Northwestern Accepting GMAT or LSAT.... Applicants Choice Forum

[2011Cycle]

Any thoughts on Northwestern's reasons for accepting either the GMAT or LSAT. I contacted the admission's office and was told the "Dean just decided to do so". Not much in this statement.

Thanks

[gangstar]

Link?

[Hannibal]

Link?

It's on the applications. I noticed that too but I just assumed it was the same as every year.

[2011Cycle]

Link?

It's on the applications. I noticed that too but I just assumed it was the same as every year.

Nope. I was told this is the first year the applicant has the option.

[thesybarite]

Does NU have a new Dean?

I saw that today, was kinda gutted - but late for me. I guess it's appealing to MBA/business types more which is their whole thing. Makes sense.

Still, most applicants aren't only going to apply to NU Law, so the LSAT may as well be mandatory, surely?

[2011Cycle]

Does NU have a new Dean?

I saw that today, was kinda gutted - but late for me. I guess it's appealing to MBA/business types more which is their whole thing. Makes sense.

Still, most applicants aren't only going to apply to NU Law, so the LSAT may as well be mandatory, surely?

The current dean is headed to the New School in New York in 2011.

[PDaddy]

Does NU have a new Dean?

I saw that today, was kinda gutted - but late for me. I guess it's appealing to MBA/business types more which is their whole thing. Makes sense.

Still, most applicants aren't only going to apply to NU Law, so the LSAT may as well be mandatory, surely?

The last sentence is not necessarily true. I think opening up the GMAT gives NU an edge in wooing candidates. NU had ostensibly accepted the "GMAT only" for admission to the JD/MBA program. Now they just accept it straight out for the JD. Admission is going to be more competitive. The NU adcom obviously doesn't believe the LSAT has much predictive value, because the GMAT is obviously an easier test.

[thesybarite]

Hey PDaddy, Elements of Style arrived today. Thanks...some light bed time reading

[trudat15]

I wonder how this will affect their 25th, median and 75th, given that there will be members of their incoming class with no LSAT information to report.

[bdubs]

The last sentence is not necessarily true. I think opening up the GMAT gives NU an edge in wooing candidates. NU had ostensibly accepted the "GMAT only" for admission to the JD/MBA program. Now they just accept it straight out for the JD. Admission is going to be more competitive. The NU adcom obviously doesn't believe the LSAT has much predictive value, because the GMAT is obviously an easier test.

As a JD/MBA applicant who has taken both, I can say the GMAT is not an "easier" test. There is a lot more subject matter to master on the GMAT than there is on the LSAT. Both require a substantial amount of preparation to do well on.

[Veyron]

Dumbest... shit... evar. NU, for the people who couldn't decide whether they wanted to be a sociologist or a lawyer!

[rayiner]

Dumbest... shit... evar. NU, for the people who couldn't decide whether they wanted to be a sociologist or a lawyer!

The GMAT, not the GRE.

[The Real Jack McCoy]

Hey PDaddy, Elements of Style arrived today. Thanks...some light bed time reading

Best style guide ever.

[2014]

I wonder how this will affect their 25th, median and 75th, given that there will be members of their incoming class with no LSAT information to report.

This assumes that they will actually accept GMAT only applicants. It could be to increase selectivity ratings. I would assume to get in with GMAT only your score would have to be 99th percentile given that it isn't a law school test.

[2011Cycle]

I wonder how this will affect their 25th, median and 75th, given that there will be members of their incoming class with no LSAT information to report.

This assumes that they will actually accept GMAT only applicants. It could be to increase selectivity ratings. I would assume to get in with GMAT only your score would have to be 99th percentile given that it isn't a law school test.

Agreed; with a most likely emphasis on the Verbal percentile. They already accept the GMAT without the LSAT for the JD/MBA candidates. The median is 710 (93 percentile) for JD/MBA matriculants.

[St.Remy]

The median is 710 (93 percentile) for JD/MBA matriculants.

That's a lot lower than I expected. That's basically equivalent (in terms of percentile) to a 166 on the LSAT. That's pretty damn low for a t14 school, even NU with its strange admissions policies.

[2014]

The median is 710 (93 percentile) for JD/MBA matriculants.

