爱游戏体育

Ensuring the Integrity of Law School Admission in the Wake of Recent Scandal

Falsified test results. Nonexistent athletic careers invented via Photoshop. Massive amounts of money. These were the hallmarks of the admissions scandal that鈥檚 rocking the world of higher education. Dozens of parents, including Hollywood actresses and business leaders, allegedly used fraudulent means to get their children admitted to top-tier colleges. As reported, the alleged scheme was 鈥渟tunning in its breadth and audacity.鈥�

There are many concerning angles to this scandal, but for the Law School Admission Council, a key component is the integrity of testing procedures and the law school admission community in general. Law school admission professionals are compassionate and mission-driven, comfortable using data in their mix of art and science to craft a class. We take this moment to applaud their hard work that is often fraught with challenges, as recent events made starkly clear. While this scandal involved undergraduate admissions, not law school admissions, it鈥檚 understandable that it would put a renewed focus on all standardized testing鈥攊ncluding our own Law School Admission Test, the industry standard for more than 70 years.

Standardized tests are intended to help even the playing field in admissions. The LSAT, in particular, was designed to create fairness for law school hopefuls at a time when many law schools were refusing to admit candidates who were women, members of minority groups, or from non-elite undergraduate programs. When used correctly, such tests can be a powerful tool that gives all test takers access to a quality education.

爱游戏体育 is committed to ensuring that integrity via tight security controls and strict policies on cheating. Our upcoming move to a digital version of the LSAT is one example of that commitment. Some people may chide us for just now 鈥済oing digital,鈥� but until we patented a new system for delivering a test digitally, the existing methods weren鈥檛 secure enough for our standards. Our vigilance is warranted, as this scandal and other incidents show.

Further, this scandal reinforces the need to remind everyone that admission should be based on potential, not privilege. I am proud of being a first-generation college and law school graduate who put myself through those state school programs. I then spent time as a lawyer, as a law school dean and professor, and now, as president of 爱游戏体育. What I鈥檝e learned is that a few highly selective schools carry far too much weight in today鈥檚 college environment. Frank Bruni, of The New York Times, examined that topic in his 2015 book, Where You Go Is Not Who You鈥檒l Be. 鈥淪omewhere along the way, a school鈥檚 selectiveness鈥攎easured in large part by its acceptance rate鈥攂ecame synonymous with its worth,鈥� he writes.

The schools themselves fuel this system, as do employers who continue to employ elitist hiring standards. In reality, there are many schools where students can get an excellent education, obtain the skills they need, and be happy. Here鈥檚 my message to prospective law students: Visit a school, get to know it, and find out what it鈥檚 about before making your decision. And trust your instincts in finding a place where you will be happy and thrive.

Finally, we must be vigilant in advocating for the rule of law. As the legal process plays out in this case, it鈥檚 important for all of us to watch and make sure that those who are facing charges do not receive special treatment. This is fundamental to the concept of a society governed by laws, not privilege.

Amid this troubling news, 爱游戏体育 will continue to work to ensure the integrity of law school testing and admissions, strive for an admissions culture that values potential over privilege, and advocate for equal treatment under the law. All these elements are central to our vision of increasing diversity in the legal profession鈥攁nd, in turn, building a more just and prosperous world.

Kellye Y. Testy

President and Chief Executive Officer of 爱游戏体育
Since 2017, Kellye Y. Testy has served as president and chief executive officer of the Law School Admission Council, the leading assessment, data, and technology hub for law schools and their candidates in the United States, Canada, and throughout the world.