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You do not need the LSAT for a growing share of ABA-approved law schools, which admit through the GRE, JD-Next, or in limited cases a waiver. As of the current cycle, about 196 ABA-approved law schools offer a no-LSAT route. The table below ranks the strongest options.
By Ali Unar, JD candidate at Georgetown Law and founder of Lovare Institut. Last updated August 2026. Figures on this page were verified in August 2026 or point readers to the current source.
A growing share of ABA-approved law schools admit students who never take the LSAT, most by accepting a GRE score and some through the JD-Next assessment, with a few granting waivers for specific applicants. These schools range from top-14 programs to regional ones, so a no-LSAT list is not limited to less selective schools. The most useful fact is that the GRE, not a test-free policy, drives most of these admissions. about 196 ABA-approved law schools.
Several highly ranked law schools accept the GRE in place of the LSAT, so a strong applicant can aim high without an LSAT score. The table ranks the leading no-LSAT options and shows what each accepts instead, plus the GPA that anchors admission.
The current ranking is best read directly from the source. See the U.S. News Best Law Schools list for the up-to-date order, and each school's ABA Standard 509 report for its median LSAT, GPA, and acceptance rate.
Every entry comes from each school's own admissions page and reported class data.
Schools that drop the LSAT requirement still want evidence you can handle first-year work, so they read a GRE percentile or a JD-Next score against their class standards, alongside GPA, essays, and experience. The ABA permits this because it allows a valid and reliable admissions test beyond the LSAT. What changes is the test you submit, not the rigor of the review. a test under ABA Standard 503, though a November 2024 variance now lets schools admit applicants without one.
Match each school's accepted test to your strongest score, then compare your percentile to its medians to sort reach, target, and likely schools. If your GRE is strong, prioritize GRE-accepting programs where you clear the median. Keep a realistic view of scholarships, which often still favor LSAT submitters. a test under ABA Standard 503, though a November 2024 variance now lets schools admit applicants without one.
GRE-accepting law schools include several of the highest-ranked programs in the country as well as many regional schools, so aiming high without the LSAT is realistic. ETS keeps the roster, which grows most cycles, so confirm the current list and each school's page before you apply. about 128 U.S. law schools, including every T14 school.
Yes, including at top-ranked schools, primarily by submitting a GRE score and at some schools a JD-Next result. A fully test-free path is rare, so plan to send at least a GRE score. Applicants at or above a school's medians are admitted at strong rates whether they use the GRE or the LSAT. a test under ABA Standard 503, though a November 2024 variance now lets schools admit applicants without one.
Not inherently, though it can be the better test for you. The GRE adds quantitative math and vocabulary while removing the LSAT's formal logic, so your background decides which is easier. Because top schools read percentiles, compare your GRE and LSAT percentiles rather than raw scores. the LSAC percentile tables (for example a 150 is about the 37th percentile, 160 the 71st, 165 the 85th, and 170 the 94th).
Verified August 2026.
August 21, 2026
August 21, 2026