According to the ABA Law Journal, the University of Alabama School of Law has followed the University of Michigan School of Law and the University of Illinois College of law in a pilot program to admit honor students without the need of the student taking the LSAT. Three ABA approved law schools a trend makes, I suppose. But, I think it a good idea. Too many good law schools are losing their best prospects due to a test that does not accurately determine one's ability in law school, while GPA always determines how a person performs as against his or her peers. Law schools ignore their best students in search of rankings.
“The decade-old Law-UA Honors partnership, which is a select but
important part of our recruitment effort, is experimenting this year
with ways to keep top local students on campus for their legal
education,” UA Law spokesman Aaron Latham said.
Tuscaloosa News obtained a letter that Claude Reeves, associate dean for admissions at the law school, sent to Honors College students in the fall. The letter stated that for Honors College students with a minimum 3.75 GPA, applications would not require LSAT scores, essays or recommendation letters, and that their admission decisions would be made within 24 hours.
Michigan Law announced a similar program in September that goes so far as to not consider applicants who had taken the LSAT. The Tuscaloosa News also noted that the University of Illinois College of Law announced a similar program in October.
Here's a link to an article contending that LSAT was all about keeping women and minorities OUT of law schools during the early days of the civil rights & women's movements. Food for thought.
http://academic.udayton.edu/thewhitestlawschools/2005twls/Chapter2/legaled11c.htm
Posted by: Vickie Pynchon | April 08, 2009 at 07:18 PM
I think it is a mistake to reject prospects that have already taken the LSAT on that fact alone. It seems unfair to those who are unaware of the program.
Posted by: PerGynt | April 08, 2009 at 09:23 PM
Thank God! The door is finally opened to prospects like myself who always dreamed of a legal education, and, unfortunately has had difficulty with the standized LSAT test. Thank God!
My daughter's prayer has been answered; she too has interest in law, she told not long ago. But, she is scared of the exam. She and I will be soon communicating with one another as lawyers. Thank God!
Posted by: Jean W. Thelemaque, Sr. | May 26, 2012 at 10:22 AM