US Bar Endorses Removing LSAT Requirement for Law School

The American Bar Association (ABA) is supporting removing the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) as a requirement for law school admission.

"Eliminating the requirement of a 'valid and reliable' admission test also eliminates some of the challenges inherent in determining which tests are in fact valid and reliable for law school admissions, although of course law schools must still show that their use of an admission test, should they choose to require one, is consistent with sound admission practices and procedures," the ABA wrote in a new memo.

However, the Law School Admission Council, the group that administers the LSAT, showed concern in its statement opposing the idea, saying, "studies show test-optional policies often work against minoritized individuals, so we hope the ABA will consider these issues very carefully."

There has been a trend in recent years deemphasizing standardized testing for admissions to colleges and universities. The California State University system announced in March it will eliminate the SAT and ACT requirements from its admissions process, and Harvard announced in December it would end the requirement, starting with the class of 2027.

FairTest, a national organization for fair and open testing, reported in October that over 1,785 schools, which represent more than three-fourths of all colleges and universities, were test-optional for Fall 2022.

"The record number of admissions offices waiving testing mandates reflects widespread satisfaction with those policies," FairTest Executive Director Bob Schaeffer said in a statement. "Schools that did not mandate ACT/SAT submission last year generally received more applicants, better academically qualified applicants, and a more diverse pool of applicants."

• DC Bar Reinstates Ex-FBI Lawyer Who Admitted Altering Russia Probe Email
• Texas AG Says Bar Is Suing Him Over 2020 Election Challenge