LSAT not needed here... Forum

[introversional]

IU's "Direct Admit Program"....

"This program is a special opportunity for undergraduate students enrolled at Indiana University—Bloomington with exemplary academic records and who have identified Indiana Law as their first choice for obtaining a legal education.

In order to facilitate a more streamlined application process and forge an early connection with future students who maintain such close physical proximity, the Law School will waive the LSAT requirement for students maintaining an undergraduate GPA of 3.8 or better. Applicants will be required to complete our application form and submit a personal statement, letters of recommendation, SAT/ACT score report and undergraduate transcript, as well as an additional essay outlining your interest in this program and the Direct Admit Agreement Form. The applicant will also be asked to interview with the Law School’s Admissions Office. The application fee will be waived for students applying through this program.

We hope that this effort will strengthen our connection with the undergraduate campus and help create a transition year when students can be involved with both communities. Transition year activities will include a luncheon series with law school faculty and administrators, opportunities to develop relationships with current law students and inclusion on internal law school communications in order to facilitate frequent attendance at student organization events."

Something seems very wrong about this....

[tttlllsss]

Lots of schools have this - nothing new or unusual

FYI, it's hard to get admitted this way

[CanadianWolf]

A few other law schools have similiar programs, including Michigan.

P.S. But this is not reason enough to pursue a second undergraduate degree.

[DubPoker]

I thought this was not possible? Like LSAC or the ABA was voting this year to make the LSAT no longer required? As in it was and is required?

[jtemp320]

Georgetown has one too

[whathojeeves]

I thought this was not possible? Like LSAC or the ABA was voting this year to make the LSAT no longer required? As in it was and is required?

Nope, this system definitely has been in place for awhile (at Umich it's called Wolverine Scholars). Also, Northwestern accepts the GMAT in lieu of the LSAT already.

[introversional]

If I'm reading in between the lines correctly, schmoozing your UG school might go a long way towards circumventing normal LS admissions procedures/criteria.

[bhan87]

Why would you want to go to IU if you maintain a 3.8+?? Seems like an awful waste not to at least try taking the LSAT once...

[introversional]

Why would you want to go to IU if you maintain a 3.8+?? Seems like an awful waste not to at least try taking the LSAT once...

I know, you're right, I'm thinking about this from more of a principle point of view. I thought the LSAT was part of every accredited law school's admissions process for a reason. Guess not.

[bhan87]

Why would you want to go to IU if you maintain a 3.8+?? Seems like an awful waste not to at least try taking the LSAT once...

I know, you're right, I'm thinking about this from more of a principle point of view. I thought the LSAT was part of every accredited law school's admissions process for a reason. Guess not.

Ah gotcha. It seems the ABA has big problems with schools that let a large number of students in without an LSAT score, but is okay with allowing a few in through a special early decision program.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/09/30/lsat

Law schools that don't use the LSAT are shunned by the ABA. The refusal of the Massachusetts School of Law to require the LSAT was among several disputes that led to years of fighting with the ABA over its refusal to accredit the non-traditional law school. (Having lost in court, at this point the law school says it no longer wants ABA recognition and can operate without it.) The Massachusetts School of Law requires all applicants to have interviews and to take an essay test it has developed, and argues that its method helps to identify talented students who might not have earned great LSAT scores.

Lawrence R. Velvel, the dean of the school, said that the LSAT "is all about elitism -- it's about saying your law school is better than another law school because you have better LSAT scores." While Velvel said his law school does not track students' race and ethnicity, he said that well more than one fourth of students are from minority groups and that many students come from relatively modest economic backgrounds. The "interests of the public at large," he said, demand that law schools not rely on tests on which wealthy students have advantages.

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/09/25/ski ... aw-school/

Michigan's program is only for Michigan undergrads though.