What Law Schools Accept JD Next

The law schools that accept JD-Next are ABA-approved programs authorized to admit or assess applicants using the JD-Next online course and its exam. As of the current cycle, 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023) participate. This guide explains what JD-Next is, which schools take it, and how to add it to your applications.

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.

What law schools accept JD-Next?

JD-Next is accepted by a set of ABA-approved law schools that have been approved to use its score in admissions, a group that includes both national and regional programs and grows most cycles. The authoritative, current roster lives on the JD-Next program site, because schools opt in and update terms between application years. Some accept JD-Next as a full alternative to the LSAT and others as a supplement. 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023).

What exactly is JD-Next, and why do schools accept it?

JD-Next is a multi-week online course that teaches reading and reasoning through contract law, paired with a standardized assessment at the end. It was developed with the AccessLex Institute and the University of Arizona to give schools another way to predict first-year performance. Schools accept it to broaden access and to reward applicants who demonstrate legal reasoning through coursework rather than a single exam. 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023).

How do JD-Next schools use the score in admissions?

A participating school reads your JD-Next result as evidence of readiness for first-year study, then combines it with your GPA, essays, and record. At schools that admit on JD-Next alone, a strong score can carry the application without an LSAT or GRE. At others, it strengthens a file that still expects a traditional test. The weight given varies by school. 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023).

What should you do next to apply through JD-Next?

1. Confirm enough of your target schools accept JD-Next for your cycle. see the linked source (see the linked source).
2. Enroll in a scheduled JD-Next session and finish the multi-week course.
3. Complete the JD-Next assessment.
4. Report your JD-Next results to each school per its instructions, and decide whether to also submit an LSAT or GRE score. your target schools' published 25th-50th-75th percentile figures.

Frequently asked questions

Which law schools accept the GRE?

A broad set of ABA-approved law schools accepts the GRE, and it is generally a larger group than the schools accepting JD-Next, though many appear on both lists. To cover your options, review ETS's GRE roster and the JD-Next school list separately, since a school's policy on one does not imply the other. about 128 U.S. law schools, including every T14 school.

Can you get into law school without the LSAT?

Yes. JD-Next can lead to admission without an LSAT score at schools that accept it as a full alternative, and the GRE offers an even wider no-LSAT path. Fully test-free JD admission is rare, so confirm that your target treats JD-Next as a standalone credential. 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023).

Is the GRE easier than the LSAT?

Neither is uniformly easier, and JD-Next is a different animal entirely. The GRE emphasizes math and vocabulary, the LSAT emphasizes logic and reading, and JD-Next grades a course plus an exam. If a single timed test is your weak point, the course-based JD-Next path may play to your strengths. 67 ABA-accredited law schools (up from 46 in 2023).

Sources

• ABA-Approved Law Schools
• ETS, Law Schools that Accept GRE Scores
• JD-Next Variance Schools
• LSAC LSAT Percentiles

Verified August 2026.