Do you need to take the LSAT or GRE for law school?

Asked by: Miss Arvilla Considine DVM  |  Last update: July 27, 2023
Score: 4.9/5 (29 votes)

If your first-choice school only accepts the LSAT, then you need to take the LSAT. While other schools on your list might accept the GRE, you should always prepare your application based on the needs of your first-choice school. There isn't a single law school that will refuse the LSAT.

Should I take the LSAT or the GRE for law school?

Since law schools will be able to see your LSAT score, and since schools generally prioritize the LSAT over the GRE, it is advisable that you don't take both exams. Although a high GRE score can somewhat mitigate a low LSAT score, law schools are required to report the LSAT scores of their incoming class.

Do you take the GRE for law school?

Offered 24 hours a day 365 days a year and accepted by law, business and graduate programs around the world, the GRE General Test is the most widely available and versatile admissions test for law school. The design is flexible too, allowing you to: tag questions so you can skip them and return later.

Is the GRE harder than the LSAT?

For most test-takers, an elite LSAT score is much harder to achieve than an elite GRE score. However, certain characteristics – stronger verbal skills and weaker quant skills, for example – might make the GRE a tougher test for you personally.

Can you take LSAT and GRE for law school?

Quick Facts about Law School Admission & GRE Scores

So you can't take the LSAT and the GRE and then choose which score to submit. If you opt to take the GRE instead of the LSAT, you must direct ETS to submit your GRE score to the university, a separate step outside of the LSAC Credential Assembly Service.

Do I Need the LSAT and GRE for Law School?

38 related questions found

Is the GRE replacing the LSAT?

Over fifty US law schools now accept the GRE in place of the LSAT. If you're applying to law school soon, you'll need to decide whether to take the GRE, the LSAT, or both. Both tests are challenging and require focused study and preparation. Choosing between the LSAT and the GRE is not an easy decision.

Does Harvard law require LSAT or GRE?

Harvard Law School accepts either the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). We do not have a preference for either exam. Similarly, a candidate is not considered more committed by taking both exams or disadvantaged by taking the same exam multiple times.

Does LSAT or GPA matter more?

Most law schools tend to give LSAT scores a bit more weight, but some schools care more about grades. The admissions process is inevitably subjective, and some admissions officers might be more forgiving of a gap than others.

What GRE score do I need for law school?

What Is A Good Score on the GRE For Law School? An overall GRE score of about 328, with quantitative reasoning and verbal reasoning in the range of 155 - 170, and analytical writing scores of 4.0 is considered a strong result for prestigious law schools.

Is 5 months enough time to study for the LSAT?

If you have other responsibilities and can only dedicate three to four hours a day to the LSAT, you should give yourself five to six months to study. In total, you should study around 300–400 hours for this exam. This amount of time is generally enough to gain a thorough understanding of how to ace the LSAT.

Does Yale Law School accept GRE or LSAT?

Yale Law School accepts results from the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test. Additionally, the Law School accepts results from the LSAT-Flex and the GRE General Test at Home. We do not have a preference among these standardized tests.

How many law schools should I apply to?

How Many Law Schools Should I Apply To? Your best bet is to apply to a minimum of two reach schools, two match schools, and three safeties.

What is the LSAT score to GRE?

“As a rule of thumb, law schools tend to compare GRE scores to LSAT scores based on percentile,” Kuris writes. “If your GRE score is in the 90th percentile, consider it roughly equivalent to a 90th-percentile LSAT score, generally around 165. ETS provides a tool to convert GRE scores into equivalent LSAT scores.”

Which is harder MCAT or LSAT?

If you're an experienced test-taker used to memorizing complex facts and information ahead of time, the MCAT may be a bit easier for you. Meanwhile, the LSAT could be the simpler option for proficient readers and writers with logical, analytical minds.

Does LSAT predict success as lawyer?

It's worth noting that the LSAT does NOT necessarily predict your chances of passing the bar exam or your chances of being a successful attorney! It also does not necessarily predict “success” in law school—it only predicts GPA. “Success” in law school can be defined much more broadly than GPA alone.

Is the LSAT outdated?

‍The LSAT isn't going away.

But it won't take effect until 2025. And remember: all we're doing here is removing a requirement to use an admissions test. Law schools don't use the LSAT because they're required to use it! They use it because they find it helpful for making sound admissions decisions.

What grad school GPA do you need for law school?

Among the 191 ranked law schools that submitted grade data to U.S. News in an annual survey, the average median GPA of entering law school students in 2021 was 3.55. But at the 20 highest-ranked law schools, the average median GPA is much higher – 3.86.

What majors have the highest GRE scores?

Average GRE Score by Graduate Major Field

Engineering and the physical sciences had the highest average GRE quantitative reasoning section scores. Physical sciences had the highest overall score when you total the averages of both the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections.

What is the GRE score for Yale law?

Average GRE scores for accepted Yale students tend to be from 155-165 for Verbal and 160-167 for Quant. These scores correspond to about the 69th to 96th percentiles for Verbal scores and the 76th to 92nd percentiles for Quant scores.

What if I have a high LSAT but low GPA?

A strong LSAT score can compensate for a low GPA, so it is well worth the investment of time and effort it takes to do well. Many competitive law schools screen applicants using a weighted index of their grades and LSAT scores, so extra points on the LSAT may effectively boost your GPA.

What LSAT score does Harvard look for?

As you can see from these numbers, an LSAT score of 170 or higher and a GPA above 3.75 will give you a chance of gaining admission to Harvard Law School. If you have a GPA of 3.94 or higher and above a 175, you are pretty much a lock for admission, particularly given the class size of ~560.

What if I have a high GPA but low LSAT scores?

High grades can help offset a low LSAT score, as can strong recommendation letters from professors, professional experience and a well-structured personal statement. Use other elements of your application like your resume to bring out skills tested by the LSAT, like logical reasoning and close reading.

Is a 172 on the LSAT good?

A 99th percentile score on the LSAT is about a 172, meaning if you get a 172, then you did better than 99% of all test-takers. That's clearly an excellent score. However, even though most people put in a decent effort to prep for the exam, only 1% of test-takers will hit that or above each year.

How hard is a 175 LSAT?

A 175+LSAT test taker will be able to identify specifically what word, idea, or phrase makes an answer choice incorrect. For most questions, there will be multiple problems with each answer choice.

Does Stanford law school require GRE or LSAT?

All applicants are required to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. If you have one or more valid LSAT scores, they must be reported as part of your application.