For Law School Applicants, LSAT Scores Impact Financial Aid, Early Application Boosts Chances, Work Experience is Valuable

Kaplan Survey of Pre-Law Advisors Sheds Light on Competitive Law School Admissions Process

New York, NY, November 8, 2004 - For would-be law students facing steep tuition, financial assistance may be spelled L-S-A-T. In a survey of nearly 200 pre-law advisors, 78% said they believe LSAT scores impact financial aid packages.

"Though most people understand that LSAT scores are a critical component of the law school application, many do not realize that they also impact financial aid," said Justin Serrano, General Manager of Graduate Programs for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. "Interestingly, the correlation between scores and aid awarded is often not explicitly stated by law schools, however in the experience of the large majority of the pre-law advisors we surveyed, there is, in fact, a direct link. Strong scores can give candidates a real edge in the negotiation for financial assistance."

The connection between scores and aid is likely to be of particular interest to applicants considering that 97% of the pre-law advisors surveyed felt financial aid was either a "very important" or "somewhat important" factor for candidates evaluating schools.

With the October LSAT test takers getting their scores back and law school application season underway, Kaplan's survey results provide timely insight for the growing pool of aspiring law school students. Interest in the legal field has increased steadily year over year. In 2003 148,014 students took the LSAT - up from 134,251 in 2002, according to the Law School Admissions Counsel.

The survey, which was administered at a recent Pre-Law Advisors National Council (PLANC) conference in Boston, focused on admissions factors, the application process, candidates' qualifications, and school evaluation criteria. Pre-law advisors are a particularly useful resource for this type of information as they have direct contact with both the law schools as well as the pool of prospective students.

Other Key Findings and Related Recommendations
According to the survey, pre-law counselors have the following advice for applicants:

Making the school selection: Think academics first: Advisors also recommend when selecting a law school, that students focus on academics first and foremost. The majority of advisors surveyed - 81% - consider academics to be a candidate's most important consideration, followed by financial aid (61% say very, 36% say somewhat). 92% of respondents call reputation of a school either very or somewhat important, however only 9% felt students should put a significant emphasis on rankings, though 53% acknowledge rankings are nonetheless "somewhat important."
Work matters: 78% characterized work experience as very or somewhat important.
Don't underestimate the competition: 93% of the respondents call law school admissions "very competitive" and 50% of the advisors feel candidates today are more qualified today than their peers of 5-10 years ago.
The early bird gets the worm: 81% of pre-law advisors surveyed said applying early increases a prospective law student's chances of admission.
Test preparation and early planning are critical: In response to the question "what action yields the biggest advantage for law school applicants," LSAT test prep tops the list, followed by "starting the consideration process earlier" and "taking a more organized approach to the application process" tying for second place spot (26% each.)

About Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions:
Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, a division of Kaplan, Inc., is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry and has served well over 3 million students. With 3,000 classroom locations worldwide, a comprehensive menu of online offerings and a complete array of books and software, Kaplan offers preparation for 35 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as English language and professional licensing exams. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and college and graduate admissions consulting services. Its Web site, Kaptest.com, is the largest online destination for education and career services. Kaplan, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

Press Contact:

Victoria Grantham
212-453-7538
victoria_grantham@kaplan.com

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