A new academic paper, building upon previous research, has delved deeper into the comparison of expected versus observed bar exam passage rates in law schools. The study investigates the dynamics of “overperformance” and “underperformance” in the context of these schools’ ultimate bar passage rates.
The research was highlighted by none other than Paul L. Caron, the Duane and Kelly Roberts dean and professor of law at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, in his August 31 blog post. Caron lauds the study led by Jeffrey S. Kinsler that critically evaluates and categorizes law schools based on their relative performances on bar exam passage rates.
Kinsler’s study, through its comparison of these rates against expectations, provides a different perspective on how we understand and critique the success and effectiveness of law school programs. It emphasizes the significance of monitoring these key metrics rather than purely relying on industry reputation or other qualitative factors. With this new empirical data to consider, law schools may find their approaches to educating law students further scrutinized or vindicated, shining light on possible areas of improvement or best practice.
For more detailed findings and analysis of the study, you may follow this link to the original publication, or visit Paul L. Caron’s blog post where he discussed the study’s impact.