LSAT Sees Increase In Test-Takers

The LSAT saw an increase in test-takers for the fourth straight year.
Law.com reports that 138,957 people sat for the exam between June 2018 and March 2019. While this year’s 7.3% increase is lower than last year’s 18% surge, it is the first time since 2010 that more than 130,000 people took the standardized test.
MORE TEST TAKERS, MORE APPLICANTS 
With more people taking the LSAT, law schools are also seeing slight increases in applications. According to Law.com, applicants to ABA-accredited law schools this fall increased 3.7%.
Yet, there are certain caveats to take note of.
While there were more people sat for the exam this year, a larger percentage were repeat test-takers. Only 57% of this year’s numbers were first-time test-takers, compared to 61% last year, according to LSAC.
WHY THE INCREASE?
There are a number of factors that come into play behind why there’s an increase this year.
For one, experts say there are more opportunities to sit for the LSAT than previous years.
LSAC rolled out new plans in the past cycle to administer the exam six times a year, rather than the traditional four. There is also no more rule that limits test-takers from sitting more than three times over a two-year period.
“It’s not possible to know whether the increase in repeaters is due to more tests, or our lifting the limit on the number of times you can take it,” Susan Krinsky, vice president and chief of staff and director of enrollment management at LSAC, tells Law.com.
FUTURE INNOVATIONS?
In recent years, LSAC has announced a number of changes to the exam in hopes of attracting more test-takers.
One of the biggest changes coming is the transition from a paper administered test to a digital exam.
Beginning in July, the LSAT will be delivered on tablets.
Check out our latest report on the digital LSAT and what it entails here.
Sources: Law.com, LSAC