[hmsshagatsea]

While I do agree the CA bar is tougher than it should be, a lot of the low passage rate comes from graduates of less-than-stellar schools. If you look into passage rate per school it’s naturally much better at the higher ranked universities.

[enumjorge]

Isn’t that almost the definition of gatekeeping? Make the process to enter the law profession so difficult that only students from select universities have a good chance.

Of course prospective lawyers should clear a certain level of knowledge before they are allowed to practice, but the passing rate is puzzlingly low. CA law schools, as a group l, really only prepare such a low number of their students to practice?

[meta4s]

Law school teaches you theory. The practical part is supposed to come from competitive internships.

The bar is hard for CA because we go to school for the theory and then no one really teaches you the formulaic way to answer bar essays. Add on top of that it's a lot of memorization and study. Most students I went to school with had egos and thought they had it in the bag only studying on the weekends.

[gmadsen]

shitty law schools has become a huge problem in the last couple decades. similar to ITT tech or phoenix online. They drastically lower the lsats needed to get in, then almost no one becomes an actual lawyer from that school, but they do get 100K in debt.

also, gatekeeping has a negative connotation because it is usually used when it seems unwarranted. If only schools with high quality education are passing students, that doesn't seem like a problem with the gate, but instead with the other schools. I absolutely want lawyers and doctors to be required to pass certain criteria.

[hmsshagatsea]

Well, not exactly. You need to have a certain level of competancy to be an effective lawyer. Those who arent “good enough” for the better law schools are often preyed upon by overpriced and underresourced schools to give false hope those who couldnt cut the mustard. Not saying you cant be successful if you go to a crappy school, but the chances of it happening are slim to none. Just look at pass rates of Whittier (I think they’re shut down now) or Thomas Jefferson and then look at the tuiton rates. And this isn’t even counting the non-ABA approved schools...