Law Schools

Fewer Women Apply to Law School

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Law schools are seeing fewer women applicants and a dropping proportion of women students.

The percentage of women in law school has dropped from 49 percent in 2002 to 46.9 percent today, the National Law Journal reports, citing ABA figures.

The drop comes as both sexes are applying to law schools in fewer numbers. In 2006, the number of women applying to law schools dropped by 7.7 percent, and the number of men dropped by 6.7 percent.

Some observers told the legal newspaper that fewer women may be pursuing a law degree because of better options elsewhere. But some disagreed, saying bad publicity about inhospitable law firm environments may be discouraging women.

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