A Statistical Exploration - Analyzing the Relationship (If Any) Between Externship Participation and Bar Exam Scores

Sep 21, 2026

Relatively recently, the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) claimed that experiential legal education might harm bar passage performance. This article investigates whether externship participation has any statistical relationship—positive or negative—with bar exam scores. Using longitudinal bar passage data over a three-year period and further regression analysis, the study initially observes higher bar passage rates for externship participants, especially academically struggling students, but finds no observable statistical relationship overall.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background

A STATISTICAL EXPLORATION: ANALYZING THE RELATIONSHIP (IF ANY) BETWEEN EXTERNSHIP PARTICIPATION AND BAR EXAM SCORES Scott Johns* It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. —Sir Arthur Conan Doyle1 ABSTRACT Relatively recently, the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) claimed that experiential legal education might harm bar passage performance. Nevertheless, experiential learning opportunities, in particular externships, are some of the most meaningful educational opportunities available to law school students. That raises an important empirical question, given the increasing emphasis on providing more experiential learning opportunities for law students, especially externship *Scott Johns serves as Professor of the Practice of Law and Director of the Bar Passage Program at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Scott holds a BA in Mathematics and Statistics from Miami University and a JD from the University of Colorado. Before working at the University of Denver, Scott served as the director of academic achievement and interim director of academic support at two California law schools, respectively. Scott was a nontraditional law student, having served in the military and then working in the airline industry for a number of years before undertaking a legal education. This research project would not have come to fruition without the support of family (my spouse Julie and our children Zac and Katie), friends, colleagues, students, and graduates. Special thanks goes to Professor Ann Vessels, former director of the externship program, for providing the necessary data, background, and inspiration to conduct this research. In addition, gratitude goes to former research assistant Ann Zelenka who prepared the data set and conducted initial exploratory statistical tests ofthe data. 1. ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE, A Scandal in Bohemia, in THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES 8 (Sterling Publ ’g Co., Inc. 2004) (1892) . 281 programs. Do externship experiences have demonstrable value in positively influencing bar exam outcomes, or as the NCBE seems to suggest, do externships negatively impact bar exam outcomes? This article walks step by step through the process of evaluating whether externship participation at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law (Denver Law) has any statistical relationship to bar exam scores, particularly for academically struggling law school students. Initially, using longitudinal bar passage data over a three-year period, this study observes that students participating in externships positively outperform nonparticipants in bar passage rates, particularly for those students that struggled academically in law school. However, based on further statistical evaluation using regression analysis, this article finds that externship participation (which includes the number of externships taken) has no observable statistical relationship to bar exam scores, either positive or negative, leading to the conclusion that the NCBE’s claim, at least based on Denver Law bar takers, seems to be without merit. I. INTRODUCTION The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) suggests that experiential education might negatively impact bar passage rates.2 In contrast, a recent study suggested that some experiential learning opportunities might have positive correlations with bar exam scores.3 But that study’s results were mixed and inconsistent. Consequently, this study engages in a longitudinal statistical examination of whether participation in externship courses has a statistically significant beneficial relationship with bar exam scores. Initially, externship participation appears to be consistent with improved bar exam outcomes, particularly for those students who struggled academically during law school, with externship bar takers outperforming non-externship bar takers. However, upon closer

FAQs

What empirical question does the study address?

The study asks whether externship participation has a statistically significant beneficial relationship with bar exam scores, or whether it negatively affects outcomes as the NCBE suggests.

What do the longitudinal and regression results show?

Longitudinally, externship participants appear to outperform nonparticipants in bar passage rates, particularly among students who struggled academically. Regression analysis, however, finds no observable statistical relationship between externship participation and bar exam scores in either direction.

How does the article relate its findings to the NCBE claim?

Based on the Denver Law bar-taker population, the article concludes that the NCBE’s claim—at least regarding externships as a key experiential-learning model—seems to lack merit.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by River Wang