Applying for an ABA Variance

Provide more opportunities for students by incorporating the JD-Next score report into admissions decisions, allowing for a broader evaluation of law school applicants' potential success.

JDN Applying For Variance Rev

Applying for a Variance

Applying for a variance is a simple and straightforward process for your institution. Join the growing list of forward-thinking law schools that are enhancing their admissions process with JD-Next.

Understanding ABA Variances

A variance is permission that the American Bar Association (ABA) gives to an ABA-accredited law school to use the JD-Next admissions test to make admissions decisions for applicants in place of an LSAT score to the law school.

The ABA Council on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar commissioned a report that determined that the JD-Next exam is a valid and reliable admissions test as required by Standard 503. The ABA Council is now gathering comments on that report. This is the process they followed for evaluating the GRE.

Schools need to request a simple variance to use the JD-Next entrance examination in lieu of the LSAT for use in admissions decisions.

While the report conducted by their expert concluded that JD-Next is a valid and reliable predictor of law school success, that report also suggests additional research, including data collection, should continue. We agree and look forward to collecting even more robust validity and reliability research findings as thousands of new students go through our program this year.

When a Variance is Not Required

A variance from the ABA is not needed in the following circumstances:

  • For an applicant to submit a JD-Next final test score in addition to an LSAT score

  • When a law school relies on ABA Interpretation 503-3 to admit applicants

  • When the JD-Next test is being used for a purpose other than making an admissions decision

  • For a law school to use the JD-Next course and/or JD-Next final test to prepare applicants for law school or to determine admitted students' readiness for law school

  • Law schools that are not accredited by the ABA are not required by the ABA to have a variance

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