LexPreLaw by AccessLex – A Review of Alumni Outcomes

LexPreLaw^®, a diversity pathway program developed by AccessLex Institute^®, was introduced in 2020 to support aspiring lawyers from underrepresented racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups in legal education. Since its inception, LexPreLaw has equipped over 800 individuals with the tools and resources needed to increase their chances of gaining admission to law school.

LexPreLaw addresses key barriers in the law school application process and targets individuals with low LSAT scores, many of whom had already been previously denied law school admission. Participants benefit from a free full-length commercial LSAT prep course and financial assistance throughout the admission cycle. Additionally, some participants receive personalized law school admission counseling.

Law school matriculants from the inaugural LexPreLaw cohort have recently completed law school and will soon be taking the bar exam – a noteworthy milestone for these students and the program. In our continuous efforts to support program alumni and upcoming participants, we collect data annually from program alumni who are currently in law school.

For a visual overview of the LexPreLaw program and outcomes, view our infographic.

Academic Standing

Drawing from three cohorts of LexPreLaw alumni, we’ve observed that most alumni (82%) completed their first year of law school confidently in good academic standing, maintaining GPAs more than 0.25 points above their law school's probation threshold. Typically, these students held a GPA that would ensure they would remain well above academic standards for the duration of their law study. Ten percent of LexPreLaw alumni were cautiously in good academic standing, meaning their GPAs fell within 0.25 points of their law school’s threshold for academic probation or dismissal. These students, along with those who are still enrolled but not in good academic standing, make up a group of admitted students who may need additional support to succeed in law school.

Grade Point Average

As LexPreLaw alumni progress through their law school journey, most exhibit consistent increases in their GPA over time. Students increased their GPA between the first semester and second semester by an average of 0.04 points. Between their first year (1L) to their second year (2L), the average GPA increase was 0.14. By the time they reached their third year (3L), the average GPA increase from 1L was 0.15. GPA increases are common among most law students, and these findings indicate that LexPreLaw alumni progress through law school similar to their peers – improving and adapting to the academic challenges they face.

When analyzing GPA trends by subgroup, we find no significant differences between the law school GPAs of program alumni who were first-generation college graduates (FGCGs) and those who were continuing-generation college graduates. The absence of significant GPA gaps between FGCGs and continuing-generation students is notable because FGCGs often underperform when compared to their counterparts in law school and higher education more broadly.¹ These findings signal the potential of LexPreLaw, and comparable programs, to contribute to more equitable outcomes among diverse groups of students.

As part of our effort to understand various aspects of the law school experience, we asked alumni to rate the quality of their relationships with faculty, administrators, and fellow students. These ratings aim to capture students’ overall sense of belonging at their law school. Our research indicates that strong relationships with faculty are crucial for academic success – a significant positive correlation is observed between ratings of faculty relationships and alumni's first semester GPA (ρ = .38, p < .01), 1L GPA (ρ = .32, p < .05), and cumulative GPA (ρ = .37, p < .01). While relationships with fellow students and administrators are important for a sense of belonging, they do not seem to relate to law school GPA for LexPreLaw alumni as clearly as relationships with faculty. These findings highlight the critical role that faculty play in the educational journey of historically underrepresented students. 

LSAT Score Percentile

Our analysis also revealed that LSAT score percentiles did not reliably predict good academic standing after one semester (ρ = .24, p = .09), one year (ρ = .15, p = .31), or cumulatively (ρ = .25, p = .08). This finding is intriguing, as it suggests that the abilities and potential of LexPreLaw participants extend beyond what standardized tests can predict for historically underrepresented law students.² The absence of correlation between LSAT score percentiles and law school performance among LexPreLaw alumni supports the ongoing exploration of holistic admission processes that properly contextualize standardized test scores among applicants, particularly for those from historically marginalized backgrounds. This finding aligns with the program's belief in the diverse abilities of its participants.

The success of the LexPreLaw program is evident in the 158 alumni who have been admitted to law school since the program’s inception.
 

This number continues to grow each year, highlighting our ability to identify and support talented, motivated individuals on their journey to becoming lawyers. We are encouraged by the recent transition of the first cohort’s alumni into the legal profession and commend these individuals for their persistence in pursuit of their goals. By focusing on holistic development and providing technical support during the application process, we’ve helped our alumni achieve what may have been considered impossible if their candidacy were reduced to their LSAT score alone. The vast majority of LexPreLaw alumni excel once they enroll in law school.

As we move forward, AccessLex will continue to engage with LexPreLaw alumni to best understand their unique strengths and experiences in law school. We will continue our mission to identify talent beyond the limits of standardized tests and contribute positively to the evolution of the legal profession to better reflect the diversity of American society.

LexPreLaw is a component of the LexScholars by AccessLex^® diversity initiative.

¹ María José López et al., Academic Performance and Adjustment of First-Generation Students to Higher Education: A Systematic Review, 10 COGENT EDUC. art. no. 2209484 (2023).

² It is important to note that the limited range of LSAT percentiles among program participants likely contributes to the lack of a statistical relationship.