This study - based on a survey of 86 law school administrators and faculty from 46 US law schools - gives highly detailed information about how they view their law schools, and private education company efforts to prepare law students for bar examinations. Survey respondents grade their school’s efforts, evaluating the degree to which their curriculum serves bar exam efforts, and the degree to which they think it should do so. In addition, survey respondents give their opinion of the many private organizations outside law schools that help to prepare students for bar examinations. They also comment on their school’s efforts to help poorer and more disadvantaged students. Respondents give their opinion about how to improve bar exam preparation and point to their role models among law schools for their bar exam preparation efforts. In addition, faculty and administrators discuss recent development in testing and testing preparation, including but not limited to the use of computer assessment and artificial intelligence in bar exam preparation and the use of distance learning. The study also reports on the impact of COVID on law school bar examination testing and preparation.
Responses in the report are broken out by many variables including law school ranking, enrollment size, public/private status and tuition level of the participant's law schools, and primary law school role, age and gender of the participants themselves.
Just a few of this 77-page report’s many findings are that:
- 12.5% of respondents from public law schools gave their institutions a grade of ‘D” for bar exam preparation efforts.
- 50% of respondents said that their law schools benchmarked their bar exam preparation efforts with those of other law schools.
- A majority (53.85%) of administrators said tougher grading practices would improve accountability and educational results, while the other staff and faculty chose this response less frequently.
Table of Contents
1. THE QUESTIONNAIRE
2. INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATIONS OF THE SURVEY PARTICIPANTS
- Characteristics of the Sample
- Time Frame of the Surveying
3. SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGS
- Performance in assisting low-income students
- Extent that Curriculum is Geared to the Bar Exam
- Should the Curriculum be Geared More to the Bar Exam?
- Student performance on bar exam
- Changing Law School Preparation for the Bar Exam
- Assessment of Importance of Bar Preparation Courses Outside of Law School Prep
- Use of Self-Paced Independent Study
- Use of Artificial Intelligence in Bar Exam Preparation
- Role Models for Bar Exam Preparation
- Uncovering Information About Reasons for Bar Exam Failure
- Preparation for taking the bar online
- Preparation in Recent Years vs. Preparation pre-Pandemic
- Assessing likely student performance
- Benchmarking
- Tougher grading
List of Tables
Table 1.1 Grade Your law school on its performance in assisting low income and other disadvantaged students to withstand the financial burdens of bar exam preparation.
Table 1.2 Grade Your law school on its performance in assisting low income and other disadvantaged students to withstand the financial burdens of bar exam preparation. Broken out by law school ranking
Table 1.3 Grade Your law school on its performance in assisting low income and other disadvantaged students to withstand the financial burdens of bar exam preparation. Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 1.4 Grade Your law school on its performance in assisting low income and other disadvantaged students to withstand the financial burdens of bar exam preparation. Broken out by public or private status
Table 1.5 Grade Your law school on its performance in assisting low income and other disadvantaged students to withstand the financial burdens of bar exam preparation. Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 1.6 Grade Your law school on its performance in assisting low income and other disadvantaged students to withstand the financial burdens of bar exam preparation. Broken out by age of respondent
Table 1.7 Grade Your law school on its performance in assisting low income and other disadvantaged students to withstand the financial burdens of bar exam preparation. Broken out by academic field of respondent
Table 2.1 To what degree is the law school's curriculum geared to the goal of optimizing results on state bar exams?
Table 2.2 To what degree is the law school's curriculum geared to the goal of optimizing results on state bar exams? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 2.3 To what degree is the law school's curriculum geared to the goal of optimizing results on state bar exams? Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 2.4 To what degree is the law school's curriculum geared to the goal of optimizing results on state bar exams? Broken out by public or private status
Table 2.5 To what degree is the law school's curriculum geared to the goal of optimizing results on state bar exams? Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 2.6 To what degree is the law school's curriculum geared to the goal of optimizing results on state bar exams? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 2.7 To what degree is the law school's curriculum geared to the goal of optimizing results on state bar exams? Broken out by academic field of respondent
Table 3.1 In your view the law school's curriculum should be more or less geared to bar exam results?
Table 3.2 In your view the law school's curriculum should be more or less geared to bar exam results? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 3.3 In your view the law school's curriculum should be more or less geared to bar exam results? Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 3.4 In your view the law school's curriculum should be more or less geared to bar exam results? Broken out by public or private status
Table 3.5 In your view the law school's curriculum should be more or less geared to bar exam results? Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 3.6 In your view the law school's curriculum should be more or less geared to bar exam results? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 3.7 In your view the law school's curriculum should be more or less geared to bar exam results? Broken out by academic field of respondent
Table 4.1 To the best of your knowledge what percentage of students at your law school passed the bar exam they chose to take on the first attempt in the past year?
