Law School Applications Decline, Ending Pandemic-Era Surge

Return to Normalcy as Law School Applicant Numbers Drop

The frenzy of law school applications during the pandemic has officially come to an end. For the second consecutive year, the number of people applying to law school has decreased, indicating that the 13% surge in applicants in 2021 was a one-time effect of COVID-19.

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According to the latest Law School Admission Council data, law school applicants were down by 2.4% compared to the previous year as of Thursday. By this time last year, the council had already received 96% of the total applicants. Consequently, the national applicant pool for this cycle is expected to be slightly smaller than the previous year, which was already 12% smaller than in 2021. Susan Krinsky, the council's executive vice president for operations, described this as a "return to normalcy," consistent with the patterns observed in the past five years, with an average of 57,000 to 64,000 applicants annually.

Krinsky mentioned the possibility of a minor increase in applicants later this month when scores from the June 9 administration of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) are released. There are 3,400 more registered test-takers compared to the previous year. While most of them have likely already applied for the fall and are aiming for higher scores to improve their financial aid offers or are early applicants for the next cycle, a few may be late applicants for the fall term.

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The unprecedented surge in law school applications in 2021 was attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic's disruption of the entry-level job market for college graduates, national protests over racial inequality sparked by the murder of George Floyd, and the presidency of Donald Trump. However, applicant numbers declined significantly in 2022, returning law schools to more typical levels.

Krinsky highlighted that the law school applicant pool is becoming increasingly diverse, with applicants of color now representing 46.5% compared to slightly over 45% the previous year.

According to law school admission consultant Mike Spivey, the number of applicants with LSAT scores between 170 and 180, the highest possible range, has slightly increased compared to last year. This suggests that competition to enter the most prestigious law schools remains fierce. Spivey noted that while it is a "buyer's market" for schools considering applicants with scores of 170 and above, the competition has been more forgiving for applicants below that range.

In summary, law school applications are experiencing a decline, signaling the end of the pandemic-era surge. The applicant pool returns to pre-pandemic norms while remaining competitive for top-tier schools. The landscape continues to evolve with increasing diversity among applicants.