Kaplan Test Prep Survey: Today's Pre-Law Students Want Changes in Legal Education, Are Looking for N

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Kaplan Test Prep Survey: Today's Pre-Law Students Want Changes in Legal Education, Are Looking for Nontraditional Employment Opportunities, Favor Mandatory Pro Bono Work and Value Racial Diversity

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A Kaplan Test Prep survey of 750 pre-law students* finds that tomorrow's lawyers are advocates for change, have an altruistic side and are adapting to new career realities. Key survey results include:

  • Legal Education Has to Change: It's hard to find legally-minded individuals overwhelmingly in agreement on almost any subject, but 79% of pre-law students say that the U.S. legal education system needs "to undergo significant changes to better prepare future attorneys for the changing employment landscape and legal profession." Notably, the American Bar Association, the organization that accredits law schools, agrees -- it is currently preparing to make recommendations on how to address growing concerns about the cost of a law school education and its effectiveness in preparing graduates to actually practice law.** In the meantime though, some law schools are already taking proactive measures to remedy the situation.***

  • More than Half Are Considering Employment Outside Traditional Legal Roles: As the employment landscape continues to struggle, 56% of pre-law students say they plan to use their future JD in a non-traditional legal field - up from 50% in a February Kaplan survey. Of that 56%, 63% say the current job market for lawyers factored into this decision - up from 58% in February.

  • A Majority Favor Mandatory Pro Bono Work: While lawyers are often stereotyped as power and money-hungry, 68% of pre-law students surveyed say they would support a New York State Bar-like rule mandating that new JDs complete 50 hours of pro bono work before being admitted to the bar. While this rule currently only exists in New York, California and New Jersey are considering implementing a similar measure.

  • Racial Diversity Important to Pre-Law Students: While the Supreme Court recently decided to punt a high profile affirmative action case, Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, back to the state, 55% of pre-law students responding to Kaplan Test Prep's survey say that it's important that the law school they attend have a racially diverse student body.

For more information or to speak with a Kaplan Test Prep law school admissions expert about the survey results, please contact Russell Schaffer at 212.453.7538 or russell.schaffer@kaplan.com.


*The online survey was conducted in June 2013 of 750 pre-law students who took an LSAT course with Kaplan Test Prep.

** "Is legal education solely law schools' responsibility? ABA task force thinks not," The ABA Journal, Mark Hansen, June 26, 2013: http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/task_force_efforts_focus_on_broad_themes/

***"Does law school have a future?", Forbes, Elizabeth G. Olson, December 18, 2012: http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/12/18/does-law-school-have-a-future/

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.

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Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO)



Press:
Kaplan Test Prep
Russell Schaffer, 212-453-7538
russell.schaffer@kaplan.com
Twitter: @KapTestNews

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