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A number of ABA-approved law schools do not require the LSAT, admitting instead on the GRE or, at some schools, JD-Next, with a few offering GPA-based waivers. As of the current cycle, about 196 ABA-approved law schools qualify. The at-a-glance table below shows what each accepts in the LSAT's place.
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 number of ABA-approved law schools do not require the LSAT, admitting instead on a GRE score or, at some schools, JD-Next, with a few offering GPA-based waivers. They include both nationally ranked and regional programs. Because nearly all of these still expect some standardized measure, no-LSAT usually means a different test rather than no test. a test under ABA Standard 503, though a November 2024 variance now lets schools admit applicants without one.
The table gives a quick reference: each school, what it accepts in the LSAT's place, and any notable condition. Use it to shortlist, then confirm details on the school's own page.
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.
Most ask for a GRE score, read by Verbal and Quant percentiles, and weigh it with your GPA, essays, and record just as they would an LSAT score. Some accept a JD-Next result, and a few grant a waiver to applicants above a high GPA, occasionally requiring an SAT, ACT, or GRE score as backup. The evidence changes, but the bar for readiness does not. see the linked source (see the linked source).
A no-LSAT application fits applicants with a strong GRE score, a quantitative background, or an existing graduate test on file, as well as students eligible for a specific school's waiver. If you would score well on the LSAT, that route still reaches more schools and more scholarship money. Decide based on where you can actually be admitted. your target schools' published 25th-50th-75th percentile figures.
Many ABA-approved law schools accept the GRE, from top programs to regional schools, but the safest approach is to confirm each one individually, since policies change between cycles. Start with the roster ETS publishes, then verify on the school's own admissions page. about 128 U.S. law schools, including every T14 school.
Yes. The common routes are a GRE score and, at some schools, JD-Next, with narrow waivers for particular applicants. Since a fully test-free path is rare and each school sets its own terms, confirm a specific school's policy before you count on skipping the LSAT there. a test under ABA Standard 503, though a November 2024 variance now lets schools admit applicants without one.
Difficulty depends on you, not the test alone. The GRE brings quantitative math and vocabulary, while the LSAT centers on logic and reading. Because schools compare applicants by percentile, take a timed practice section of each and see where your percentile is higher before deciding. 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