Table 4.2 To the best of your knowledge what percentage of students at your law school passed the bar exam they chose to take on the first attempt in the past year? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 4.3 To the best of your knowledge what percentage of students at your law school passed the bar exam they chose to take on the first attempt in the past year? Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 4.4 To the best of your knowledge what percentage of students at your law school passed the bar exam they chose to take on the first attempt in the past year? Broken out by public or private status
Table 4.5 To the best of your knowledge what percentage of students at your law school passed the bar exam they chose to take on the first attempt in the past year? Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 4.6 To the best of your knowledge what percentage of students at your law school passed the bar exam they chose to take on the first attempt in the past year? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 4.7 To the best of your knowledge what percentage of students at your law school passed the bar exam they chose to take on the first attempt in the past year? Broken out by academic field of respondent
What measures might your law school take to improve student bar exam results? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 5.1 How important is it for your law students to take a bar exam preparation course?
Table 5.2 How important is it for your law students to take a bar exam preparation course? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 5.3 How important is it for your law students to take a bar exam preparation course? Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 5.4 How important is it for your law students to take a bar exam preparation course? Broken out by public or private status
Table 5.5 How important is it for your law students to take a bar exam preparation course? Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 5.6 How important is it for your law students to take a bar exam preparation course? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 5.7 How important is it for your law students to take a bar exam preparation course? Broken out by academic field of respondent
In general, which bar exam preparation course do you recommend? Broken out by law school ranking
Artificial intelligence applications that assess patterns in student exam errors and focus instruction to correct them are increasingly used in industrial training programs. Should law schools also increase use of such applications? And, if so, what are your recommendations? (Mention specific programs or applications if possible) Broken out by law school ranking
Table 6.1 Student self-paced, computerized, artificial intelligence assisted instruction should be used more in law schools for bar exam preparation than is currently the case.
Table 6.2 Student self-paced, computerized, artificial intelligence assisted instruction should be used more in law schools for bar exam preparation than is currently the case. Broken out by law school ranking
Table 6.3 Student self-paced, computerized, artificial intelligence assisted instruction should be used more in law schools for bar exam preparation than is currently the case. Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 6.4 Student self-paced, computerized, artificial intelligence assisted instruction should be used more in law schools for bar exam preparation than is currently the case. Broken out by public or private status
Table 6.5 Student self-paced, computerized, artificial intelligence assisted instruction should be used more in law schools for bar exam preparation than is currently the case. Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 6.6 Student self-paced, computerized, artificial intelligence assisted instruction should be used more in law schools for bar exam preparation than is currently the case. Broken out by age of respondent
Table 6.7 Student self-paced, computerized, artificial intelligence assisted instruction should be used more in law schools for bar exam preparation than is currently the case. Broken out by academic field of respondent
Table 7.1 How much information do you or your department have about the factors that lead to bar exam failures?
Table 7.2 How much information do you or your department have about the factors that lead to bar exam failures? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 7.3 How much information do you or your department have about the factors that lead to bar exam failures? Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 7.4 How much information do you or your department have about the factors that lead to bar exam failures? Broken out by public or private status
Table 7.5 How much information do you or your department have about the factors that lead to bar exam failures? Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 7.6 How much information do you or your department have about the factors that lead to bar exam failures? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 7.7 How much information do you or your department have about the factors that lead to bar exam failures? Broken out by academic field of respondent
What has your law school or you personally done to identify, inform and intervene with students unlikely to pass the bar exam, at least on their first attempt? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 8.1 How strong an effort has your department made to help students prepare for the possibility of taking a bar exam online?
Table 8.2 How strong an effort has your department made to help students prepare for the possibility of taking a bar exam online? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 8.3 How strong an effort has your department made to help students prepare for the possibility of taking a bar exam online? Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 8.4 How strong an effort has your department made to help students prepare for the possibility of taking a bar exam online? Broken out by public or private status
Table 8.5 How strong an effort has your department made to help students prepare for the possibility of taking a bar exam online? Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 8.6 How strong an effort has your department made to help students prepare for the possibility of taking a bar exam online? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 8.7 How strong an effort has your department made to help students prepare for the possibility of taking a bar exam online? Broken out by academic field of respondent
Table 9 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2021 vs 2020 and the pre-pandemic 2019?
