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A set of ABA-approved law schools accepts JD-Next, an online course and assessment, as an admissions credential, sometimes without any LSAT or GRE. As of the current cycle, 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023) participate. The table below lists them and shows whether each still asks for the LSAT or GRE.
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.
JD-Next is accepted by a group of ABA-approved law schools that have been approved to admit or evaluate applicants on the strength of the program's course-and-assessment score. The roster mixes national and regional schools and has expanded each cycle. Some participating schools will admit on JD-Next alone, while others treat it as a supplement to a traditional test. 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023).
The table lists participating schools alongside whether each still requires the LSAT or GRE, so you can see which offer a genuine no-LSAT path. Each entry is sourced from the JD-Next program and the school's admissions page, both of which update between cycles.
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.
The schools shown here are those that publicly state they accept JD-Next, drawn from the program's own roster and confirmed on each school's admissions page. Because participation runs through ABA approvals that schools renew and expand, the list can grow within a single admissions year. Always treat a JD-Next roster as a snapshot and reconfirm before you build your application list. 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023).
JD-Next fits applicants who prefer a graded course over a single high-stakes exam and who are targeting schools that accept it. Confirm that enough of your target schools participate to justify the time, since a course spanning several weeks is a real commitment. If most of your list still wants the LSAT or GRE, that test may be the more efficient path. 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023).
GRE acceptance and JD-Next acceptance are separate but overlapping policies, and many schools accept one, the other, or both. A wide band of ABA-approved schools takes the GRE, while a narrower set takes JD-Next. Check ETS's roster for the GRE and the JD-Next site for course-based admission. about 128 U.S. law schools, including every T14 school.
Yes. Some JD-Next schools will admit you on the program's score without an LSAT result, and the GRE opens many more schools. Whether a specific school waives the LSAT depends on its approved policy, so confirm that it admits on JD-Next alone rather than as a supplement. 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023).
They test different skills, so difficulty is personal. JD-Next differs from both because it grades a multi-week course plus an exam rather than one timed test, which some applicants find less stressful. If you dislike high-stakes single sittings, a course-based route may suit you better. 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023).
Verified August 2026.
August 21, 2026
August 21, 2026