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Extended Study of the Relationship of Selected Transcript Information to Law School Performance LSAC GPA LSAT

Author(s):
Powers, Donald E.; Reilly, Richard R.
Publication Year:
1974
Report Number:
RB-74-13
Source:
ETS Research Bulletin
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
30
Subject/Key Words:
Law School Admission Council (LSAC), Academic Achievement, College Students, Correlation, Grade Point Average (GPA), Law School Admission Test (LSAT), Law Schools, Prediction Studies, Predictor Variables, Student Records

Abstract

Detailed analyses of undergraduate transcripts were made and the contributions of a number of variables to prediction of first year law performance were examined. Nine schools were included in the study with random samples of 100 applicants to each school used to make range restriction corrections. Stepwise regression was used to select "best" subsets of predictors within each school. The major findings which emerged were: 1. No common subset of variables consistently outperformed the combination of LSAT and UGPA. 2. A crude measure of college quality (LCM) was selected consistently as the best variable to use in combination with UGPA and LSAT when data without range restriction corrections were used. When corrections were made for range restriction, however, LCM appeared much less useful and no single predictor consistently emerged as best for use in combination with UGPA and LSAT. 3. First year performance in college was consistently more highly related to first year performance in law school than was second or third year performance in college. This variable did not appear to be more valid than overall GPA, however. (30pp.)

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