Law school applications are on track to increase this year, according to early predictive data from the Law School Admissions Council.
The data shows that applications are up by 35.5 percent over this time last year. That gap is likely to narrow by the end of the cycle, since this year’s applicants got a head start: In 2023, law schools delayed opening their applications in order to review admissions practices in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action.
But there is reason to expect a significant boost in applications anyway. The number of students who have taken the LSAT is up by nearly 4,000 from this time last fall, bringing the total to 14,233—higher than it’s been at this point in any of the past five admissions cycles.
Interest in law school exploded in 2021, as the COVID-19 pandemic and disruptions to the workforce drove students to consider alternative postgraduate pathways. Application rates have slowed significantly since then, decreasing every year. If the early signs are accurate, this could be the first cycle since to indicate a similar level of interest.
