Survey: Many Law Schools Won't Abandon LSAT If ABA Votes On Friday To Give Schools That Option

Reuters, Many Law Schools Won't Abandon LSAT Even If They Can, Test-Prep Survey Finds:

A new survey suggests that a significant number of law schools will continue to use the Law School Admission Test even if the American Bar Association, which accredits them, no longer requires it.

Half of the 82 law school admissions offices surveyed by test prep company Kaplan Inc this fall said they are either “very likely” or “somewhat” likely to continue requiring a standardized admissions exam even if the ABA drops its testing mandate, according to the survey released Tuesday. Kaplan provides LSAT prep courses and has a financial interest in schools continuing to require the test.

The ABA’s Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar is slated to vote on eliminating the admission test requirement Friday. ...

The respondent pool included 12 of the top 25 law schools as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, according to Kaplan, which did not identify respondents' answers by school name.

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage:

• New York Times, ABA May Eliminate Standardized Tests For Law School Admissions (May 7, 2022)
• Wall Street Journal, ABA Council Votes To Advance Proposal Permitting Law Schools To Go Test Optional. What Are The Implications Of Admitting Students Who Don't Take The LSAT Or GRE? (May 23, 2022)
• Newsweek, In Defense Of The LSAT (May 28, 2022)
• Inside Higher Ed, The ABA Proposes Eliminating Standardized Tests For Law School Admissions (June 16, 2022)
• Law.com, So Far, Public Comments Largely Support ABA Proposal To Make Law School Admission Tests Optional (June 22, 2022)
• Wall Street Journal, The LSAT And Other Standardized Tests Are Good For Diversity (July 25, 2022)
• Law.com, ABA Gaining Public Support In Proposal To Make Law School Admission Tests Optional (Aug. 3, 2022)
• ABA Journal, ABA Loosens Distance Learning Accreditation Standard; Council Withdraws Diversity Proposal After Public Criticism (Aug. 9, 2022)
• Higher Ed Dive, More On The ABA's Proposal To Make Law School Admission Tests Optional (Aug. 27, 2022)
• ABA, Over 100 Comments On Proposal To Make Law School Admission Tests Optional (Sept. 5, 2022)
• Letter, Sixty Deans Oppose The ABA's Proposal To Make Law School Admission Tests Optional (Sept. 2, 2022)
• Law.com, As ABA Deadline Ends, More Than 100 Public Comments Highlight Split Over Law School Admissions Test Requirement  (Sept. 7, 2022)
• Inside Higher Ed, If ABA Makes LSAT Optional, Will U.S. News Follow Its College Rankings Approach: Reduce Weight Given LSAT Medians (11.25%), Punish Schools (15% Reduction) With < 50% Test-Takers? (Sept. 14, 2022)
• Reuters, ABA Moves Closer To Ending LSAT Requirement For Law Schools (Nov. 8, 2022)
• Brian Leiter (Chicago), The End Of The LSAT Is Coming: What Will U.S. News Do? (Nov. 12, 2022)