Over 50 U.S. law schools accept the GRE scores in place of the LSAT. In 2016 when the University of Arizona’s College of Law broadcasted that it would stop needing students to submit LSAT scores and permit them to submit GRE scores instead, 67 other U.S. law schools have also started following the same. While both exams are used for admission to graduate programs, LSAT is used entirely for law school programs. The GRE is applicable to many other programs, such as science, engineering, business management etc.
And one of the main reasons that the GRE is becoming a popular choice for law schools is the unbelievable amount of adaptability and accessibility that it offers. To score a good percentile in your GRE, you can use our GRE Yocket Prep facility and analyse your strength and weakness with priority diagnostic tests and many more features. However, to decide which test will be more suitable, GRE vs LSAT? We have curated a guide below with all the required information about these 2 tests to make a well-versed decision for the same.
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Table of Contents |
What is LSAT & GRE Exams?
Both the LSAT or GRE are demanding, highly advanced exams, and both can benefit your admission to a strong law school or business school application. Let’s have a quick overview of the 2 tests:
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LSAT (Law School Admission Test) |
GRE (Graduate Record Examination) |
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Law School Admission Test or LSAT is a law entrance exam required for admission to all American Bar Association approved Law Schools in the USA and some non-ABA approved Law schools worldwide.
The LSAT exam is first administered by a non-profit organisation named Law School Admission Council, LSAC. The LSAT scores are mostly used for admission to the US, Canada and Australian Law Schools. |
The Graduate Record Examinations or GRE is a graduate-level general test accepted by most universities for admission to graduate courses. The examination is structured in a way that can effectively assess the students' quantitative and verbal skills.
This entrance test was first developed and administered by Educational Testing Agency (ETS), a US private non-profit organisation. The exam has two modes: paper-based and online mode. |
Suggested: What is GRE Exam Eligibility?
Top Universities for GRE General Test VS Subject Test
When you sign up for the GRE, you will have the choice to take the general exam or a subject test. You may select one or both. The exam you choose will fix what you study, how universities will grip the information, how much you need to pay and when you can take the exam. Below are the universities mentioned for GRE general test vs subject test for students.
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Universities for GRE General Test |
Universities for GRE Subject Test |
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Deusto Business School |
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ESIC Business and Marketing School |
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UBC Sauder School of Business |
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Now that you know about the top universities for GRE general test vs GRE subject test, let's have a quick look over at the difference between GRE and LSAT:
LSAT or GRE: Should I take the LSAT or GRE?
GRE is a graduate-level standardised test, whereas LSAT is a law school admission test. Most colleges accept your GRE score to ensure you are eligible for graduate coursework. On the other hand, LSAT is a global exam that is used for admissions to Law Schools worldwide.
The following GRE and LSAT difference chart will give you a quick look at some crucial aspects of both exams, highlighting the key differences between GRE and LSAT.
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Particulars |
GRE |
LSAT |
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Total Students Appeared in 2021 |
Around 2 lakhs |
Around 1 Lakhs |
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Frequency |
5 times |
4 times |
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Scoring Range |
260-340 |
120-180 |
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Computer-adaptive |
Yes |
Yes |
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Total Time |
3 hours & 45 minutes |
Around 3 hours |
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Total no. of questions |
● MCQs: 80; ● Unscored research section: 20 |
MCQs: 101 |
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Exam Fee |
213 USD |
180 USD |
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Validity |
GRE scores valid up to 5 years |
5 years |
Suggested: How to Calculate GRE Score?
What is the Difference Between LSAT vs GRE?
Although LSAT or GRE are two different types of exams, they vary in certain aspects. It is tough to find out is GRE harder than LSAT for admission. Here we have given a list of various aspects for comparing the two exams:
- Eligibility Criteria
- Exam Pattern
- Exam Fees
- Scoring Range
- GRE vs LSAT Difficulty Level
- Number of Attempts
- Acceptance
Let us now elaborate each of them in details:
Eligibility Criteria
For applying for the LSAT exam, you must have completed your 10+2 education with a minimum of 45% marks in a relevant stream. And if you are going to take admission to a graduate program, you must have a bachelor degree with at least 45% marks.
Whereas for GRE, you don't need to meet some specific eligibility criteria. Students who have completed their bachelor degree and want to seek admission to graduate programs can apply for the exam.
Suggested: Test Day Tips for GRE
If you are seeking an answer, is LSAT harder than GRE you might get by going through the exam pattern of the tests.
Exam Pattern
If you are looking for an answer which is easier LSAT or GRE? you get the answer by just looking at their exam pattern. Here we have discussed the exam pattern of GRE vs LSAT.
