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Significant Increase in LSAT Registrations
The law school admission cycle has commenced with a substantial surge in the number of people registering to take the LSAT, signaling a growing interest in U.S. legal education. This cycle, there has been an 18% increase in LSAT registrations compared to last year. This trend suggests heightened competition among law schools for top candidates, while also pointing to an increased interest in law careers, especially among young individuals.
LSAT Administration Sees Steady Growth
According to data from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), every LSAT administration this cycle—from August through November—has seen an increase in either test takers or registrants. Specifically, August examinees rose by 35%, September saw a 7% increase, October registrations were up by 12%, and November’s LSAT registrants jumped by 29%. Collectively, this amounts to nearly 22,000 additional LSAT registrants compared to the same period last year.
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Rising Interest in Law School Applications Expected
With more people taking the LSAT, law schools are likely to see a corresponding rise in applications. Susan Krinsky, interim president of LSAC, noted that most law schools have just started accepting applications, so definitive data on the number of applicants will not be available until later this month. However, the increase in LSAT participation indicates that law schools should prepare for a busier admission cycle.
Factors Behind the Surge in LSAT Participation
Although it’s unclear exactly what is driving this renewed interest in law school, several factors could be contributing to the spike in LSAT takers. The upcoming U.S. election, recent Supreme Court decisions, and the presidential campaign of Kamala Harris, who emphasizes her background as a prosecutor, may be motivating individuals to pursue legal careers. As Krinsky remarked, “Law school may seem to people to be a way to approach what they are seeing going on in the world — and it is a way to approach it and to understand it and to have an effect. One way to change things is to get involved.”
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Historical Parallels and Recent Trends in Legal Education
The surge in law school interest is not unprecedented. For example, in 2017, the national applicant pool grew by 8%, with some attributing the increase to the election of Donald Trump in 2016. Similarly, this year’s increase in LSAT registrations aligns with a rebound in the U.S. legal sector, which recently started adding jobs again after a four-month decline. Law schools also saw a successful application season last year, with a 6% rise in applicants nationwide compared to the previous year.
Removal of the LSAT’s Logic Games Section
One notable change to the LSAT this cycle was the elimination of the “logic games” section, which had been a part of the exam since 1982 and was often regarded as the most challenging portion. The removal of this section is thought to have contributed to the higher number of August LSAT takers. However, Krinsky pointed out that LSAT scores between July and August remained consistent, suggesting that the absence of the logic games did not significantly impact overall performance.
Conclusion
With law school admissions on the rise and increased interest in the LSAT, the legal education landscape in the U.S. is seeing renewed vigor. As more individuals look to enter the field, the profession may experience a shift driven by current societal and political factors, influencing the next generation of legal professionals.
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