Back in 2016, the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law made headlines when it announced that applicants no longer had to submit LSAT scores—they could now submit GRE scores instead. Since then, 67 other U.S. law schools have followed suit.
While most J.D. programs in the country still require the LSAT, many have started accepting the GRE. Some of the nation’s top law schools now let applicants choose between the two exams, including:
- Boston University School of Law
- Columbia Law School
- Cornell Law School
- Duke University School of Law
- Georgetown University Law Center
- Harvard Law School
- New York University School of Law
- Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
- Notre Dame Law School
- University of California—Los Angeles School of Law
- University of Chicago Law School
- University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
- University of Southern California Gould School of Law
- University of Virginia School of Law
- University of Texas—Austin School of Law
- Yale Law School
Emily Gold Waldman, associate dean at Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains, N.Y., explains that her school began accepting the GRE to give applicants more flexibility and attract a wider pool of candidates—including those who might be put off by the LSAT requirement.
Waldman notes that one key group they hope to reach with this policy is graduate students and recent grad degree holders. These applicants often already have a valid GRE score, so skipping the LSAT saves them time, money, and effort.
“By accepting their GRE scores, we’re saving them money—they don’t have to pay for another test,” she says. “We’re also saving them time since they won’t need to prep for or take the LSAT.”
Pace University’s decision was influenced by a study comparing how well LSAT and GRE scores predict first-year law school grades. The research, published by ETS (the nonprofit behind the GRE), found both tests reliably gauge a student’s ability to handle tough J.D. coursework.
David Payne, ETS’s VP of global education, stated in a press release: “We’ve confirmed that the GRE is a valid, reliable tool for law school admissions decisions.”
This stance differs from that of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), which administers the LSAT. On its website, LSAC states: “The LSAT is the only test accepted by all ABA-accredited law schools, and it helps candidates decide if law school is right for them. While some schools accept other tests, we recommend the LSAT for maximizing admission chances and preparation.”
Here are nine key differences between the LSAT and GRE, according to admissions experts:
- Acceptance: The LSAT is accepted everywhere; the GRE is only accepted at about a third of law schools. Jeff Thomas of Kaplan notes that unless applicants are only targeting GRE-accepting schools, they’ll likely need the LSAT.
- Score Submission: LSAT scores and writing samples are sent automatically via LSAC. GRE scores must be submitted separately.
- Test Format: The GRE is computer-adaptive—early performance affects later question difficulty. The LSAT’s questions are fixed from the start. Will Haynes, a former Princeton Review tutor manager, explains: “Doing well early on the GRE means harder questions later, which can mess with your mindset.”
- Content: The GRE has math and advanced vocabulary sections; the LSAT doesn’t. Haynes says GRE quantitative reasoning—especially “Quantity Comparison” questions—trips up many students. The LSAT, meanwhile, includes logic games (though these may be phased out due to a 2019 settlement over accessibility concerns).
- Availability: The GRE is offered year-round; the LSAT has set testing dates (though offerings have increased).
- Retake Limits: GRE takers can test once every 21 days (up to five times yearly). LSAT takers get three attempts per year, with a lifetime max of seven.
- Score Reporting: GRE takers can cherry-pick their best scores to send. LSAC reports all scores unless you cancel your first exam.
- Purpose: The GRE is a general grad-school exam; the LSAT is tailored for law school. Haynes calls the LSAT unique, especially its Logical Reasoning and (soon-to-change) Analytical Reasoning sections.
- Score Comparisons: There’s no official GRE-to-LSAT conversion chart. ETS offers a tool, but experts like Thomas say comparing percentiles is more useful.
How to Choose: Nikki Geula of Arete Educational Consulting advises taking practice tests for both to see which feels better. Jeff Thomas adds that if you have a strong GRE score and only plan to apply to GRE-friendly schools, skip the LSAT—a poor score could hurt you. John Ross of Test Prep Insight agrees: “Law schools don’t prefer one test over the other. If you’ve aced the GRE, focus on applications instead of stressing over the LSAT.”
Pandemic Changes: Both the LSAT and GRE now offer at-home testing. Bara Sapir of City Test Prep notes that ETS plans to keep this option post-pandemic.