Upon completion of the first year, students in the Juris Doctor (JD) program at Concord must sit for the First Year Law Students Exam (FYLSE) administered by the State Bar of California. The FYLSE is required of all students who have completed their first year of law study at a school not accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) or the State Bar. It is a seven-hour, one-day examination consisting of four (4) one-hour essays and 100 multiple-choice questions in the areas of contracts, criminal law, and torts. The exam is administered twice per calendar year: at the end of June and at the end of October. It is a measurement of substantive knowledge as well as analytical and writing skills--student success on this exam reflects the knowledge and skills acquired in law school.
Since Concord students started sitting for the First Year Law Students’ Examination in October 1999, 2,636 students have taken the exam. They have an ultimate pass rate of 50.2% (902 first-time and 420 repeat-taker passers, for a total of 1,322 students passing).
Concord Total Takers |
Concord Total Passed |
Concord First Time Takers Passed |
2,636 |
1,322 (50.2%) |
902 (34.2%) |
|
Concord also tracks the correlation between its students’ law school GPA and their performance on the FYLSE. Students who do well in their courses at Concord pass the FYLSE at high rates. The statistics below illustrate various Concord first-year grade point average levels for students taking the FYLSE and the resultant pass rates.
| Greater than 3.0 |
85% |
| 2.7 to 3.0 |
53% |
| 2.50 to 2.69 |
28.5% |
| 2.00 to 2.49 |
10.8% |
|
Concord calibrates its grading policies within the JD degree program to deliver realistic and continual feedback for learners as they progress toward their educational and career goals. Concord's success in implementing this calibration provides a mechanism for students to receive continual feedback on their progress toward their licensing goals.
Note: students may continue taking law courses pending the results of the FYLSE. To continue in Concord's JD degree program, students must pass the FYLSE within the first three consecutive administrations after they become eligible. Passing within that period allows students to receive credit for all law school classes completed up to that time.