Law Schools can now admit 10% of its class w/o an lsat score Forum

[Archangel]

Check it out here http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog ... ools-.html

[Mal Reynolds]

That is some TTT shit if true.

[goldenboy514]

Rutgers was way ahead of this

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog ... ions-.html

Im guessing the top schools won't fill their classes in this way

[03152016]

Im guessing the top schools won't fill their classes in this way

Idk, once one does it there's pressure for the others to do it
Admissions deans are rankings-conscious, even at top schools
When GULC boosts its GPA median by admitting a bunch of dumbasses with a 4.0 in basket weaving what do you think Cornell will do?

[Archangel]

Rutgers was way ahead of this

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog ... ions-.html

Im guessing the top schools won't fill their classes in this way

Yes they will. Every school will use this to their advantage to game rankings.
How much of this is in response to drop in applicants and lsat takers? How will this will affect the recent leverage high score/gpa students will have going forward? To be honest, I feel that the Lsat is losing its strangle hold on the admissions process. For some reason it doesn't feel right, wtf ever... I guess.

[Big Dog]

for the top schools, the obvious impact is that they can accept hooked applicants and not have to report the LSAT score, even if the applicant has one. (Just like undergrads that are test "optional".)

[PDX4343]

Anyone know when this would start happening?

[Mack.Hambleton]

As someone noted in other threads, this will probably be used for URMs mostly

[At the Drive-In]

As someone noted in other threads, this will probably be used for URMs mostly

So it's just an way for schools to admit URMs and not have to count their LSATs toward their average? Blargh.

[chizzy]

Still not sure how this would work out. Might cause another spike in apps.

[chuckbass]

Seems like this could also cause trouble for reverse splitters. Instead of Penn taking the 3.9 164 kid, they'll just take a 4.0 with no LSAT.

[malleus discentium]

I don't think T14 schools are likely to exploit or even make substantial use of this. Schools do substantively care about the LSAT and what it reflects beyond their medians.

[dowu]

I don't think T14 schools are likely to exploit or even make substantial use of this. Schools do substantively care about the LSAT and what it reflects beyond their medians.

I can get on board with this.

I can also see crappy schools using this to allow even more students who should not be in law school in. Meaning I didn't think it could get much worse but we are crossing into that territory now.

[03152016]

UMich's Wolverine Scholars anyone?

"...in which Michigan undergrads with a minimum 3.80 GPA are admitted to Michigan Law School if they agree to not take the LSAT. The rankings benefit is that there is no LSAT score to report to U.S. News, while the minimum 3.80 GPA will boost Michigan's median 3.64 GPA, which counts 10% in U.S. News' methodology."

From Paul Caron's blog: http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog ... law-s.html

[03152016]

And let's not forget ol Dean Pless:

"I am a maverick and a reformer so I started a new program for U of I undergrads to apply in their junior year and we don’t require the LSAT. We have additional essays and an interview instead. That way, I can trap about 20 of the little bastards with high GPA’s that count and no LSAT score to count against my median. It is quite ingenious."

Source: http://abovethelaw.com/2011/11/quotes-o ... te-busted/

I don't give law school admissions deans the benefit of the doubt

[Archangel]

Still not sure how this would work out. Might cause another spike in apps.

This. Just as the market was correcting itself they find a way to sabotage it. Meanwhile, they are allowing the caliber of admitted applicants to diminish. I mean seriously wtf.

[transferror]

I don't think T14 schools are likely to exploit or even make substantial use of this. Schools do substantively care about the LSAT and what it reflects beyond their medians.

Yes, but many of these applicants have taken the GRE or GMAT, and schools can use that to substantively gauge the students. The ABA is OK with it and some schools are already doing it.

[MikeJD]

the question is will it count towards their GPA median?? I can see lower t-14s taking 4.00 GPAs to boost their median GPA for US news if you can count those who haven't taken LSAT towards you GPA median.

[ScottRiqui]

the question is will it count towards their GPA median?? I can see lower t-14s taking 4.00 GPAs to boost their median GPA for US news if you can count those who haven't taken LSAT towards you GPA median.

If the student has an uGPA, I can't think of any reason NOT to include it in the school's median.

[Big Dog]

I don't think T14 schools are likely to exploit or even make substantial use of this.

Methinks you are naive. While they hate it, USNews matters to Deans bcos it matters to the public, their alums, their donors, their bond-rating agencies, etc. If Deans can now protect their 17x by dropping off the lower tail, they will do it in a hear-beat. Why wouldn't they? Indeed, they are incentivized to do so. Moreover, they know -- or think -- that at least one of their peers will do so, so they'l have no choice but compete. Win-win.

edited to add: But really, this is targeted towards hooked candidates with high GPA's.

[DELG]

Amazing.

[MikeJD]

So if you are a 4.00 and some diploma mill allows you in and you accept it but if you had taken the LSAT and were accepted to harvard.. I can see a lot of trouble here.

[ScottRiqui]

I don't think T14 schools are likely to exploit or even make substantial use of this.

Methinks you are naive. While they hate it, USNews matters to Deans bcos it matters to the public, their alums, their donors, their bond-rating agencies, etc. If Deans can now protect their 17x by dropping off the lower tail, they will do it in a hear-beat. Why wouldn't they? Indeed, they are incentivized to do so. Moreover, they know -- or think -- that at least one of their peers will do so, so they'l have no choice but compete. Win-win.

I can't tell for certain from the wording of the articles, but it sounds like this is only an option in the case of applicants who haven't taken the LSAT. In other words, a school can't simply ignore an applicant's low score and not report it to the ABA, right?

[09042014]

I don't think T14 schools are likely to exploit or even make substantial use of this. Schools do substantively care about the LSAT and what it reflects beyond their medians.

If you are black or mexican or indian with a good GPA, it's retarded to even attempt the LSAT now. This is going to be a way to load up on URMS without breaking medians.

[Tanicius]

I don't think T14 schools are likely to exploit or even make substantial use of this. Schools do substantively care about the LSAT and what it reflects beyond their medians.

If you are black or mexican or indian with a good GPA, it's retarded to even attempt the LSAT now. This is going to be a way to load up on URMS without breaking medians.

Only for URMs that are even aware of this practice. That has always been the main fault in the battle for more racial diversity. Several black friends of mine didn't even apply to the top schools because when I told them about the LSAT bump they ignored it for a silly fairy tale.