What’s the Difference Between LSAC’s CAS and LSDAS?

We get this question quite a bit this time of year. Is there a difference between the Law School Admission Council’s CAS (Credential Assembly Service) and LSDAS (Law School Data Assembly Service)?

The answer is yes. And no.

LSDAS vs CAS

The branch of LSAC that compiles all the elements in a law school application and sends it to each law school used to be known as LSDAS, an acronym for Law School Data Assembly Service. LSDAS was the “applicant information clearinghouse” for law school applicants. It was where transcripts and letters of recommendation were sent for processing. And it was also the service that put together each applicant’s Law School Report. Your Law School Report has copies of transcripts, valid LSAT scores, and LSAT writing samples).

Back in 2010, in an effort to confuse law school applicants everywhere, LSAC changed the name of LSDAS to Credential Assembly Service (CAS for short). The name change did not affect the purpose or activities of this LSAC branch at all. All it did was change the name and acronym.

So yes: CAS and LSDAS are different things, albeit in name only. However, no: They are not different in purpose. One is just an updated moniker of the other.