Racial and ethnic disparities among law school applicants have remained largely unchanged in recent years was revealed in the latest update to the AccessLex Institutes’ Legal Education Data Deck.
“The latest trends in the Data Deck demonstrate that law schools have become more diverse and more generous with financial aid,” said Tiffane Cochran, vice president of research at the AccessLex Institute. “Yet, challenges with the accessibility, affordability and value of J.D. programs remain.”
Trending data showed the gap in admission of White applicants receiving at least one admission offer at 79% compared to 47% of Black applicants.
In the 2022-23 academic year, students of color comprised 35% of first-year enrollment and 46% of withdrawals after the 1L year, the latter representing an increase of 11% from 2021-22. Yet, in 2023, the proportion of law degrees (31%) awarded to students of color was the highest recorded.
For 2023, the data showed that first-time bar passage for White examinees is higher than for graduates of color, however the gaps in ultimate bar passage are smaller.
“Our research with the New York Board of Law Examiners on first-time and second-time bar passage finds that graduates who are unable to take time off work to study for the bar exam, those with caregiving responsibilities, and those who encounter life challenges, such as health or financial setbacks, are not able to prepare sufficiently for the bar exam,” Cochran said. “All candidates, irrespective of race or ethnicity, are equally likely to encounter conflicting priorities during the bar prep period, but not all are equally resourced to manage them.”
Cochran said resource inequities tend to disproportionately disadvantage people of color, so graduates of color may find it more difficult to overcome these circumstances when preparing for their first bar exam but find a way through iterative adjustment or trial and error, to pass on subsequent attempts.
More than 70% of all 2021 graduates passed the bar exam within two years, and there is only a 15-percentage point difference in ultimate bar passage between White and Black graduates, compared to a 24-percentage point difference in first-time passage.
Although the share of schools awarding conditional scholarships decreased from 61% to 37%, the proportion of all entering law students who receive conditional scholarships remained consistent.
Nearly half of enrolled law school students are carrying undergraduate debt. Of those who still owe balances on their undergraduate loans, the average amount owed is more than $28,000.
AccessLex Institute released its newest Legal Education Data Deck, which includes the latest information on law school admission and applicant characteristics, degrees awarded, bar passage, scholarships and undergraduate debt.
As a nonprofit organization, AccessLex Institute is committed to helping talented, purpose-driven students find their path from aspiring lawyer to fulfilled professional. In partnership with its nearly 200-member law schools, improving access and positively influencing legal education have been at the heart of the company’s mission since 1983.
Review the updated Data Deck here. Learn more about how AccessLex is empowering the next generation of lawyers at AccessLex.org.