Table 9.1.1 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2021 (pandemic winding down)?
Table 9.1.2 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2021 (pandemic winding down)? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 9.1.3 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2021 (pandemic winding down)? Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 9.1.4 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2021 (pandemic winding down)? Broken out by public or private status
Table 9.1.5 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2021 (pandemic winding down)? Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 9.1.6 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2021 (pandemic winding down)? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 9.1.7 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2021 (pandemic winding down)? Broken out by academic field of respondent
Table 9.2.1 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2020 (during pandemic)?
Table 9.2.2 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2020 (during pandemic)? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 9.2.3 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2020 (during pandemic)? Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 9.2.4 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2020 (during pandemic)? Broken out by public or private status
Table 9.2.5 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2020 (during pandemic)? Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 9.2.6 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2020 (during pandemic)? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 9.2.7 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2020 (during pandemic)? Broken out by academic field of respondent
Table 9.3.1 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2019 (pre-pandemic)?
Table 9.3.2 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2019 (pre-pandemic)? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 9.3.3 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2019 (pre-pandemic)? Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 9.3.4 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2019 (pre-pandemic)? Broken out by public or private status
Table 9.3.5 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2019 (pre-pandemic)? Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 9.3.6 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2019 (pre-pandemic)? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 9.3.7 What percentage of final year students in your program do you think will be well positioned to pass the bar exam in 2019 (pre-pandemic)? Broken out by academic field of respondent
What technologies, programs, standardized tests or applications have been most useful in assessing likely student performance assessment bar exams? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 10.1 To the best of your knowledge has your law school benchmarked its bar exam preparation policies with those of other law schools?
Table 10.2 To the best of your knowledge has your law school benchmarked its bar exam preparation policies with those of other law schools? Broken out by law school ranking
Table 10.3 To the best of your knowledge has your law school benchmarked its bar exam preparation policies with those of other law schools? Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 10.4 To the best of your knowledge has your law school benchmarked its bar exam preparation policies with those of other law schools? Broken out by public or private status
Table 10.5 To the best of your knowledge has your law school benchmarked its bar exam preparation policies with those of other law schools? Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 10.6 To the best of your knowledge has your law school benchmarked its bar exam preparation policies with those of other law schools? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 10.7 To the best of your knowledge has your law school benchmarked its bar exam preparation policies with those of other law schools? Broken out by academic field of respondent
Table 11.1 Tougher grading in your general law school program would produce which of the following results
Table 11.2 Tougher grading in your general law school program would produce which of the following results Broken out by law school ranking
Table 11.3 Tougher grading in your general law school program would produce which of the following results Broken out by law school student enrollment
Table 11.4 Tougher grading in your general law school program would produce which of the following results Broken out by public or private status
Table 11.5 Tougher grading in your general law school program would produce which of the following results Broken out by annual tuition, $
Table 11.6 Tougher grading in your general law school program would produce which of the following results Broken out by age of respondent
Table 11.7 Tougher grading in your general law school program would produce which of the following results Broken out by academic field of respondent
If you or your law school have done such benchmarking please describe it briefly below Broken out by law school ranking
Which law school or private sector programs, other than your own, do you view as particularly admirable or effective in preparing students for bar examinations and what do you admire about them? Broken out by law school ranking
What changes would most likely improve student assessment at your program? Broken out by law school ranking
Samples
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Sources / Contributors
- Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University
- Baylor Law
- Brigham Young University Law School
- Brooklyn Law School
- BU School of Law
- BYU Law School
- Cardozo School of Law Yeshiva University
- Chicago University at Kent
- Columbia University Law School
- Cornell University
- CUNY School of Law
- Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
- Drexel University
- George Mason University
- Georgetown University Law Center
- Liberty University School of Law
- Massachusetts School of Law
- Oklahoma City University School of Law
- OSU Moritz College of Law
- Pepperdine University
- Roger Williams University School of Law
- Rutgers University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- Suffolk University Law School
- Temple University
- The University of Texas
- University Baltimore School of Law
- University Miami School of Law
- University of San Diego
- UC Davis School of Law
- UC Irvine School of Law
- UMKC School of Law
- University at Buffalo School of Law
- University of Baltimore School of Law
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Michigan
- University of Minnesota Law School
- University of Oklahoma
- University of Pittsburgh
- UNLV - William S. Boyd School of Law
- UNM
- Vanderbilt University
- Villanova University
- Wake Forest University
- WMU-Cooley Law School
- Yale University
Methodology
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