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College Scorecard J.D. Debt and Earnings Data
No full textThe U.S. Department of Education publishes a range of debt and earnings data by field of study on an annual basis via the College Scorecard. This data file features selected College Scorecard debt and earnings information for JD programs. The file also links College Scorecard JD programs to their school names and ID numbers as they appear in Analytix by AccessLex
DataLab
No full textThe National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) DataLab allows users to create custom analyses using data from its longitudinal studies. Information regarding students who matriculate to and graduate from J.D. programs is available from the Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B), National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, Graduate (NPSAS: GR), and National Postsecondary Student Aid Study-Administrative Collection (NPSAS-AC) studies. The B&B study provides information regarding students who graduated college in a given year and later matriculated to law school. The NPSAS studies provide student aid information regarding students who enrolled in or completed a J.D. program. Users who are new to the NCES DataLab may utilize its Learning Center for instruction and tutorials
Student Debt, COVID-19 Relief, and Loan Forgiveness: Perspectives from Today’s Young Lawyers
No full textOver the last few years, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD) has used data from its members to sound the alarm on student loan debt trends and the impact of student loan debt on early career attorneys who are under the age of 36 or were first admitted to practice within the last 10 years. The 2020 and 2021 Student Debt Surveys elucidated the ways in which education debt tangibly burdens relatively new J.D. recipients—most of whom are in the process of building their careers and lives. Both surveys’ results indicated that those with the highest debt balances are more often to report delaying or forgoing significant life events, (e.g., marriage, homebuying, and having children). Further, the 2021 Report demonstrated that the impacts of debt are not felt equally among all young lawyers; lawyers of color are disproportionately likely to have borrowed for their education, carry high debt balances, and see their debt balances grow after graduation.
The 2024 survey results reaffirm the above findings while offering new insights regarding young lawyers’ experiences with the COVID-19 student loan repayment pause, their plans in the event of loan forgiveness, their satisfaction with loan servicers, and their mindsets regarding work-life balance. The survey results also illustrate notable differences in borrowing and debt effects by respondent characteristics, including first-generation college status.
These results serve a dual purpose of both highlighting the challenges of student loan debt for young attorneys and pointing the way to potential interventions and policy solutions that could serve to relieve financial stress not only for young lawyers but also for the millions of Americans shouldering the weight of education debt. The full report provides a robust overview of the findings summarized above and offers recommendations for how we can better support early career professionals who uphold the rule of law in our society
Freedom Is Not Enough... : Affirmative Action and J.D. Completion Among Underrepresented People of Color
Full text linkIn Fall 2022, the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the future of affirmative action in higher education. Initially, affirmative action policies were adopted to give equal opportunity to communities who have been and continue to be harmed by discriminatory systems and practices. As we wait for the Court’s decision, it is crucial to understand how existent affirmative action bans impact underrepresented people of color’s (uPOC) graduate/professional degree attainment. Data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Center for Reproductive Rights is analyzed to determine whether affirmative action bans decrease the proportion of uPOC completing their law degrees (or enrolling in graduate programs). We utilize a differences-in-differences (DiD) estimation method, which compares pre- and post-ban rates of degree completion (and graduate school enrollment, where applicable) in states that implemented an affirmative action ban to those states without one. Using this technique, we find that the implementation of a ban decreases the proportion of uPOC completing their law degrees and enrolling in graduate programs. These effects are both practically and statistically significant. Despite the partisan controversy surrounding race-conscious admissions, our findings add to empirical research demonstrating the detrimental impact of eliminating affirmative action in college and university admissions
How the Student-Faculty Demographic in an Academic Calendar (Fall and Spring) Impacts Law School Graduate Attrition, Attrition Rate, J.D.s Awarded, and Bar Passage (Part 2)
No full textWhen we recall our law school experiences and the individuals who enabled our success, we think of professors and peers. Leaders may loom in the background, but engaging faculty and supportive peers remain central. For all students, and especially for women and minority students, these individuals fostered the sense of belonging.This research further explores how the student-faculty demographic in an academic calendar impacts student attrition, attrition rates, the percentage of J.D.s awarded, and Bar success rates. This research used a Mann Whitney Wilcoxon nonparametric method approach to compare the deviation of law school faculty demographics to establish a profile of university sub-groups and determine their impact. The study separately examined the above-average presence of women and minorities in the faculty body (full-time and part-time) during the fall and spring semesters.The findings of this research confirm that the benefits of student-faculty demographic match extend to the law school environment. Demographic match offers role models, reduces identity and stereotype threats, and fosters academic achievement. Law school students who encounter demographically matched faculty develop a greater sense of belonging and psychological safety. Demographic match has a critical role to play in increasing diversity and racial and gender equity in the legal profession
