Most law schools accept the GRE.
Most admits still take the LSAT.
Most top law schools accept both the LSAT and GRE. This guide explains when the GRE makes sense, how schools compare the two scores, and what the choice means for T14 applicants.
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Many ABA-accredited law schools now accept both the LSAT and GRE. The question for most applicants is not which test is permitted but which test is better for your specific situation. The answer depends on what you have already taken, what programs you are targeting, and how you perform on each format.
Which schools accept the GRE
Most ABA-accredited law schools now accept the GRE. As of 2024, over 100 programs had opted in following the 2021 ABA rule change that allowed (but did not require) GRE acceptance. All of the T14 programs accept the GRE. Applicants should confirm the current policy at their specific target schools. Acceptance does not mean equivalence: some schools openly note that they have less data on predicting law school success from GRE scores than from LSAT scores. This is not a stated policy preference; it is a practical consequence of 80 years of LSAC data on LSAT-to-performance correlations versus approximately 5 to 8 years of GRE data at law schools.
The concordance question
LSAC publishes a concordance table that converts GRE scores to LSAT equivalents. A GRE 165Q + 165V total is not directly comparable to an LSAT 165; the concordance maps the scores based on the population of test-takers who took both tests. Law schools use this concordance to evaluate GRE applicants against their LSAT medians.
The practical implication: an applicant with a GRE score that maps to a 168 LSAT equivalent on the concordance is treated similarly to an applicant with an LSAT 168 for the purpose of reported medians. However, because GRE applicants are a smaller share of most law school classes, the data supporting that equivalence is thinner than the data supporting the LSAT equivalence.
When the GRE makes sense
Three situations favor the GRE over the LSAT for a law school applicant.
First: the applicant is also applying to graduate programs that require the GRE. A JD/MBA or JD/PhD applicant who must take the GRE anyway saves preparation time by using one test for both applications. Law schools have clear policies on GRE acceptance, and the cost of dual preparation for the LSAT is not zero.
Second: the applicant has already taken the GRE and scored at the high end of the range. An applicant with a GRE score mapping to an LSAT 170 equivalent who has a low prior LSAT score on record may benefit from presenting the GRE rather than a lower LSAT. Schools report LSAT scores but handle GRE applicants differently in the reported data pool, which can be advantageous depending on the school's reporting methodology.
Third: the applicant genuinely performs better on the GRE format. The GRE tests quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, and analytical writing. The LSAT tests argument analysis in a narrow format. Applicants with strong quantitative backgrounds may find the GRE's structure more suited to their abilities.
- You are applying to a joint degree program (JD/MBA, JD/PhD) where the GRE is already required. Dual test prep is a real cost.
- You have a high GRE score already on record and a lower LSAT. The concordance conversion may work in your favor.
- You perform significantly better on the GRE format than on the LSAT format after testing both with proper preparation.
Why most T14 applicants should default to the LSAT
T14 admission offices have extensive historical data correlating LSAT scores with law school grades and bar passage rates. This data underlies every admission decision. GRE data is newer and thinner. An admissions officer at Yale or Harvard who sees a GRE applicant applies a concordance conversion and then evaluates against the same criteria, but the implicit uncertainty in the conversion is a disadvantage the applicant does not have with an LSAT score.
Additionally, LSAT scholarships at most law schools are structured around LSAT ranges. A high LSAT creates direct, visible scholarship pull. A high GRE creates pull only through the concordance, which is less direct and harder for applicants to anticipate.
Canadian law schools
Most Canadian law schools accept LSAT scores and have not broadly adopted the GRE. The University of Toronto, Osgoode Hall, and most other Canadian schools use LSAT as the primary standardized test for JD applicants. US applicants applying to both US and Canadian schools should verify the current test policy for each Canadian school directly, as adoption of the GRE is less uniform across Canadian institutions than across US institutions.
Common questions
Can I apply to Harvard Law with only a GRE score?
Yes. Harvard Law School accepts the GRE. Applicants with only a GRE score are evaluated using a concordance to compare their score against the LSAT median of the admitted class. Harvard does not publicly state a preference for LSAT over GRE, but the LSAT has more historical data supporting its predictive validity for law school performance.
Is the LSAT harder than the GRE?
The tests are not directly comparable in difficulty because they test different skills. The LSAT tests argument analysis with a narrow, specific format. The GRE tests verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing across a broader range. Applicants who are strong at formal logic and argument analysis typically find the LSAT more tractable. Applicants with strong quantitative backgrounds often prefer the GRE.
Do law schools prefer LSAT over GRE?
Most law schools do not publicly state a preference. In practice, the LSAT is the more common choice and carries the weight of historical data. Some law school admissions officers have noted informally that GRE applicants represent a smaller share of the applicant pool, meaning less comparative data is available for evaluating them. This is not a stated preference; it is a structural reality of newer policy.
How do I convert my GRE score to an LSAT score?
LSAC publishes a concordance table at lsac.org that maps GRE Verbal and Quantitative scores to LSAT scaled score equivalents. The conversion is approximate, not exact, and should be used for orientation rather than as a precise equivalence claim.
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