Kaplan Survey: Politics Keeps Law School Admissions Competition Running Hot
Key Highlights
- ➤Law school applicants rose 8% in 2025-2026, following an 18% surge previously
- ➤91% of admissions officers expect 2026-2027 competition to match or exceed 2025-2026
- ➤82,484 applicants marked the largest U.S. law school pool since 2010
- ➤54% of admissions officers called politics a main or major surge driver
- ➤Kaplan subsidiary Graham Holdings (GHC) owns the education company behind the survey
Expert Statements
Glen Stohr, Lead LSAT instructional designer at Kaplan
“Over the past year, Kaplan has continued to see elevated numbers of students preparing for the LSAT, signaling sustained interest in legal education. While LSAT scores are valid for five testing years, meaning not every student preparing today will apply this cycle, all signs point to a highly competitive environment. And given the intensity of today’s political climate, we expect it to remain a significant driver of interest in law school. While passions may be high, the primary motivation for pursuing a J.D. should be a genuine desire to practice law. The decision shouldn’t simply be about responding to the politics of the next few years, but preparing for a career that may span the next four decades.”
Kaplan Survey: Politics Keeps Law School Admissions Competition Running Hot
The law school applicant boom , which continued in 2025-2026 with an 8 percent increase in applicants on top of an 18 percent surge the year before, shows little sign of easing, according to a new survey by global education company Kaplan.* A combined 91 percent of law school admissions officers said the 2026-2027 application cycle would be at least as competitive as the 2025-2026 cycle. Of that 91 percent, 9 percent said it would be “much more competitive”, 29 percent said it would be “somewhat more competitive”, and 53 percent said the level of competitiveness would remain “about the same.” Only 6 percent predicted a less competitive cycle; and 3 percent weren’t sure.
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