If a new proposal from the American Bar Association is passed, the LSAT could be waived for 10 percent of law school students beginning in August, according to The Central Florida Future.
The proposal comes from the governing council of the American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.
Should the proposal pass, students would be able to gain admittance to ABA-approved law schools without having to take the LSAT. Despite this, students at UCF might not apply to this new rule.
“Based on the various news and media outlet [coverage] on the new ABA proposal, UCF students wouldn’t be eligible for this because it requires you to apply to your undergraduate institution that has a law school, and/or seek a J.D. degree in combination with a degree in a different discipline,” said Rupert Neish, legal studies academic services coordinator at UCF.
Neish said that students at the school will need to score in the 85th percentile for the GMAT, GRE, or other standardized tests in order to be admitted to graduate school. They must also rank in the 10th percentile of their undergraduate class or have a GPA of 3.5 or higher through six semesters.
“Most law schools use the LSAT because it is already validated and accepted for law school admission,” said Roger Handberg, political science professor and pre-law adviser. The interpretation Handberg talks about is 503-1.
According to the ABA, 503-1 states the following: “A law school that uses an admission test other than the Law School Admission Test sponsored by the Law School Admission Council shall establish that such other test is a valid and reliable test to assist the school in assessing an applicant’s capability to satisfactorily complete the school’s educational program.”
The ABA is also thinking about allowing law students to receive compensation for externships they perform in which they receive college credit.