Bar Exam

New York sees decrease in pass rate for July bar exam

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The overall pass rate for the July bar exam in New York is 63%, the New York State Board of Law Examiners announced Oct. 28.

A total of 9,227 candidates took the remote exam, according to a news release. It compares the July 2021 results to the July 2019 exam because both were a uniform bar exam, while the October 2020 test was not. The July 2021 and October 2020 exams were remote because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“A comparison of these results to those from the October 2020 examination is less useful, as the October 2020 examination presented an unprecedented and unique situation involving a limited pool of candidates, as well as testing of only certain components of the UBE,” according to the news release.

The July 2019 New York bar, which was in person, had a total of 10,071 test-takers and a 65% overall pass rate. The October 2020 bar exam had an 84% overall pass rate and was taken by 5,150 candidates.

For candidates who took the bar exam for the first time in July, the pass rate was 78%. New York also breaks out pass rates for people who received their legal education outside the United States, and the July pass rate for first-time test-takers in that group was 46%.

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