Law schools that accept JD-Next: variances, requirements and score expectations
JD-Next’s pages don’t list a degree or test prerequisite, and it markets the course to undergraduates and paralegals as well as applicants. What matters is whether your law schools accept it. A school can admit applicants on JD-Next alone only if the ABA has granted it a variance, and JD-Next says over 60 schools could accept it for 2025-26.
From JD-Next’s and Aspen Publishing’s pages and the ABA’s public variance notices. Checked October 12, 2026.
What a variance means
Under ABA Standard 503, law schools must use a valid admissions test. A variance is the ABA’s permission for a school to use the JD-Next exam to admit applicants who haven’t submitted an LSAT or GRE score. Aspen Publishing notes that no variance is needed to send a JD-Next score alongside an LSAT or GRE score, and that non-ABA-accredited schools don’t need one.
Recent ABA decisions
| Month | School | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | University of Baltimore School of Law | Variance granted |
| February 2026 | Gonzaga University School of Law | Variance granted |
| May 2026 | University of Oregon School of Law | Variance granted |
From the ABA’s public notices of variances. Earlier schools are on JD-Next’s list.
How to check a school
- Start with JD-Next’s variance-school list, then confirm on the school’s own admissions page.
- Check how the school uses it. Some accept JD-Next instead of the LSAT; others treat it as an extra.
- Check the timing. Each school sets the latest JD-Next session it will consider for a given entering class.
- Note the five-year rule some schools use; for example, Arizona Law accepts JD-Next scores earned within five years of entry.
What law schools that accept JD-Next expect
| School | What it says or reports |
|---|---|
| University of Arizona | Fall 2025 JD-Next enrollees: 770 to 840, median 790 |
| University of Dayton | Fall 2025 JD-Next enrollees: 770 to 800, median 790 |
| Gonzaga | 80th percentile or above most competitive for JD-Next-only applicants |
| Seattle University | Expects roughly the percentile of its LSAT median, about the 70th |
| Denver; Loyola New Orleans | No minimum score |
As reported by a prep provider from schools’ pages and JD-Next’s 2025 ABA 509 data. Schools publish JD-Next ranges only when 10 or more students enroll with it.
Nationally, the same source reports that half of enrolling JD-Next students scored between 750 and 820. JD-Next’s school FAQ also notes that schools without a variance may use ABA Interpretation 503-3 to admit applicants with only a JD-Next score.
Common questions
Do I need a degree to take JD-Next?
JD-Next’s pages don’t list one, and it promotes the course to undergraduates and paralegals. The course is non-credit; law school itself will need a bachelor’s degree. Check JD-Next’s FAQs if you’re unsure.
Can a school without a variance accept JD-Next?
JD-Next’s school FAQ says schools without a variance may still use ABA Interpretation 503-3 to admit applicants with only a JD-Next score; check the school’s own policy.
How many law schools accept JD-Next?
More than 60 for 2025-26, per JD-Next. The ABA has granted more since, and a prep provider counted 68 in August 2026.
Do top law schools accept JD-Next?
Usually not on its own. Most of the most selective schools aren’t on the variance list, so take the LSAT if they’re on yours.
We first checked these sources on October 12, 2026 and rechecked them on October 19, 2026. MockTestPrep is independent and is not affiliated with JD-Next, Aspen Publishing or the ABA.