Reducing barriers to graduate and professional education may reduce racial inequities in high-status professions. In 2020, one-quarter of law schools accepted the GRE in place of the LSAT, reflecting an effort across educational domains to revisit standardized test requirements. We use a generalized difference-in-differences design to investigate…

This study applies the conceptual framework of Positive Deviance, the theoretical framework of critical race theory, and the lens of marronage to understand the problem of low Black student enrollment at one American Bar Association accredited law school. The purpose of this study was to understand what current Black law students perceive to be…

Students and the public routinely consult various published college rankings to assess the quality of colleges and universities and easily compare different schools. However, many institutions have responded to the rankings in ways that benefit neither the schools nor their students. In "Engines of Anxiety," sociologists Wendy Espeland…

The literature on student academic success of law students is limited to mostly single institution studies, and as such, a nationwide, multi-institutional empirical study of the factors that predict student academic success is greatly needed by higher education scholars, law school admission officers, faculty, and administrators. This dissertation…

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) Skills Analysis Survey identifies the skills that are important for success in law school. This information provides validity evidence for the current Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and guides the development of new test items and test specifications. The key question of the survey is "what academic…

Advocates for a more inclusive legal profession are worried about the recent decline in enrollment of Black students in law school. According to the American Bar Association (ABA), Blacks were 7.4 percent of all law students in 1994. By 2005, that percentage had fallen to just 6.6. Several law journal articles have suggested that the schools…

Preparation for and admission to law school is challenging for many students. For a number of years law schools have used criteria for admission that included school rankings and testing. Schools have been ranked by "The U. S. News and World Report" magazine and potential students have been tested with the Law School Admission Test…

In order to participate in federal student financial aid programs, law schools must be accredited by an agency recognized by the Department of Education (Education). Accreditation is intended to ensure that schools provide basic levels of quality in their educational programs, and Education recognizes those accrediting agencies that it concludes…

This book aims to give students a thorough overview of the contemporary law school experience. It provides a comprehensive chronological account of what to expect, drawn from the experiences of recent law school graduates, designated the "'Law School Confidential' mentors." The chapters are: (1) "Thinking about Law School? Think…

The nonprofit corporation that performs standardized testing for law school admission has in recent years produced $100 million in profits. For minority groups who tend to score poorly on the test, the question is why the corporation refuses to dedicate some of its wealth to commissioning an independent study of whether test results correlate with…

The results of a recent investigation of the relationship of Law School Admission Test score and undergraduate grade point average with first-year average in law school for 4,655 minority students who began law school in 1983 and 1984 are described. (MLW)

The context in which higher education admissions tests are used, both intended, validated uses and misuses, are examined. Possible legal problems of misuse are discussed in light of a recent court decision, Sharif v. New York State Education Department. Focus is on three tests: the Scholastic Assessment Test, Graduate Record Examinations, and the…

A study evaluated the accuracy of Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores in predicting student law school performance. Male and female scores and White, Black, or Hispanic scores were compared. Data were drawn from 1987 and 1988 graduating classes of five geographically diverse law schools. No significant differences between groups were found.…

This report provides information about test takers with disabilities who participated in a variety of accommodated administrations of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Results indicate the number of LSATs administered with accommodations increased 100% from 1990 to 1993. During that 4-year period, more than 2,700 LSATs were administered under…

This is a guide for minority group members who are considering entering law school and offers suggestions for success in the application process, in law school itself, and in choosing a career path. The first chapters guide the reader in self-assessment. Chapter 1 poses challenging questions about reasons for considering law school and chances for…