Tellin\u27 the Truth in Their Own Words : A Critical Race Qualitative Analysis of Ethnic Minority Law School Students\u27 Experiences
No full textThe purpose of this study was to explore the law school experiences of underrepresented racial minorities (URMs) enrolled at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), paying close attention to the nature of their racialized academic and social lives on campus. Drawing upon one-on-one and group interviews with 29 ethnic minority law school students at three PWIs, I identify the myriad factors that law school students of color consider when choosing, enrolling, and/or persisting through law school. In consonance with the beliefs and standards of phenomenological research, I use information from these extensive interviews to describe the essence of their law school experiences, paying close attention to any racialized challenges, supports, or opportunities using critical race theory (CRT) as a lens. Verbatim quotes from participants are presented to illustrate the depth, meaning, and context of the findings in their own words. Results from the present study hold promise for informing the future decisions, programs, and practices of law school administrators, legal educators, diversity officers, policymakers and enrollment management staff more generally
If You\u27re On Time, You\u27re Late : Law School Application Timing Among Historically Underrepresented Applicants
Full text linkThe “not so big” secret of college and graduate school admissions is that applicants who apply early are more likely to receive an offer of admission than those who apply closer to the final deadline. The same is true for law school applicants. When applicants submit applications later, their admission chances may be lower simply due to the timing of their application rather than their qualifications. Applicants who identify as underrepresented people of color (uPOC) or socioeconomically disadvantaged are less likely to apply early to law school or utilize formal early decision programs. In other words, applicants who identify as uPOC or low-socioeconomic status (SES) may inadvertently self-select into a more competitive admission environment which ultimately reduces their likelihood of receiving an admission offer.
The purpose of this brief is to further explore the relationship between application timing and law school admission outcomes. Additionally, we explore other factors associated with application timing, including knowledge of the admission process, admission process engagement, and LexPreLaw interventions.
Based on our analyses, we find: The predicted likelihood of a late applicant receiving a law school admission offer is 24% compared to 40% for early/on-time applicants. LSAT timing is a key contributor to application timing. The predicted likelihood of applying late is 63% for applicants who sat for the LSAT late (after January 1) compared to only 26% for early or on-time (before January 1) applicants. Navigational capital and “headwinds” impact applicants’ ability to apply early. Early applicants more frequently demonstrated knowledge of the key tactics underlying an effective law school application strategy. Those who applied late more frequently cited incomplete or inaccurate understanding of sound application strategy, including ideal timelines and submission processes. Applicants who are incentivized or coached to apply early are more likely to apply early or on-time. Factors such as prior experience in the law school application process, highest LSAT score percentile, and pre-existing knowledge of the application cycle are not statistically associated with timing of first law school application. Our findings underscore the importance of both knowing and executing an effective law school application strategy, such as submitting applications early, to increase one’s likelihood of law school admission. This is particularly important for historically marginalized applicants and those with relatively low standardized test scores
Centering Disability in the Law School Pedagogy: A Way to Include Disabled Law Students
No full textThe article focuses on the underrepresentation of disabled individuals in the legal profession, particularly in law schools. It highlights the challenges faced by disabled law students, including the lack of adequate representation, issues of perception and diversity, and the importance of law schools addressing this problem. It proposes changes to law school pedagogy to increase the representation of law students with disabilities
Bar Passage Data by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender: 2022-2023
No full textThis source includes data on bar passage rates (first-time and ultimate) by race, ethnicity, and gender. The data comes from the American Bar Association\u27s 2022 and 2023 Bar Passage Questionnaires
The Association of Participating in a Summer Prelaw Training Program and First-Year Law School Students’ Grades
No full textThis study estimates the association of participation in a nine-week online educational program to prepare students for post-graduate (juris doctorate) education and law school grades. We collected registrar data from 17 U.S. law schools for participants and non-participants from the same year and a prior year. We compared first-semester law school grades between participating and non-participating students weighted by propensity scores. Course participation was associated with improved first-semester grades in a keyed course (Contracts Law) and overall grade point average. According to pre- and post-survey responses, a substantial portion of those who completed the program reported feeling more prepared for law school