What the LSAT vs. GRE law school admissions debate means

The path to a legal career is strewn with decisions for prospective law students, one of the most significant being: Do law schools prefer the LSAT or GRE? With both standardized tests now gaining widespread acceptance for admissions, it is worth understanding the nuances of each and how schools will view them alongside one another, so you can make an informed choice.

For decades, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) has been the gold standard for law school admission. The focus on skills like logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and analytical thinking directly maps onto the skills needed for law school. Today, the majority of law schools still consider the LSAT the primary test to assess applicants. Admissions committees often know LSAT scores better, and they reflect a point-in-time baseline for comparison.

But in recent years, some law schools began accepting another standardized test: the Graduate Record Examination, or GRE. This is part of a trend toward greater inclusivity and accessibility, as more graduate programs use the GRE across a broader range of disciplines. The GRE also gives flexibility in case applicants aren’t 100 percent sure that law school is what they want to pursue, as this standardized test can be used for other postgraduate programs to evaluate applicants for consideration for matriculation.

So do law schools prefer the LSAT or the GRE? While the answer to that question is often neutral, it also can be realigned up based on the school’s individual admissions priorities. Others may be a little more straightforward, saying flat out that they have no preference, and urging applicants to take the test that best represents their ability. They might also have a slight bias toward LSAT scores since those are more closely associated with legal studies historically.

There are a few different factors that applicants should research when deciding which test to take. If reading comprehension and logical reasoning are your jam, you might be better suited for the LSAT. It also demonstrates familiarity with legal specific questions which is for future lawyers. If, on the other hand, you have a strong quant background or you're keeping your options open in case you need to apply to non-law programs, then the GRE provides a potentially more versatile (though, of course, still demanding) plan for law school admission.

(Note: Other law schools accept the GRE to increase the diversity of their applicant pool, so applicants with STEM backgrounds or other nontraditional students can apply.) Reviewing your target schools can help clarify where they stand on the LSAT vs GRE debate by checking that school’s admissions requirements.

So in the end, you will need to determine the test that suits your ability, but also your career plans. So whether you feel you’ll do better with the jury-oriented format of the LSAT, or with the GRE’s more nebulous system, what matters most to admissions committees is seeing each student be the best version of themselves through that test. This is all a matter of preparation and understanding how your standardized test selection fits into your overall law school application strategy.

Cameron Martin is the author of this article. To know about steps to apply for Advanced Law Degrees please visit our website: lsac.org