Kaplan Survey: Pre-Law Students Want Clarity from Law Schools on Using GenAI in Admissions Essays…Clarity That's Currently Lacking
Leading global education company Kaplan finds that 83 percent of pre-law students believe that law schools should have "official policies clearly stating how applicants may or may not use Generative AI programs such as ChatGPT to help them write their admissions essays."* This comes on the heels of a recent Kaplan survey of admissions officers finding that more than half of law schools have no official policy regulating how applicants can use GenAI to write their essays, which is a critical piece of the application. Among the survey's other findings:
- Majority Oppose GenAI: Only 27 percent of pre-law students surveyed believe that law schools should allow applicants to use GenAI to help them write their admissions essays; 55 percent say GenAI should not be allowed; the remaining 18 percent are unsure. According to Kaplan's 2024 law school admissions officers survey, only one percent of law schools currently allow it.
- Transparency: Nearly nine in 10 (89 percent) of pre-law students say that schools should disclose if they are using AI tools in evaluating applications; three percent don't think they need to disclose it; and eight percent are unsure.
- At Ease: 75 percent of respondents say they would feel more comfortable applying to a law school that does not use AI in its admissions process; eight percent said they wouldn't; and 18 percent are unsure.
- Bias: 80 percent of pre-law students are concerned that AI used in admissions could unintentionally perpetuate biases; nine percent are not concerned; and the remaining 12 percent are unsure.
Amit Schlesinger, executive director of legal and government programs, Kaplan, said:
"Most law schools don't yet have clear policies on using Generative AI for admissions essays, but our survey finds that future applicants overwhelmingly want that to change. In our opinion, it's becoming too significant an issue for law schools to simply leave it to prospective students' own devices. Our advice to applicants is that if a school doesn't have spelled-out rules, the safest approach is to ask an admissions official directly. When in doubt, reach out. Law schools value integrity, and demonstrating that you sought guidance shows sound judgment. It's better to get a clear answer now than face consequences later. You don't want your application tossed on a technicality. You've worked too hard for that."
*Based on the results of a Kaplan survey of 306 of its LSAT® students and prospective students in February 2025. Numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number.
LSAT® is a registered trademark of Law School Admission Council, Inc. which does not review or endorse specific test preparation materials or services.
About Kaplan
Kaplan, Inc. is a global educational services company that helps individuals and institutions advance their goals in an ever-changing world. Our broad portfolio of solutions help students and professionals further their education and careers, universities and educational institutions attract and support students, and businesses maximize employee recruitment, retainment, and development. Stanley Kaplan founded our company in 1938 with a mission to expand educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Today, our thousands of employees working in 27 countries/regions continue Stanley's mission as they serve about 1.2 million students and professionals, 15,000 corporate clients, and 3,300 schools, school districts, colleges, and universities worldwide. Kaplan is a subsidiary of the Graham Holdings Company (NYSE:GHC). Learn more at kaplan.com.
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