USC ranks sixth in bar preparation

With the application for the July California Bar Exam now available, USC law students are making preparations for the final test.

USC Gould School of Law ranks sixth in the nation in bar exam preparation, according to the National Jurist, which analyzed the ration between the LSAT scores of incoming students and the performances on their bar exams.

For the fourth year in a row, USC also has the highest bar passage rate in California with a passage rate of 91 percent.

Robert Rasmussen, dean of the Gould School of Law, said the success of USC students can be attributed to the school’s selective admissions process.

“We look at the whole package of the person, not just the LSAT score,” Rasmussen said, “We select students who have the potential to be outstanding lawyers and pass the bar.”

Rasmussen said Gould aims to have its students pass the bar exam, but also prepare them for a long-term career in law.

“We have the best legal writing program in the country,” said Rasmussen, “Our faculty teaches students to think like lawyers. We want students to leave here with a platform to pass the bar and have a 50-year-plus career.”

Maya Sukumar, a third-year law student, said the practical-based education at Gould makes her confident she can pass the bar exam and succeed as a lawyer.

“We get real world experience here and the professors do a really good job of tailoring our education to what we can expect to see as practicing lawyers,” Sukumar said.

To help students with the bar exam, Gould has created extensive academic support programs for students who need additional instruction, said Gould Dean of Students Priya Sridharan.

“We have created programs to ensure all students develop their legal analytic skills and their writing skills,” Sridharan said.

Approximately 200 students matriculate per incoming class, and the small size of Gould allows students to collaborate with faculty and their fellow classmates, Rasmussen said.

Michael Parente, a third-year law student, said fellow classmates serve as an important source of motivation while preparing for the California Bar Exam.

“[Gould] is a smaller school and we are a really tight-knit community,” Parente said. “We’re competitive by nature. I guess it’s the Trojan spirit.”

Andrew Quinio, a third-year law student, said he feels well prepared for the bar exam, which he’s scheduled to take in July, because of the curriculum and the faculty support he has received at Gould.

“The law program at USC develops drive and discipline through courses and professors who consistently inspire us,” Quino said. “The faculty definitely gives us a lot of support — academically and even emotionally.”

A crucial component of Gould is the community that develops between students, alumni and faculty, Rasmussen said.

“A premium is placed on those who have a good network in the legal community,” Rasmussen said, “We really want lifelong relationships with our students. It’s part of being in the Trojan Family.”