Students who are entering law school will be pleased to learn that following a record-breaking year in 2021 year, the volume of law school applicants is now back to its normal. The 1Ls who are entering the program are more likely to not be faced with the pressure of over-enrolled classes, especially considering the fact that law schools took care to hold off on accepting letters to ensure an upcoming high-demand year.
2021 Looks Like a Spike, Not a Trend
We covered the massive freshman law school class that was enrolled this year. 2021 witnessed a 13 percent rise in applicants, and numerous law schools ended up having a class that was larger than expected. It was unclear if this could be a sign of a pattern or just a single-year phenomenon caused by the outbreak.
Based on Spivey Consulting, it appears the numbers from last year could reflect the particular circumstances in 2021, rather than any other more general trend. Recent research suggests that in 2022 law school admissions were lower than in 2020. In the year of 2018, 62,589 potential law students applied for accreditation to law schools. In 2020, the number was the number of 62,814.
Additionally, despite not being an election year any number reasons could have reduced the number of applicants. This includes:
- The amount of delayed applications in 2020 may be a deliberate attempt to increase the total number of applicants for 2021.
- Law schools have reduced classes in 2022 in order to fill the gap left by overenrolled classes in 2021, possibly causing certain law students to reconsider how to apply in the highly competitive world of.
- There could be a greater work market for recent college graduates that do not see that they need to further their studies to start an employment.
Yet to see an increase in LSAT Scores For Competitive Candidates
What’s not changed over the this year is that it’s greater LSAT scores. In fact, the Law School Admissions Council still gives law students the possibility of taking the LSAT online. It is possible that this lower stress environment is reason why recent years have seen higher scores. Last year, nearly 20% of students were able to score at least 165, as contrasted to just 15% in the year 2019. Thus, even though the number of applicants has decreased but they’re still in the challenge of a highly competitive first-year setting.
It’s not news for applicants who appear to be taking a more cautious approach than the previous year. As per Spivey Consulting, the average law school student applied to 6.78 schools in the average which is more than any other school in the four previous years. The majority of students who took tests were taking it in the second or following test, which may indicate the pressure placed on students to score higher marks.
The rumors of LSATs Death Could Be Overblown
It was reported that the American Bar Association recently told that law schools accredited by the ABA could take GRE scores instead of the LSAT. The news led many, including us at FindLaw to think that students may be more likely to opt for the GRE especially in the case of those who are considering what type of postgraduate education they would like to pursue.
This isn’t evident in the applicant pool for 2022 However. Just 5% applicants relied on only the GRE or another test other than the LSAT for their application. Although it’s not certain that the GRE affected the applicants, in any manner, many law student hopefuls seem to be deciding to be cautious and opt for the LSAT.
You’re planning to go to Law School in the Fall?
To those who are going to your first year of law school Good luck. Although it can be difficult, the most successful law students and lawyers could be in good shape for the future. While law firms and major companies compete to retain as well as attract talent from the legal field, the pay and bonus rates have increased to Big Law and in-house counsel.
In the meantime, you can check out our legal resources that are free to law students that can help get ready for the fall semester.