LSAT exam paper contains four sections i.e., analytical reasoning, reading comprehension, and logical reasoning. Logical reasoning has two different sections which are logical 1 and logical 2 with each of them having equal time allotted to solve. The exam pattern of the exam is given below:
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Sections |
Total Questions |
Time allotted for each section |
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Analytical Reasoning |
23 |
35 minutes |
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Logical Reasoning 1 |
22 |
35 minutes |
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Logical Reasoning 2 |
23 |
35 minutes |
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Reading Comprehension |
24 |
35 minutes |
On the other hand, the GRE paper is divided into three sections which are Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning. The total time duration for the exam is about 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Although the exam is conducted in two modes i.e., computer-based and paper-based, their exam pattern is as follows:
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Sections |
Computer-Based |
Paper-Based |
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Analytical Writing |
1 section: two questions (60 minutes) |
2 section: two tasks (60 minutes) |
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Verbal Reasoning |
2 section: 40 questions (60 minutes) |
2 section: 50 questions (70 minutes) |
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Quantitative Reasoning |
2 section: 40 questions (70 minutes) |
2 section: 50 questions (80 minutes) |
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Unscored |
Varies |
NA |
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Reasoning |
Varies |
NA |
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Exam Fees
The application fees for the GRE General test is 228 USD ~ 18,880.63 INR and the cost to apply for GRE Subject test is 150 USD ~ 12,300 INR for Indian applicants. On the other hand, the basic application costs for the LSAT exam are 180 USD, which is roughly around 13,960 INR for an Indian applicant.
Aside from that, if you want to reschedule or change the centre, you are required to pay an extra fee for the exam.
Scoring Range
The LSAT exam paper contains four sections that can be taken together to give you a score that lies in the range 120 to 180. If you have scored below 150 in the exam, you are likely to reappear in the exam whereas a score of about 150 to 160 is called an average. A score of more than 170 is exceptionally good and can fetch you a good law school.
Looking at the scoring range of the GRE test, the GRE verbal reasoning and quantitative section lies between 130 to 170 with 1-point increments. And analytical writing is an essay-based exam which ranges from 0 to 6 with half-point increments. A GRE score of 163 to 170 in verbal and quantitative sections along with 5.0 or above in GRE writing is considered as the best GRE score for admission.
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GRE vs LSAT Difficulty Level
Based on GRE vs LSAT difficulty level, the LSAT is considered as harder compared to GRE. The GRE exam paper mostly asked questions that you can memorise whereas the LSAT does not. The LSAT paper focuses on testing your logical reasoning, analytical reasoning and comprehension section whereas the GRE tests your mathematical, verbal and writing abilities.
The mathematics section of the GRE seems like a difficult one if you don't brush up on your maths skills. However, the GRE lacks the logic game section which is often considered the harder part of the LSAT.
Number of Attempts
In the GRE exam, you will get an option to appear in the GRE General test once every 21 days, which is up to five times within a continuous rolling of 12 months duration. This criterion is also applicable if you have cancelled your previously attempted GRE scores.
Whereas in LSAT, there is a limit on the number of attempts in the exam. You can apply for the LSAT test only four times a year.
Acceptance
Nowadays, around half a million students appear in GRE to get admission to their desired graduate programs. The GRE scores are accepted by a number of institutions worldwide for admission to graduate courses. Over 1,200 Business Schools also accept GRE scores for their masters courses like MBA.
LSAT on the other hand is mostly for students who want to take admission to law schools in countries like the US, Canada or Australia. Generally, a score above 170 is considered better for taking admission to top law colleges abroad.
Now that we know about the difference between LSAT and GRE in every aspect. Let's take a quick look at which one is the right pick for you:
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Which to Consider Between GRE vs LSAT?
While in some cases, some of the law schools are now considering GRE scores instead of the LSAT, however, it is still far from the majority of them. Here are some of the reasons that will give you the answer to is the LSAT is harder than GRE along with some tips that help you consider the best one.
- If you have already appeared in LSAT and want to submit the GRE scores too, the law schools will still see your LSAT scores over the GRE score. You can also reappear in the LSAT exam to get good marks rather than to get a great score in the GRE test.
- If your desired school requires the LSAT over the GRE score then it is good to take the LSAT exam. While other law schools are accepting the GRE, you should always prepare your application depending on your needs on your first choice. However, there aren't any law schools across the world that don't accept LSAT scores.
- Also, if you're looking to study graduate programs other than law courses, then submitting the GRE scores is preferred more than your LSAT. The GRE test focuses mainly on students' verbal, and analytical skills which is suitable for graduate coursework.
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Also Read About GRE |
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Overall, LSAT vs GRE is a personal choice that depends upon your career goals and preferences. If you are sure enough to pursue a law course, then LSAT is a good choice, whereas for other courses GRE is a good option. Currently, many law schools accept GRE instead of LSAT; you can easily practise for GRE through our GRE Yocket Prep and achieve your target GRE score.
