Long-term predictive and construct validity of two traditional predictors of law school performance.

Abstract

The relative contribution of two traditional, widely used preadmission measures, undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), to predicting academic performance in each of the three years of law school was investigated in a heterogeneous sample of 23 law schools. The contribution of each measure was uneven across years, with the LSAT making its greatest contribution in early years and UGPA in later years. Differences between law school years with respect to the nature of instructional techniques and curricular emphases were considered in order to gain a better understanding of the construct validity of each measure as a predictor of performance in law school. The results were consistent with the test sponsor's interpretation of the LSAT as a measure of the ability to confront new situations and new problems such as those encountered in the first year of law school. They were also consistent with an interpretation of UGPA as a measure not only of academic competence but also of other qualities (such as persistence and motivation) that are needed over the long haul for the study of law. The author wishes to acknowledge the Law School Admission Council for its support of the project on which this paper is based. Thanks go to Franklin R. Evans for helpful suggestions in conducting the research; to Thomas F. Donlon, Kenneth M. Wilson, and three anonymous reviewers for thoughtful reviews of this paper; to Miriam Godshalk for helpful editorial suggestions; and to the admissions staff of the participating schools for providing the data. Special thanks go to Frieda Hardy and Marie Ormond for managing the data collection activities; to Christopher Constantini, Katherine Kornhauser, and Norma Norris for processing and analyzing the data; to Henry Braun for statistical consultation; and to Lorraine Simon for her careful attention to numerous administrative tasks and to the final preparation of this manuscript.