LSAT vs GRE for Law School: Which Test Should You Take in 2026?
About 100 ABA-accredited law schools accept the GRE as an alternative to the LSAT. Despite that, ABA 509 data shows GRE submitters represent only 2 percent of admitted JD students. Here is the side-by-side data and the framework for choosing.
The Quick Answer
For most applicants, take the LSAT. It is accepted by every ABA-accredited law school. It is the test admissions formulas are calibrated for. It is the test that drives merit scholarship decisions. The GRE makes sense in three specific cases: you are applying to dual-degree programs alongside law, you are quant-strong and verbal-weak in ways that fit GRE better, or your target schools have explicit GRE acceptance and treat scores equivalently.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | LSAT | GRE |
|---|---|---|
| Total score range | 120 - 180 | 260 - 340 (130 - 170 per section x 2) |
| Number of sections | 4 scored (Logical Reasoning x2, Reading Comp, Variable) | 6 sections (2 verbal, 2 quant, 1 analytical writing, 1 experimental) |
| Test duration | Approx. 3 hours total | Approx. 1 hour 58 minutes |
| Cost | $222 base fee | $220 base fee |
| Test frequency | 8 to 9 dates per cycle | Year-round at testing centers; multiple times per month at home |
| Score reporting | All scores reported via LSAC | ScoreSelect lets you choose which scores to send |
| ABA school acceptance | All 196 ABA-accredited schools | About 100 ABA-accredited schools |
| Math required | No math; logic and reading only | Quantitative reasoning section required |
| Writing component | Unscored writing sample | Scored analytical writing on 0 to 6 scale |
| Logic games | Phased out as of August 2024 | None |
| Retake limits | 3 per year, 5 per 5 years, 7 lifetime | Once per 21 days, 5 times per 12 months |
| Score validity | 5 years for application reporting | 5 years from test date |
Which schools accept the GRE
As of the 2026 cycle, approximately 100 ABA-accredited schools accept the GRE in lieu of the LSAT. The full T14 has now adopted GRE acceptance, including Yale (2018), Harvard (2017), Columbia (2018), Stanford (2017), University of Chicago (2018), and Penn (2017). Most T15 to T50 schools followed by 2022. Many regional schools also accept it.
The trend is toward wider acceptance; the trend in admissions outcomes is more nuanced. Schools that accept the GRE have not necessarily adjusted their reported medians to reflect equivalent treatment, since the ABA 509 reporting still emphasizes LSAT for the main admissions metric. The result: GRE-only applicants are admitted, but they remain a distinct minority within admitted classes.
Always confirm GRE acceptance with each individual school's most recent admissions page. Policies have shifted multiple times in some schools' history.
When the GRE makes sense
- +You are simultaneously applying to non-law graduate programs (JD/MBA, JD/MPP, JD/PhD).
- +You have already invested significant preparation in the GRE for another purpose.
- +Your strengths are quantitative; the GRE rewards math performance the LSAT does not test.
- +You scored poorly on LSAT-style logical reasoning during diagnostic testing and stronger on GRE verbal.
- +Your target schools all explicitly accept the GRE and you have confirmed they treat it equivalently.
When to stick with the LSAT
- →You are applying primarily or exclusively to T14 schools where LSAT signals continue to dominate.
- →Scholarship optimization matters; many merit aid formulas key off LSAT scores specifically.
- →Your target schools accept the GRE technically but admit very few GRE-only applicants.
- →You score stronger on logical reasoning than on quantitative problems during practice.
- →You have not yet prepared for either test; the LSAT remains the path of least resistance.
Score conversion
No official conversion exists between the LSAT and GRE. Unofficial estimates from admissions consulting firms put a 162 LSAT (87th percentile) near a combined GRE 320 (160 verbal, 160 quantitative). A 168 LSAT lines up with roughly a 326 combined GRE. A 172 LSAT corresponds to about a 330 combined GRE.
Treat any conversion as a directional reference. Admissions committees evaluate scores against their own internal benchmarks. A school that accepts both tests is not running a single converted score; they are evaluating each test against its own admitted-student distribution.
Frequently asked questions
How many ABA law schools accept the GRE?
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Approximately 100 of the 196 ABA-accredited law schools accept the GRE as of the 2026 cycle, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, NYU, Penn, Northwestern, Georgetown, and most other T14 schools. The list expands each year. LSAC maintains a current directory; always confirm with each individual school's admissions website before submitting GRE-only applications.
Do GRE-submitting applicants get into law school at the same rate as LSAT applicants?
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Available evidence is mixed. ABA 509 data shows roughly 2 percent of admitted JD students submitted a GRE score, even at schools that accept it. Some schools have noted in admissions briefings that GRE applicants face slightly higher bars at the median. Other schools report fully equivalent treatment. The signal: if you have a strong LSAT score, submit it. If you have only the GRE, the path remains open at participating schools.
Is the GRE easier than the LSAT?
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Easier is the wrong framing; they test different skills. The GRE rewards math performance, vocabulary breadth, and broad analytical reasoning. The LSAT rewards reading speed, logical inference, and pattern recognition under time pressure. Verbal-strong test takers typically prefer the LSAT. Quant-strong test takers often score relatively higher on the GRE. Take 1 to 2 diagnostic exams of each before committing to a prep track.
Is there an official LSAT to GRE conversion?
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No official conversion exists. ETS (which administers the GRE) and LSAC do not publish a crosswalk. Several admissions consultants publish unofficial conversion estimates, generally pegging a 162 LSAT (87th percentile) at roughly a combined GRE 320 (160 verbal, 160 quant). Treat any conversion as approximate only; admissions committees evaluate scores in their native context.
Can I take both the LSAT and the GRE?
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Yes. Some applicants take both and submit only the stronger score. There is no admissions penalty for having taken both, though investing serious preparation in both is rarely worth the time. If you must choose one to test seriously, the LSAT remains the safer choice for most applicants given universal ABA acceptance.
Do scholarship awards differ for LSAT vs GRE submitters?
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Often yes. Many law schools auto-calculate merit scholarships from LSAT plus GPA. Schools that accept the GRE may have a parallel formula for GRE plus GPA, but the formulas are sometimes less generous, and the data is generally not transparent. If maximizing scholarship is a primary goal, prepare for the LSAT.
If a school accepts both the LSAT and the GRE, does it matter which I submit?
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Practically yes. Even at GRE-accepting schools, the median admitted student submitted an LSAT. If your LSAT is stronger relative to your target school's median than your GRE, submit the LSAT. If your GRE is materially stronger and your target schools all explicitly accept the GRE, submit the GRE. When in doubt and both are roughly equivalent, the LSAT is the conventional choice.
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Most applicants choose the LSAT
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