Political climate motivates prelaw students to apply, new Kaplan survey shows
More than half of students who were preparing to go to law school said politics impacted their decision to apply, according to a survey from test prep company Kaplan released Thursday.
In a February survey of 306 students who took an LSAT-prep course with Kaplan or self-identified as prelaw majors, 53% of respondents said the current political climate impacted their decision to apply. Additionally, 42% of respondents specifically cited the results of the 2024 presidential election as motivation, while 31% of respondents said they would consider running for office at some point.
The survey results come as the Law School Admission Council’s latest tally for the 2025 admissions cycle shows that applications to ABA-accredited law schools are up 22.9% compared to last year, while the number of applicants has increased 19.5% to 71,065.
“We know there’s a surge in law school applications—and our survey helps explain why,” said Amit Schlesinger, the executive director at Kaplan, in a press release. “Many aspiring lawyers aren’t just thinking about practicing law—they’re thinking about shaping policy, driving systemic change and even running for office.”
The pattern echos those after the 2016 election, when a “Trump bump” inspired applicants from both sides of the political spectrum to head to law school, Schlesinger added.
“While concerns about a possible recession may also be influencing decisions, politics stands out,” Schlesinger said in the press release.
In addition, 52% of respondents said it’s important to attend a law school where their fellow students share their political and/or social beliefs, and 38% of respondents were concerned about how their political views will be received by other students and/or faculty and administrators. As leaders in higher education often struggle to address major public policy changes, 64% of respondents said law schools should issue official statements addressing important current events.
Write a letter to the editor, share a story tip or update, or report an error.
