New England Law Admissions Now Accepts GRE® Test Scores

BOSTON, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New England Law | Boston today announced that it will now accept the GRE® General Test for J.D. admissions requirements, in addition to the traditional Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).

This policy will broaden the applicant pool for those seeking legal education, including underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and first-generation students and marks one of the first initiatives of former Ambassador Scott Brown, who assumed his new role as New England Law's President, CEO, and Dean on January 4, 2021.

"I was drawn to New England Law because of its diverse culture and history, as well as the opportunities it offers people from all backgrounds and walks of life," said Dean Brown. "I know from my own story growing up under difficult circumstances including stints on welfare that law school can seem out of reach for many, and one of my key priorities is making our school a welcoming place for everyone, especially diverse and first-generation students. I look forward to working with our dedicated faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders to remove systemic biases, expand partnerships to offer new hands-on experience opportunities and uphold and advance the school's values in educational excellence."

Because the GRE is offered year-round in both written and electronic format remotely, the GRE test is more widely available to would-be law students. By contrast, the LSAT is only held a handful of times each year. The GRE test is also more affordable and allows test takers to utilize their scores for a period of five years thereby creating better opportunities for test takers. 

"ETS is proud that the GRE test is helping to open the doors to New England Law for even more bright and aspiring law students than ever before," said Alberto Acereda, Executive Director of Global Higher Education at ETS. "The versatility of the GRE test from its affordability to its ongoing availability to its strong security and score integrity ensure that New England Law is welcoming cohorts of students who have different backgrounds and the educational ability to make their dreams of pursuing a legal degree come true."

Despite the unprecedented challenges of the last year, New England Law has seen notable growth in programs and student success, including:

• Applications for fall 2020 increasing 7.6% while remaining flat nationwide;
• Record-breaking enrollment, which Law360 reported as the third-largest gain in J.D. program students in the country;
• Continuously-increasing median LSAT score;
• 80% of first-time test takers passing the bar last fall despite the challenges created by the pandemic.

"The progress of the last year has been truly remarkable, and we're poised for continued growth in the months ahead," said John Chalmers, Dean of Admissions. "With the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and social unrest, there is a heightened interest in studying law. By accepting GRE® scores on our application, we hope to encourage even more students to pursue their passion."

New England Law was also named a top law school with the greatest resources for women by The Princeton Review for the third year in a row. With a legacy of opening up doors to the legal profession, New England Law maintains a strong commitment to recruit students from all backgrounds and provide opportunities for non-traditional students.

About New England Law | Boston

New England Law | Boston was founded in 1908 as Portia Law School, the first and only law school established exclusively for the education of women. Today, New England Law offers its co-ed student body full-time, part-time, evening, and flexible programs tailored to the needs of today's students, combining rigorous academics, dynamic community, in-demand concentrations, and early access to practical experience as well as a diverse, global alumni network spanning 29 countries, 50 states, and 55 practice areas. For more information, visit www.nesl.edu.

SOURCE New England Law | Boston

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