Standardized tests and undergraduate grades have long been decisive factors in law school admissions, because they simplify comparisons between applicants and are statistically proven predictors of performance in the crucial first year of law school.
However, standardized testing for law admissions has shifted in recent years. The LSAT, the law school admission test developed and administered by the Law School Admission Council, is evolving rapidly and facing new competition.
First, law schools started accepting the GRE, the graduate admissions exam managed by Educational Testing Service. Then, the LSAT was shortened in length and went digital. Since summer 2023, applicants have had the option of online or in-person administration.
[Read: Remote vs. In-Person LSAT: How to Choose]
Starting in August 2024, the LSAT will be conducted without the “logic games” of the analytical reasoning section, along with changes to the unscored writing section.
A rising alternative to the LSAT called JD-Next, developed by the University of Arizona Rogers College of Law with support from AccessLex and ETS, may represent a new turning point in standardized testing for law school applicants.
What Is JD-Next?
Now owned by Aspen Publishing, JD-Next involves a lengthier and more elaborate process than a typical standardized test.
First, participants complete an eight-week course on contracts, taught like a first-year law school class, complete with homework, exercises and peer engagement.
Then, participants take a four-hour exam composed of 80 multiple-choice questions, 60 of which are scored, along with a single unscored essay that law schools receive along with the test results.
The test is offered four times annually. It costs $299, compared to $238 for the LSAT, and need-based scholarships are available.
Which Law Schools Accept JD-Next?
Since the public launch of JD-Next in 2023, nearly 60 law schools have been granted permission by the American Bar Association to accept JD-Next results as an alternative to the LSAT.
Other law schools may still accept JD-Next scores as a complement to the LSAT, so applicants struggling with the LSAT might consider taking JD-Next to demonstrate their capabilities.
Since acceptance of JD-Next is changing rapidly, applicants should confirm with the school’s admissions office if unsure whether the test is accepted.
[How to Decide Where to Apply for Law School]
Why Is JD-Next Gaining Ground?
There are a few major reasons for JD-Next’s rising popularity among law schools, according to David Klieger, manager of testing and psychometrics for JD-Next at Aspen Publishing.
Like with the LSAT and GRE, there is statistical evidence correlating JD-Next scores with grades in the first year of law school. However, JD-Next participants have also shown an average grade point increase of 0.2 in law school, since the format and material of JD-Next emulate a law school class.
“It’s an opportunity to preview what law school is going to be like,” Dr. Klieger explains, “teaching participants how to think and write like a law student.”
JD-Next’s direct relationship to the content of law school has interested both applicants and law school admissions officers. In contrast, the LSAT tests law-related cognitive skills like analyzing arguments and close reading of text.
JD-Next also does not require the many months of disciplined practice that test-takers typically devote to preparing for the LSAT. While JD-Next takes eight weeks, participants are not expected to prepare beforehand.
Finally, JD-Next has not shown the disparities in performance among racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups that persist across other standardized tests. The reasons for this are uncertain — perhaps the material is more engaging or motivating for participants or less dependent on prior learning opportunities.
If follow-up studies confirm that JD-Next puts members of underrepresented minorities on equal footing, this would greatly excite admissions offices seeking to promote diversity in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to bar race-conscious admissions.
[READ: 7 Deciding Factors in Law School Admissions]
Reasons for Caution
It is still uncertain how widely adopted JD-Next will be, particularly among the most selective law schools.
As JD-Next grows in popularity, the level playing field it promises for all applicants may begin to tilt, eroding its promise of equity. A JD-Next prep industry of tutors, courses and apps may form around JD-Next, just as it has for other tests, favoring applicants with more time and resources to devote to studying.
On the other hand, if the preparatory work it takes to excel at JD-Next is more helpful for law school than the skills required to master the LSAT, this may be a beneficial development.
Ultimately, a viable alternative to the LSAT will be a relief to many law school applicants. Exposing more applicants to the actual content of a law school course on contracts will mean that more law students know what they’re getting into, reducing disappointment and dropout.
Applicants may also be able to choose which test better reflects their strengths, just as the availability of the GRE provides a great option for applicants with strong math skills.
For law school applicants, the more options the better.
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JD-Next: What Law Applicants Should Know originally appeared on usnews.com
Clarification 07/24/24: This story has been updated to clarify the degree of organizations’ involvement in developing JD-Next.
