Law Schools

Pass Rate On California’s Baby Bar Was Only 24 Percent

Surprisingly, the success rate on the first-year students' exam was the best in five years.

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Students at unaccredited law schools in California who want to advance in their studies and ultimately take the bar exam must pass a test known as the “Baby Bar.”

But just 24 percent of the 323 people who took the Baby Bar in June passed, according to the State Bar.

Somewhat surprisingly, that low success rate is the best result since 25 percent of takers passed the October 2014 version of the test formally known as the First-Year Law Students’ Examination.

Historically, the overall pass rate for the Baby Bar has been between 16 percent and 20 percent, according to a recent email sent to the State Bar of California’s board by an agency spokeswoman.

The exam is also administered in October and given over one day, as opposed to the two days set aside for the general bar.

In addition to first-year students at unaccredited law schools, those in California’s Law Office Study Program such as Kim Kardashian must take the Baby Bar. On the June 2018 Baby Bar, 35.3 percent of Law Office Study Program participants passed.

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There was speculation that Kardashian might take this June’s Baby Bar, but she has yet to post anything to social media about whether she did or how she fared. Results were made available to test takers on Friday, August 9. More detailed results from the June 2019 Baby Bar will be posted in three weeks, according to bar spokeswoman Teresa Ruano.

Those who must pass the Baby Bar do not receive any credit for their legal studies until they pass. Success on the test must be achieved within the first three exams given after a prospective lawyer becomes eligible to take the test to receive credit for all of their studies up until that point. If an applicant passes on their fourth or more attempt, they only receive credit for one year of legal study.

While the State Bar has been dealing lately with the fallout from a major bar exam snafu in which the topics to be tested were prematurely disclosed, it had to confront a significant slip-up in administering the Baby Bar a few years back.

The June 2016 exam mistakenly featured an essay question about a subject not typically taught to first-year students.

Test-takers are told that contracts, criminal law, and torts will be the subjects covered, but the summer test three years ago included an essay question about criminal procedure.

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The bar’s director for admissions at the time said she could not remember a similar problem arising in her 35 years working for the agency.

Lyle Moran is a freelance writer in San Diego who handles both journalism and content writing projects. He previously reported for the Los Angeles Daily Journal, San Diego Daily Transcript, Associated Press, and Lowell Sun. He can be reached at lmoransun@gmail.com and found on Twitter @lylemoran.

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