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Another Law Schools Accepts GRE

The University of Pennsylvania Law School will now accept the GRE and GMAT scores in lieu of the LSAT for law school admission, the Philly Voice reports.
Starting fall 2018, all applicants will have the option to take the LSAT, GRE, or GMAT as part of a pilot program being launched by the law school.
“Penn Law is the leader in cross-disciplinary curriculum and degree offerings, and this pilot program aims to build on those strengths,” Ted Ruger, dean of Penn Law, says in a statement. “This new initiative allows applicants who plan to take the GMAT or GRE, particularly those interested in our joint degree programs such as our many partnerships with Wharton.”
A Fight to End the LSAT
Most recently, the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar ruled that law schools would no longer be required to use the LSAT in order to be accredited by the ABA, Inside Higher Ed reports.
A number of schools argued that opening test options would also open opportunities for students of diverse background to attend law school.
While the LSAT and GMAT have similarities, they differ in ways they’re administered. For one, the LSAT is taken with pen and paper, while the GMAT is taken electronically, according to Philly Voice. Additionally, applicants of different backgrounds may feel more competent taking one test another.
In response to the new ruling, LSAT president and CEO Kellye Testy says that LSAC is pleased by the proposed revisions.
“We expect that our member schools will continue to use the LSAT for substantially all of their admissions to provide transparency and fairness by evaluating all applicants using common and consistent standards. As a result, while these changes shift the responsibility for fair admission practices from the ABA to law schools, we do not anticipate significant changes for the vast majority of law schools or their applicants.”
UPenn Law joins 19 other law schools across the country that have announced they will be accepting applicants’ GRE scores in lieu of the LSAT.
Sources: Philly Voice, Penn Law, Inside Higher Ed, Princeton Review

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