Doing good motivates aspiring lawyers, new LSAC study finds
Aspiring law students are increasingly motivated by the opportunity to make their mark on the world, but more anticipate financial hurdles to do so, according to a study released Tuesday by the Law School Admission Council.
The LSAC’s Post-LSAT Questionnaire, based on data collected from more than 15,000 test-takers between August 2024 and April 2025, shows that the top two reasons for going to law school are altruistic. Nearly half, or 49%, stated that their motivation was to “help others,” up by about 20% compared to 2023-2024 test-takers, while 37% cited advocating for social justice, up by more than 30% compared to 2023-2024 test-takers, according to the report. Financial security came in third, with 34% saying it was the driving force, the study shows.
The report comes out just as the latest LSAC tally shows applicant numbers increasing by more than 29% over last year.
Getting into law schools can be tricky. While 44% of test-takers leaned on peers or friends for advice, 39% asked an attorney they knew, and 32% talked with family members. But 20% of respondents said they did not have anyone to ask for support, and that number increased to 27% for first-generation college graduates, according to the report.
The study includes the impact of new federal loan caps, such as the suspension on Grad PLUS loans and new limits on unsubsidized loans. It found that the No. 1 barrier that could stop students from attending law school is cost, with 55% of 2024-2025 test-takers citing that potential issue, up by about 45%, or 17 percentage points, compared to 2023-2024 test-takers, which was 38%.
In addition, 18% of 2024-2025 test-takers said nothing would stop them from attending their preferred law school, down from 30% for 2023-2024 test-takers—a decrease of 40%, or 12 percentage points.
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