Georgetown Law School has made the decision to begin accepting GRE scores in addition to LSAT scores for applicants to its 2018 entering class, the institution announced recently.
“Going forward, Georgetown Law applicants may opt to submit either GRE or LSAT scores, or both,” according to a Georgetown Law news release. “These will continue to be considered as one part of the overall holistic selection process.”
Andrew Cornblatt, Georgetown Law School Dean of Admissions, told Diverse the decision “will widen the applicant pool and make more attractive law school and hopefully the legal profession to more different kinds of students. We think that’s all to the good, we think it will more reflect what society looks like, and we’re excited to see what happens.”
Cornblatt also said Georgetown Law has also conducted a study that explored the correlation between its students testing scores and academic outcomes. The school was able to conclude that the results of both the GRE and LSAT, can forecast one’s success academically.
The LSAT and GRE exams are typically viewed as great predictors of a student’s success as they pursue education beyond the undergraduate level. However, even with the same mission, the two tests are very different.
“Right now the LSAT is given four times a year, it’s very expensive, and very expensive to prepare for it,” says Cornblatt. “The GRE, in our judgment, is a much more accessible test to more students, and more applicants out in the world. And, we feel like one of the outcomes will be that our applicant pool will now be broader. It won’t just be the typical people you would think apply to law school.”
The LSAT is designed specifically for admission to law school, and consists of an essay, testing on logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, and reading comprehension. The test is administered fewer times than the GRE and costs a basic fee of $180.
