South Dakota Bar Exam Statistics


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South Dakota Bar Exam Statistics 2023: Facts about Bar Exam in South Dakota reflect the current socio-economic condition of the state.

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LLCBuddy editorial team did hours of research, collected all important statistics on South Dakota Bar Exam, and shared those on this page. Our editorial team proofread these to make the data as accurate as possible. We believe you don’t need to check any other resources on the web for the same. You should get everything here only 🙂

Are you planning to start a South Dakota LLC business in 2023? Maybe for educational purposes, business research, or personal curiosity, whatever it is – it’s always a good idea to gather more information.

How much of an impact will South Dakota Bar Exam Statistics have on your day-to-day? or the day-to-day of your LLC Business? How much does it matter directly or indirectly? You should get answers to all your questions here.

Please read the page carefully and don’t miss any words.

Top South Dakota Bar Exam Statistics 2023

☰ Use “CTRL+F” to quickly find statistics. There are total 18 South Dakota Bar Exam Statistics on this page 🙂

South Dakota Bar Exam “Latest” Statistics

  • More than 90% in the previous class had passed the South Dakota bar exam, which determines whether a law school grad can practice law in the state.[1]
  • The overall pass rates for the South Dakota bar exam have ranged between 58% and 97% for all takers, 72% and 100% for first-time takers, and 17% and 78% for repeat takers.[2]
  • According to Superior Court Rule 304(f), each candidate must pass the written bar examination with a minimum combined score of 70% or higher on the MBE and essay sections, and a minimum scaled score of 75 on the MPRE in order to pass.[3]
  • USD Law ranks 183 in terms of bar passage rate among first-time test takers (51.7%), and it underperforms by -16.5% the state of South Dakota’s overall bar passage rate of 68.2%.[5]
  • 1151 out of 3098 people who took the California bar exam in February 2021 had a passing percentage of 37.2% while South Dakota had a 56% overall passing percentage.[3]
  • The unofficial passing percentage for first time test takers who took the bar in July is closer to 50% .[1]
  • 162 out of 378 Maryland bar exam test takers in February 2021 passed with a total percentage of 42.9% while South Dakota had a 56% overall passing percentage.[3]
  • In order to pass the South Dakota bar exam, an examinee should score a 135 out of 200-point scale.[3]
  • To pass the South Dakota bar exam, an examinee must have a minimum score of 135 on the Multistate Bar Exam (“MBE”) portion and an average score of 75% on the written portion, which is the combined 2 Multistate Performance Test (“MPT”) questions, 5 Multistate Essay Exam (“MEE”) questions, and 1 Indian Law question.[2]
  • In University of Dakota, the 2021 first-time bar passage rate was 72.6%.[2]
  • In February 2022, South Dakota bar exam had an overall passing percentage of 55% with first time pass rate of 81%, and 29% repeater pass rate.[2]
  • In order to pass the South Dakota bar exam, you must score 130 on the MBE’s 200-point scale.[7]
  • The scores of the exam sections are weighted as follows: the written component 50% and MBE 50%. South Dakota makes bar exam results available approximately 8 to 10 weeks after the exam.[7]

South Dakota Bar Exam “Exam” Statistics

  • The South Dakota Bar Exam weights different sections like the MBE, the MEE/Indian Essay, and the MPT require separate scores to pass. The MBE must be 135, the MEE/Indian Essay requires a 75%, and the MPRE requires an 85 to pass the South Dakota Bar exam.[6]
  • An examinee must score 85 or higher on the MPRE in order to pass in South Dakota.[7]
  • The Board of Bar examiners automatically analyzes and regrades the top 15% of the failed applicants’ essay responses after the tests have been assessed but before the dissemination of the grading results.[3]

South Dakota Bar Exam “Test” Statistics

  • To pass the test, the candidate must have a scaled score of at least 133 on the MBE and an average of at least 75% on the MEE/MPT/Indian law part.[8]

South Dakota Bar Exam “Other” Statistics

  • South Dakota had a passing percentage of 58.26% (67 out of 115). First time taker had a passing percentage of 68.18% (45 out of 66). The data shows a summary for the 2017 calendar year.[4]

Also Read

How Useful is South Dakota Bar Exam

However, the question remains: how useful is the South Dakota Bar Exam?

Proponents of the bar exam argue that it is an essential tool for ensuring that only competent and qualified individuals are allowed to practice law. By testing applicants on their knowledge of legal principles and their ability to apply these principles to real-world scenarios, the bar exam helps to safeguard the public interest and uphold the integrity of the legal profession.

Moreover, passing the bar exam is a testament to an individual’s dedication, hard work, and perseverance. The exam is notoriously challenging, requiring months of preparation and study. Those who are able to successfully pass the bar exam have demonstrated their commitment to the legal profession and their ability to overcome obstacles.

On the other hand, critics of the bar exam argue that it is an outdated and unnecessary barrier to entry into the legal profession. They point to the fact that the exam puts undue burden on applicants, both financially and mentally. The costs of taking the bar exam, including study materials, prep courses, and exam fees, can be prohibitively high for some individuals. Additionally, the intense pressure of the exam can take a toll on applicants’ mental health, leading to stress, anxiety, and burnout.

Critics also argue that the bar exam is not an accurate measure of an individual’s ability to practice law effectively. They contend that the exam focuses too much on memorization and rote learning, rather than critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In an ever-changing legal landscape, these skills are becoming increasingly important for lawyers to be successful in their careers.

Despite these criticisms, it is clear that the South Dakota Bar Exam continues to be a vital component of the legal profession in South Dakota. While there may be room for improvement in the exam format and content, its importance in ensuring the competency and integrity of lawyers cannot be understated.

As the legal profession continues to evolve, it is essential for the South Dakota State Bar to periodically review and revamp the bar exam to ensure that it remains relevant, fair, and effective. By doing so, the South Dakota Bar can continue to uphold the highest standards of the legal profession and provide the public with competent and ethical legal representation.

Reference

  1. argusleader – https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2016/10/01/growing-number-law-school-grads-unable-pass-bar-exam/91271810/
  2. ibarexam – https://ibarexam.com/south-dakota-bar-exam/
  3. jdadvising – https://jdadvising.com/february-2022-bar-exam-results-release-dates-by-state/
  4. lawschooli – https://lawschooli.com/bar-exam-pass-rate-by-state/
  5. ilrg – https://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/view/164
  6. testmaxprep – https://testmaxprep.com/bar-exam/courses/south-dakota-bar-review
  7. ameribar – https://ameribar.com/south-dakota-bar-exam/
  8. barexam – https://barexam.info/state-bar-info/south-dakota-bar-exam/
  9. adaptibar – https://blog.adaptibar.com/february-2020-bar-exam-results/
  10. ncbex – https://thebarexaminer.ncbex.org/article/summer-fall-2021/from-my-perspective/
  11. lawschooltransparency – https://www.lawschooltransparency.com/schools/southdakota/admissions
  12. ncbex – https://www.ncbex.org/statistics-and-research/bar-exam-results/
  13. ndcourts – https://www.ndcourts.gov/news/north-dakota/north-dakota-supreme-court/general-news/july-2021-bar-examination-results-released

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