As law classes shrink in size, and as law applicants are shrinking in size, law schools need to shore up their student body size. To make sure that the seats are filled they are now making a move that is against their tradition. Schools are accepting test scores from the June examinations when their previous exam deadline was in February.
The February exam had previously been the last chance to take the LSAT for incoming law school students. As the barrier to entry lowers, more students can pass the hurdle and schools will have more kids in seats. To many this move indicates that law schools need to recruit more to make certain that they meet their financial obligations.
According to the director of pre-law programs for Kaplan Test Prep. Jeff Thomas, this is an unheard of situation. “This is the first year I have heard of schools explicitly stating as a policy that they would consider June LSAT scores.” The new phenomenon keeps up with the times. As of last month law school applicants were down by 13% from last year, according to Law.com.
Before this sluggish economic cycle, law school admissions departments would only consider late June scores on a one on one basis for hand picked applicants with potential but lower than hoped for LSAT scores. Now, June LSAT takers will be a part of the normal admissions pool, according to a new policy change.
Schools from upper and mid tiers are considering June scores. Prominent and well known institutions like the University of Alabama School of law, which is ranked number 21 by the U.S. News & World Report or the University of North Carolina (UNC) are now on board looking at June test scores for fall entrants.
Kyle Pasewark, whose company Advise-In Solutions counsels prospective law students, said there are financial drawbacks to entering the admissions game so late. “Accepting June LSAT scores means that schools haven’t filled their classes and they don’t have revenue up to the level they wanted or think they need,” he said. “That means they won’t be giving out many merit-based scholarships.” He advises prospective students to try to get more financial aid by applying early for the next year cycle.
Jeff Thomas comments that in this economic environment, students will be more introspective about their decision to apply. Relative to employment rates and the costs of education, the current policy that law schools are enacting is appropriate to the times.