Law Schools Defying Expectations with High Bar Exam Pass Rates in July 2023

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In a recent paper titled “The Secret Sauce: Examining Law Schools That Overperform on the Bar Exam,” Professors Christopher J. Ryan Jr. of Louisville Law and Derek T. Muller of Iowa Law shed light on law schools that are surpassing expectations in terms of bar exam pass rates. The study considers factors such as the composition of each law school’s student cohort and the average bar passage rates in the jurisdictions where their graduates sit for the exam.

Over a six-year period from 2014 to 2019, the authors identified both overperforming and underperforming law schools and collected information to analyze their approaches to ensuring student success on the bar exam. The findings highlight key strategies employed by the overperforming law schools to prioritize bar success, with a particular focus on first-time bar passage rather than ultimate bar passage.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the top 25 law schools that have demonstrated exceptional performance on the bar exam, as revealed by Ryan and Muller’s research:

  

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1. Florida International University (#60 in U.S. News)
2. Stanford University (#1)
3. University of Southern California (USC) (#16)
4. University of California, Berkeley (UC-Berkeley) (#10)
5. University of North Carolina (#22)
6. Belmont University (#105)
7. University of Michigan (#10)
8. Florida State University (#56)
9. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (#14)
10. University of Virginia (#8)
11. Campbell University (#125)
12. Yale University (#1)
13. Louisiana State University (LSU) (#99)
14. University of Georgia (#20)
15. Duke University (#5)
16. Harvard University (#5)
17. Wake Forest University (#22)
18. Georgia State University (#69)
19. University of Chicago (#3)
20. University of Pennsylvania (Penn) (#4)
21. University of Illinois (#43)
22. Baylor University (#49)
23. Washington & Lee University (#40)
24. Liberty University (#135)
25. Vanderbilt University (#16)

These law schools have defied expectations by consistently achieving high bar passage rates, indicating their commitment to supporting their students’ success. While their U.S. News rankings vary, their bar exam performance highlights their effectiveness in preparing graduates for the rigorous licensing examination.

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The study emphasizes that the overperforming law schools strongly emphasize bar support programs tailored to ensure first-time bar passage. This focused approach enables students to develop the necessary skills, knowledge, and confidence required to excel in the bar exam.

By analyzing the strategies employed by these law schools, aspiring law students can gain valuable insights into what contributes to their success. Factors such as comprehensive bar review courses, personalized mentoring, mock exams, and specialized instruction in subjects tested on the bar exam are some of the practices that have contributed to their students’ achievements.

As the legal profession continues to evolve, the importance of bar exam success remains a significant milestone for law school graduates. The recognition of law schools that overperform on the bar exam highlights their dedication to student success and provides prospective law students with valuable information for making informed decisions about their legal education.

The study conducted by Professors Ryan and Muller sheds light on the law schools that have surpassed expectations in terms of bar exam success. The top 25 law schools identified in their research have demonstrated remarkable performance, indicating their commitment to prioritizing bar passage rates. By understanding the strategies these law schools employ, aspiring law students can gain insights into the approaches that contribute to bar exam success.

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