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April 15, 2022

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LSAT vs. GRE: Which One Should You Take When Applying to Law School?

LSAT vs GRE Which One Should You Take When Applying to Law School

Law schools are still requiring a standardized exam to complete the application process. In the past, applicants only had one testing option: the dreaded LSAT. Today, law school applicants have a choice. Currently, over 80 law schools – including Harvard, Columbia, and Penn – are accepting the GRE General Test for consideration. (A few, like UVA, even accept the GMAT, but we’ll leave that topic for another time.)

What are the implications for applicants?

Options are great. An applicant can choose the best testing opportunity for themselves. Options also require more research. It is imperative that you decide which test will best showcase your abilities. It is also imperative to understand each school’s policy on testing. For those institutions accepting the GRE, you must understand how they review scores, and if you submit both tests, the GRE and the LSAT, what will they do with that information? Will one test take precedence over the other?

<< Are you a competitive applicant at your dream school?
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For example, while Boston University School of Law accepts both the LSAT and GRE, the website instructions state that “while the holistic review of your file will include all information submitted, the highest LSAT score will be the standardized test used in review of your candidacy.” In this case, the LSAT will trump the GRE. If you are applying to any schools outside of the 80+ currently accepting the GRE, then you must take the LSAT and the GRE may not help at all. A lot to consider.

Regardless of the test you are taking, be prepared

Study for the test and take it seriously. For better or worse, a higher standardized test score will increase your chances of acceptance. Thus, it is an important aspect of the application and deserves ample attention. Pick a future test date and make it your part-time job to study for the exam. Take practice tests, gauge your test-taking abilities, and prep as necessary. Do not take an official test “just to see how you will do.” That test score will be on your permanent record and may then take some explaining in an addendum. It does not show good judgment to just wing it. 

Which test is easier, the LSAT or GRE? Practice on real practice tests and take an official exam when you are ready. This is truly the only way to determine which test is “easier” for you – practice both and see which one is a better fit for you.

Law schools that accept the GRE

Albany Law School
American University Washington College of Law
Boston College Law School
Boston University School of Law
Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School
Brooklyn Law School
California Western School of Law
Case Western Reserve University School of Law
Chicago-Kent College of Law
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
Columbia Law School
Cornell Law School
Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
Duke University School of Law
Faulkner Law School
Florida International University College of Law
Florida State University College of Law
George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School
George Washington University Law School
Georgetown University Law Center
Harvard Law School
Hofstra University – Maurice A. Deane School of Law
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Kern County College of Law
LMU Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Massachusetts School of Law at Andover
Mercer University School of Law
Monterey College of Law
New England Law | Boston
New York University School of Law
Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law
Pennsylvania State University Dickinson Law
Pennsylvania State University — Penn State Law
Pepperdine University Rick J. Caruso School of Law
San Luis Obispo College of Law
Seattle University School of Law
Seton Hall University School of Law
South Texas College of Law Houston
Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
St. John's University School of Law
Stanford Law School
Suffolk University Law School
Syracuse University College of Law
Texas A&M University School of Law
Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center
University of Akron School of Law
University of Alabama School of Law
University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
University of Baltimore Law School
University at Buffalo School of Law
University of California, Davis School of Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Irvine School of Law
University of California, Los Angeles School of Law
University of Chicago Law School
University of Dayton School of Law
University of Hawai’i at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law
University of Houston Law Center
University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
University of Massachusetts School of Law – Dartmouth
University of Montana Alexander Blewett III School of Law
University of New Hampshire School of Law
University of Notre Dame Law School
University of Oklahoma College of Law
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
University of San Diego School of Law
University of Southern California Gould School of Law
University of South Carolina School of Law
University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law
University of Texas at Austin School of Law
University of Toledo College of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
Wake Forest University School of Law
Washburn University School of Law
Washington and Lee University School of Law
Washington University School of Law
Western State College of Law
Willamette University College of Law
Yale Law School
Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Peking University School of Transnational Law, China

This information is taken from the ETS website. Disclaimer: Information can change, please check each school’s websites to verify.

Do your research

How do you know what a competitive GRE score is? Some institutions list their GRE test scores on their Standard 509 Information Report which is posted on school’s websites. For example, see Harvard’s report here to get a sense of their GRE medians. Also, ETS, the GRE testing site, provides a conversion tool to help determine comparable GRE and LSAT scores. However many admissions committee readers will look closely at your percentile score and translate it into the percentile equivalent on the LSAT. You should do the same when attempting to evaluate your competitiveness.

A word from the UVA Law Assistant Dean for Admissions

In a recent episode of the Admissions Straight Talk podcast, Natalie Blazer, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Chief Admissions Officer, U. of Virginia School of Law has this to say about the GRE vs LSAT decision:

“I would counsel prospective applicants to look at what our median LSAT is. Look at what percentile that is and aim for roughly those same percentiles on the GRE or the GMAT. It doesn’t need to be completely comparable, but that’s just to have a ballpark in your mind.”

Click here for the rest of our informative interview with Dean Blazer >>

Which exam is best for you and your unique situation? 

As stated above, it depends. Do you need help answering this or any other question about your law school candidacy? Do you need help putting together the other elements of your law school application? Wherever you are in the law school admissions process and whatever you need – our advisors are here to help! Explore our Law School Admissions Consulting & Editing Services for more information on how we can help you GET ACCEPTED.

The Law School Admissions Guide: 8 Tips for Success - Download a copy today!

Christine Carr Admissions Expert

Christine Carr is a Harvard graduate with over 15 years of admissions experience, including nine years as Associate Director of Admissions at Boston University School of Law. She has read over 10,000 personal statements and counseled thousands of prospective applicants through the application process. Want Christine to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

  • 5 Qualities that Law Schools Want to See
  • How To Overcome Test Anxiety and Perform at Your Best
  • Help! My LSAT is Low – Should I Still Apply to Law School?

Article by Christine Carr / Law School Admissions / GRE, LSAT, The Law School Application Series

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