law school preparation institute
Post on 03-Feb-2022
1 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTELAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
www.law.utep.edu
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
-87.50%
-2.76%
8.53%
-40.50%
4.69%
77.73%
Proportional Disparity of Law School Matriculation by Ethnicity (2009)
Mexican American
Hispanic Non Mex Am
Caucasian
African American
Native American
Asian/Pacific Islander
2
Proportional Disparities: African Americans and Mexican Americans
Severely Underrepresented in Law School
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Law School Admission Council
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
Comparison of U.S. Population and
Law School Matriculants
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO3
10.32%5.43%
64.93%
12.10%
0.64%
4.58%
2.00%
U.S. Population by Ethnicity (2009)
Mexican American Hispanic Non Mex Am Caucasian
African American Native American Asian/Pacific Islander
Other
1.29%
5.28%
70.47%
7.20%
0.67%
8.14%
6.95%
Law School Matriculants (2009)
Mexican American Hispanic Non Mex Am Caucasian
African American Native American Asian/Pacific Islander
Other
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Law School Admission Council
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
Comparison of U.S. Population and
First Time LSAT Takers (2008-09)
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO4
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Law School Admission Council
10.32%
64.93%
12.10%
12.65%
U.S. Population by Ethnicity (2009)
Mexican American Caucasian
African American Other
1.39%
67.07%
9.58%
21.95%
First Time LSAT Takers (2008-09)
Mexican American Caucasian
African American Other
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
5
37.14 Million African American U.S. Pop. (2009)
3,520 Matriculants
4,180 Accepted (42.3%)
9,880 Applicants
13,205 LSATs
(est 9,092 indvls)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Law School Admission Council
Avg. LSAT 142.25(2003-04 to 2008-09)
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
6
199.33 Million Caucasian U.S. Pop. (2009)
34,460 Matriculants
40,890 Accepted (74.2%)
55,110 Applicants
73,248 LSATs
(est 63,649 indvls)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Law School Admission Council
Avg. LSAT 152.67(2003-04 to 2008-09)
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
7
31.69 Million Mexican American U.S. Pop. (2009)
630 Matriculants
740 Accepted (62.2%)
1,190 Applicants
1,853 LSATs
(est. 1323 indvls)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Law School Admission Council
Avg. LSAT 147.63(2003-04 to 2008-09)
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
Global Issues
• As of last year, the US Dept of Ed and LSAC stopped disaggregating data for Mexican Americans, including them in the overall “Hispanic” group, further masking the problem
• LSAT as a factor in admissions
– Because the USNWR weighs the LSAT so heavily in the rankings and doesn’t take diversity into consideration, certain diversity groups are at a disadvantage
– As of last year, the USNWR began to include LSATS for part time and evening programs in the rankings computation, further disadvantaging diverse students
8
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
Solutions??
• Aside from remedying the overall problem of poorer K-12 education for diverse groups, and giving less weight to the LSAT and/or demanding the inclusion of diversity in the rankings, what can be done?
• How can we get more underrepresented students to take the LSAT, score well, then get into law school, graduate, and pass the bar?
• On a positive note, LSPI is making strides in El Paso, a county that is over 80% Hispanic
9
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
UTEP’s Law School Preparation Institute
• High School Programming Efforts
– Aimed at reaching out, exposing students to law as a career option, role modeling, skill building, helping students prepare now to posture themselves to become successful law school applicants, hosting competitions to build self confidence in law-related work, helping foster a belief in themselves that they can do it
• Camp/pre law education—develop substantive and practical skills
• Competitions with judges and attorneys from El Paso
• Collaboration with State Bar and Texas Young Lawyers
10
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
LSPI College Level Programming• 8-week summer Institute: Intensive courses to build logic,
legal reasoning, analytical, writing, and critical thinking skills as well as prepare for the LSAT (& extended tutoring)
• Help in marketing students for successful law school application and support in the application process
• Children’s Rights Law course where students serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates
• Juvenile Justice Center clinical opportunity for students
• Internships with judges, government offices and other organizations
• 1-week boot camp immediately before starting law school
• Networking and connecting with mentors
• Post college: clerkship opportunities for law students
11
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
Measures of Success
• Of over 300 LSPI graduates who have gone on to law school, almost 2/3 matriculated at top tier schools and about 1/3 at top 15 schools
• Approx. 93% of LSPI graduates who applied to law school gained admission, compared to 62.2% of Mex Ams, 74.2% of Caucasians and 42.3% of Af Ams in 2009
• In 2010, Mexican American LSPI students scored an average of 5 points higher than the average score of all Mexican Americans over 2003-04 through 2008-09
• We are seeing follow through on pipeline from our high school programming to law school
12
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
LAW SCHOOL PREPARATION INSTITUTE
13
Threats/Weaknesses
• Funding – LSPI is funded through a special item in state budget
for UTEP & an LSAC grant for high school programming
• Trouble effectively reaching two important populations that
have people interested in law school – community and graduate
students
• Continuation of high school program; further outreach to
younger students in the community
• Raising awareness of the program – disparities in admission
between LSPI and non-LSPI students
• Perception of the legal market
top related