That's a lot lower than I expected. That's basically equivalent (in terms of percentile) to a 166 on the LSAT. That's pretty damn low for a t14 school, even NU with its strange admissions policies.

It does somewhat make sense I suppose. For all top MBA programs 2 years WE is pretty much bare minimum with 5 being closer to average. If one were to app to NU's JD only program with a 166 and 5 years WE then they would probably get in. I'm assuming that the WE is even more necessary for JD/MBA meaning they can allow a little more leeway with the GMAT knowing that their applicants are all going to have good experience to draw on.

[rayiner]

Business schools aren't nearly as GMAT-focused as law schools are LSAT-focused. The 710 median is the same as for the regular Kellogg MBA program: 710. That's about the same as Wharton and just a bit lower than HBS (720).

For the JD-MBA, Kellogg is obviously harder to get into than the law school, so their admissions standards pretty much determine the class.

I don't think the GMAT thing will be that big of a deal. The GMAT has math on it, and pre-laws are deathly afraid of math. Very few are going to take the GMAT as an alternative to the LSAT for LS admissions, except maybe for some engineering types who want to do patent law. NU already has a lot of those.

[clintonius]

The last sentence is not necessarily true. I think opening up the GMAT gives NU an edge in wooing candidates. NU had ostensibly accepted the "GMAT only" for admission to the JD/MBA program. Now they just accept it straight out for the JD. Admission is going to be more competitive. The NU adcom obviously doesn't believe the LSAT has much predictive value, because the GMAT is obviously an easier test.

As a JD/MBA applicant who has taken both, I can say the GMAT is not an "easier" test. There is a lot more subject matter to master on the GMAT than there is on the LSAT. Both require a substantial amount of preparation to do well on.

Hi, welcome to TLS. On the left you will see some of our most elaborate trolls. If you're lucky, PDaddy may make an appearance...

[St.Remy]

Business schools aren't nearly as GMAT-focused as law schools are LSAT-focused. The 710 median is the same as for the regular Kellogg MBA program: 710. That's about the same as Wharton and just a bit lower than HBS (720).

For the JD-MBA, Kellogg is obviously harder to get into than the law school, so their admissions standards pretty much determine the class.

I don't think the GMAT thing will be that big of a deal. The GMAT has math on it, and pre-laws are deathly afraid of math. Very few are going to take the GMAT as an alternative to the LSAT for LS admissions, except maybe for some engineering types who want to do patent law. NU already has a lot of those.

This all seems true, no sweeping changes will occur in the domain of law school admissions because of NU starting to accept the GMAT. I'm most interested in the little things that most sane human being would find inconsequential, like how USNWR would take into account GMAT students along with LSAT students (or if they would just ignore the whole kit-and-caboodle).

[094320]

..

[rayiner]

Business schools aren't nearly as GMAT-focused as law schools are LSAT-focused. The 710 median is the same as for the regular Kellogg MBA program: 710. That's about the same as Wharton and just a bit lower than HBS (720).

For the JD-MBA, Kellogg is obviously harder to get into than the law school, so their admissions standards pretty much determine the class.

I don't think the GMAT thing will be that big of a deal. The GMAT has math on it, and pre-laws are deathly afraid of math. Very few are going to take the GMAT as an alternative to the LSAT for LS admissions, except maybe for some engineering types who want to do patent law. NU already has a lot of those.

I don't understand the pre-law=afraid of math thing. I'm pre-law and I don't fear math as long as it doesn't get into 3-D calc.

My torts prof once posed a hypo: Al Qaeda needs $5000 to assassinate a guy. They have $4950. Someone donates $100. Should that guy's donation be considered a but-for cause of the assassination? Chick in my class answered: "if that $100 donation takes them over the $5000 mark, then yeah." My prof just kinda stared.

[094320]

..

[IAFG]

Oh God why don't they just merge us with the b-school and put us all out of our misery

[fatduck]

Question: I have a 750 GMAT score (42 verbal, 95 percentile; 49 quant, 87 percentile; overall 98 percentile). I'm currently waiting for my October LSAT score - I anticipate 170+ but of course you never know. At what point should I consider using my GMAT for Northwestern instead of my LSAT? <170?

edit: I guess I should mention I only have 3 years W/E, so I'm not fresh out of college but I'm also not a "business school" type candidate.