With their law degree in hand, the only thing standing between graduates and their legal careers is the bar exam. A new program at the University of Kansas School of Law will help students clear that hurdle without the financial pressure of paying for a bar review course.
Through an innovative partnership with Themis Bar Review, KU Law’s Free Bar Prep Program will provide a comprehensive suite of preparation resources to every student at no cost. December 2018 graduates will be the first beneficiaries.
“KU Law is already a Best Value Law School ranked 18th in the nation for overall bar pass rate. But we want to do even better,” said Stephen Mazza, dean of the law school. “Research shows that graduates who take commercial prep courses pass the bar exam at higher rates. Covering the cost of their study is a worthwhile investment. To our knowledge, KU is the only school taking this approach.”
In July 2018, 100 percent of KU Law graduates who completed at least 75% of the Themis prep course passed the Kansas and Missouri bar exams on their first attempt.
The bar exam is administered twice a year, in February and July. Most students graduate in May and take the summer exam. Commercial bar preparation courses typically cost several thousand dollars.