Using Kuncel’s Report to Navigate the Use of the JD-Next Program in Legal Admissions
Recent coverage in the ABA Journal, Law.com, and a Reuters article mention Nathan Kuncel's report on the JD-Next Program, commissioned by the American Bar Association (ABA). The report found the JD-Next exam to be a reliable and valid predictor. However, caution is advised as certain factors, unaccounted for in the current data, need to be considered for use in high-stakes decisions. At this point, the ABA is not granting full approval for putting the JD-Next on par with the LSAT and GRE for the law school admissions program.
While ongoing debates persist between LSAT supporters and JD-Next supporters regarding the reproduction of racial score disparities between the two tests, students still have the opportunity to leverage the benefits of the JD-Next program. Implementation, however, requires ABA approval and a more nuanced approach.
Nathan Kuncel, PhD, Marvin D. Dunnette Distinguished Chair in I-O Psychology and director of Kuncel Research Lab in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota.
Composed by Madison Stromberg, communications assistant.
