An important consideration when applying to law school: bar-exam pass rate

Law school applicants usually pick their schools based on admission statistics, reputation, and location, but a recent New York Post article reminds us that we ought to consider other factors - namely, how well our legal education will prepare us for an eventual legal career. This consideration can be most easily seen in bar-exam pass rates, which the Post article discusses with respect to the City University of New York (CUNY)'s law school. Apparently, CUNY's pass rate has dropped from 83% (a respectable percentage, but nowhere near the near-100% rates of more well-renowned institutions) in 2008 to 67% this year. Such a low ranking is not only indicative of lackluster preparation by the school, but it places CUNY in jeopardy of losing its accreditation by the American Bar Association. Furthermore, CUNY's pass rate is now only 9 percentage points higher than the second-lowest scorer in the nation: Pace University.

If nothing else, this article and the statistics it discusses reminds us of one more factor to consider when evaluating potential law schools (as if we needed any more). Yes, you want to apply to and eventually attend an institution that you actually want to go to (based on programs, location, etc.) but what good is the education you are receiving if that school can't prepare you to pass the bar exam? This consideration may seem like a no-brainer, but as someone who is applying to law schools right now, I hadn't seriously considered this factor until now.