AALS and LSAC have partnered to launch a new major research study on undergraduates, with findings expected by the end of 2027. From the announcement on AALS Lens:

[T]he Association of American Law Schools (AALS) and the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) have launched Before the JD II, a major research initiative designed to illuminate how undergraduates make decisions about law school, graduate education, and career pathways.

Before the JD II expands on the original 2018 AALS study, which offered the first national look in more than 50 years at what motivates students to pursue—or not pursue—legal education. The first Before the JD study gathered responses from more than 22,000 undergraduates and revealed several notable trends: students considering law school were most strongly motivated by public service, social impact, and passion for the work, while factors such as high earning potential or professional prestige ranked significantly lower. The study also found that more than half of law students first considered law school before college, and that students with parents who earned advanced degrees were disproportionately represented among those considering a JD.

Read the details and the full announcement here: AALS and LSAC Launch Before the JD II to Explore Undergraduate Pathways to Law, Graduate Education, and the Workforce, AALS Lens, May 12, 2026. Information can also be found on LSAC’s website. See also Elizabeth Bodamer, From Aspirations to Game Plan: LSAC and AALS Collaborate to Study What Undergrads Aspire to Do After Graduation—and What They’re Doing About It, LSAC.com, May 12, 2026.