Academic & Bar Success

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The Office of Academic and Bar Success is here for guidance and support through your law school experience. From the day you are admitted through the day you pass the bar exam, we are partners on your academic journey, committed to providing you with the tools you need to achieve your academic goals.

We assign every first-year student to a high achieving upper-level student, known as Academic Success Fellows, who offer guidance and mentorship from the perspective of a student who has been in your shoes. You can also take advantage of our structured study groups, academic workshops, individual counseling, academic skill development workshops, advice on managing stress and mental health, and so much more. Whatever you may need, we are here every step of the way.

We have also partnered with Kaplan to provide holistic programming and support for all College of Law students beginning in their 1L year, culminating with a comprehensive Kaplan bar review course for all graduates. Learn more about our partnership.

Bar Passage Rates: Our Commitment to Student Success

Among all jurisdictions, 86% of recent graduates—those who earned their degrees between 2022 and 2024—successfully passed the bar exam in the February or July 2024 administration. In Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) jurisdictions, which covers 41 states, the pass rate for the same cohort was an impressive 88%. These results also reflect a 163% increase in bar success among those students most at risk on the bar exam, which was achieved through individualized, data-driven support strategies.

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Student Resources: A Timeline of Support

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Before You Arrive

Orange Edge

Newly admitted law students often experience a mixture of excitement, curiosity, and trepidation about what the first year of law school will entail. That’s why we created the Orange Edge program, specifically designed to help select students get a head-start on developing academic skills and lasting relationships at Syracuse Law.

As part of the Orange Edge curriculum, you will be exposed to first-year core subjects, legal research and writing, and law school study skills. You’ll also get to interact with other incoming students and form a support system at the College of Law early on. Participating in this program will not only introduce you to the law school experience, but also help:

  • Establish a foundation for your legal reasoning and analysis skills.
  • Improve your competency in written analysis.
  • Introduce critical study skills and strategies.
  • Expose you to the Socratic method.
  • Give you a head start in networking with your professors, peers and the Syracuse Law community.

Orange Edge is only available to select incoming students based on need and interest.

Podcast Series on Academic Success

Check out our eight episode podcast series to prepare yourself for your legal education at Syracuse Law. Featuring our Associate Dean of Academic and Bar Success, along with Academic Success Fellows, topics include:

  • Becoming an Expert Learner
  • Understanding the Transition from Undergrad to Law School
  • Understanding the Law School Syllabus
  • Using Study Groups Effectively
  • Time Management and Self Care in Law School
  • Understanding Law School Outcomes
  • Understanding Law School Hypotheticals
  • Understanding Exams

Self-Study Resources

Familiarize yourself with fundamental legal concepts, terminology, and foundational principles before you start formal classes. This early exposure can make the initial learning curve in law school less steep and prepare you for your legal education ahead.

 

Law School Basics

Preparing for Class

Outlining (and Alternatives)

Answering a Hypothetical on a Law School Exam

Preparing for Final Exams

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First Year Law Students (1Ls)

Our comprehensive first-year program helps students adjust to the new style of learning and writing required in law school. We offer peer led structured study groups, workshops, and programs throughout the academic year. In addition to general programming, individual support is available to first-year students at risk of academic underperformance or academic dismissal.

Academic Success Program (ASP)

All incoming 1Ls are automatically assigned an Academic Success Fellow to provide critical support from your first day at Syracuse Law.

The Fellows hold regular structured group sessions on the core academic skills essential to law school success, including reading and briefing cases, note taking, outlining, exam writing, and stress management. Each Fellow also holds weekly open office hours for students assigned to their group. 1Ls are free to attend weekly small group sessions with the other students assigned to your Fellows, set up individual weekly sessions at your convenience, or both!

College of Law Academic Success Series (CLASS)

These sessions focus on major topics related to academic and personal success in law school, such as:

  • Learning from Fall Grades
  • Outlining
  • Advanced Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion (IRAC)
  • Using Spring Break Effectively and Study Techniques
  • Going into 2L Year
  • Mock Final Exam

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Second and Third Year Law Students (2Ls and 3Ls)

Academic support resources are available to 2L and 3L students upon request. We hold periodic workshops for upper-level students in the fall of each year to reinforce core academic skills so 1Ls are prepared as possible for their upper division courses. These workshops include “How to & Review: Outlining” and “How to & Review: IRAC.”

Lawyering Skills Sessions

Lawyering skills sessions help our students develop and refine core skills that contribute to success in both law school and practice. These sessions are available to all students. A few topics include “How to & Review: Citations,” “How to & Review: Research,” and “Mental Health and Final Exams.”

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Graduating Students: Preparing for the Bar Exam

Passing the bar exam is the final step in your legal education, showing all that you’ve learned as you prepare to launch a successful legal career. Your success on the exam is as important to us as it is to you. To help you prepare, we offer a state-of-the- bar review preparation course free of charge to all our students. 

A series of Bar Bootcamp Programs offer students with an intensive and focused review of topics you will see on the exam, effective exam taking strategies, skills enhancement, a structured study plan, and more.

There every step of the way, we also offer students:

  • Bar Admissions Checklists highlighting everything students need to know for admission to law practice
  • A guide for Character and Fitness evaluations
  • Suggested courses to cover each examination topic
  • Recordings for self-paced study, including Bar Exam 101, Studying for the Bar as a Non-Traditional Student, the Path to New York Licensure, and more!

NY Bar Admissions Checklist

Contact Academic & Bar Success