising. In just six years, the GRE went from being accepted at one school, to 84. At this rate, there’s a strong chance that the majority of ABA-accredited law schools will accept the GRE as part of their admissions requirements for current undergraduate upperclassmen who plan to apply in one to three years.
If you’re curious now about how the GRE works, head over to our GRE FAQ to get your questions answered. Or try a Magoosh Premium Plan free trial today!
Leave a Reply