The Professional Exploration Program: An Alternative Law School Admission Process

Abstract

An article that explores the success of an alternative law school admissions process. Law school applicants that were denied admission based on their entering credentials (undergraduate GPA and LSAT score) had their LSAT writing samples evaluated and scored according to a ruberic developed by the law school. Those samples that received a threshold score were invited to participate in a week-long program to determine whether they would be granted admission to the law school based on their performance in the conditional admission program. Of the 55 programs that were held between 2003 and 2012, 78% of those granted admission and who matriculated, were successful (as of the date the article was written). This seems to indicate that the program is working and is worth continuing. The program is accurately predicting three out of four individuals who will be successful in law school, despite being initially denied admission.