Trends in LSAT Taking and Scoring
For the past several years, the legal industry has faced long-term financial pressures, resulting in fewer jobs for inexperienced attorneys just entering the job market. Many law schools, including such top-tier schools as Yale Law School, have decided to admit smaller classes because of the smaller available applicant pool. It is not surprising that there has been a corresponding downward trend in the number of students sitting for the LSAT.
Yet these trends appear to be reversing. After a steep decline in LSAT administrations, applications, and acceptances between 2010 and 2015, LSAT administrations have increased sharply while applications and acceptances have leveled off.
Meanwhile, median LSAT scores have increased at 97 law schools between 2018 and 2019, which may explain why acceptances have remained steady while LSAT administrations have gone up. In addition, the median GPA increased at 146 law schools. In short, while applying to law school is always a great deal if law is what you want to do with your life, it is particularly competitive time to do so. At the same time, that shouldn't dissuade you from applying, given that these trends only look to become more competitive in the coming years.