As ABA gathers more information on JD-Next, law schools still have to obtain variances to use test

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As ABA gathers extra info on JD-Subsequent,…

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As ABA gathers extra info on JD-Subsequent, regulation colleges nonetheless must acquire variances to make use of take a look at

By Debra Cassens Weiss

February 26, 2024, 11:43 am CST

Regulation colleges that need to use the JD-Subsequent examination in admissions must proceed to hunt a variance, the council of the ABA Part of Authorized Training and Admissions to the Bar decided at its Feb. 22 assembly.

The council needs to assemble extra knowledge earlier than deciding whether or not the take a look at, a prelaw college examination administered by Aspen Publishing, is legitimate and dependable, as required by ABA accreditation requirements.

Reuters and Regulation.com have protection.

The council vote follows a guide’s report that mentioned JD-Subsequent ought to solely be used “as a evenly weighted addition” to acceptance choices. Extra conventional measures of a pupil’s doubtless regulation college success, equivalent to undergraduate grades or extra established assessments, ought to carry the burden of acceptance choices, the report mentioned.

“The JD-Subsequent examination is a dependable and legitimate predictor of early regulation college grades however with a number of cautions and caveats that can not be evaluated with the current knowledge and will symbolize threats to its validity if used operationally for high-stakes choices,” mentioned the report by the ABA-commissioned guide, Nathan Kuncel, an industrial organizational psychology professor on the College of Minnesota.

Fifty-one regulation colleges have already acquired variances to make use of the take a look at, in accordance with Daniel Thies, vice-chair of the council, who spoke with Regulation.com.

The Regulation College Admission Council, which administers the Regulation College Admission Check, advised Regulation.com in an announcement that it helps “the council’s choice that the JD-Subsequent examination shouldn’t be thought-about a legitimate and dependable take a look at with out much more proof and backbone of the problems surrounding lodging for folks with disabilities.”

David Klieger, this system director for Aspen Publishing, mentioned in an announcement the council’s choice to not grant full approval is disappointing.

“We’re extremely happy with the JD-Subsequent program and its outcomes thus far,” Klieger mentioned in an announcement printed by Regulation.com. “We take satisfaction in the truth that [many] establishments have already adopted this system, demonstrating their dedication to innovation and fairness within the admissions course of.”