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The Juris Doctor - Attorney Track
Program
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California Bar Examination Statistics
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FACTS REGARDING OUR SCHOOL OF LAW…
September 15, 2008
Until this year, there was no requirement that distance learning law schools disclose their graduates’ pass rates on the California Bar Examination to prospective or current students. However, Taft Law School has voluntary disclosed this information for over twenty years. The bar examination information below goes beyond what is currently required by the Committee of Bar Examiners but we feel that it is information that you should find useful in your selection of a law school.
While bar examination pass rates are only one measurement of the quality of a law school, we feel prospective and current students should be aware of the pass rates of any program before enrollment. We therefore attach to each enrollment agreement a chart of how our students performed on the General Bar Examination and the First Year Law Students’ Examination during the previous five years. Set forth below is additional statistical data based on information provided by the Measurement Center for the Office of Admissions of the State Bar of California and our internal records.
If you follow the marketing efforts of most distance learning law schools over a period of time, you will note that if they disclose their bar pass rates at all, it’s usually only the most recent results. (And then only if the results are respectable.) There’s nothing unethical about such practices. Every school wants to be examined in the most positive light. However, pass rates for any given school, including Taft, can vary widely on any given examination depending on the number and quality of the graduates sitting for that particular exam.
What is important, and what we feel should be the most significant factor for anyone wishing to practice law, is the total history of a school’s graduates on the Bar Examination.
Since our first graduate sat for the California Bar Examination in July 1987, 250 graduates have sat for the examination, 87 passed on the first attempt, and 86 passed on subsequent attempts. This results in a first-time pass rate of 34.8% and a cumulative pass rate of 69.2%.
Taking into consideration only graduates who have completed all four years of law study at Taft (i.e., excluding transfer students from other law schools), 38.1% passed the Bar Examination on the first attempt. Of those who have taken the Bar Exam more than once, 73.8% ultimately have passed.
Set forth below are some additional statistics and information which we hope will be of assistance to you in reaching a decision on whether Taft University might be your best choice for studying law at a distance:
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Taft Law School was the first distance learning law school to have a graduate admitted to and successfully complete a Master of Laws (LL.M.) Program at a law school approved by the American Bar Association.
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Taft Law School has had graduates pass in 40 of the last 42 California Bar Examinations.
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Taft Law School was the first distance law school to offer its law students access to a computer legal research library, which can be accessed through a personal computer in the student’s home or
office.
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Taft is the oldest nationally accredited distance learning law school in the country.
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Taft was the first distance learning law school whose students qualify to defer existing student loans under eligibility standards developed by the United States Department of Education.
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Taft was the first distance learning law school whose students qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit or special tax deductions pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. (For many students, this could increase their tax refunds by over $1,000.00.)
 Faculty and administration are proud of the performance of our graduates and will remain dedicated to continually improving the Program and providing our students with the necessary skills to perform well on the California Bar Examination.
Very truly yours,
Robert K. Strouse, J.D.
Administrative Dean of the
The Witkin School of Law
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