Disability Accommodations
Students with physical or learning disabilities that impact
test performance should establish a record of accommodations
while in law school so that there is historical
documentation for requesting appropriate accommodations
when signing up to take the bar in their third year.
Section VI of the UDC-DCSL Student Handbook describes
the School of Law’s policy on accommodating disabilities.
The purpose of the policy is to "ensure individualized
opportunities for students with disabilities." The
various bar authorities also have disability accommodation
policies.
Most bar examiners inquire as to whether accommodations
were provided during law school. Since bar examinations
are by definition highly time sensitive (1.6 minutes
per MBE question), time accommodations for those with
reading or similar issues can be the difference between success
and failure.
Sometimes, students for reasons of "pride" have preferred
to "tough it out" rather than receive
"accommodations" during law school. Because of the tie-in
to the bar, "toughing it out" is not the way to go.
Registering for the Bar as a 1L or 2L
Students should be aware that a number of states
have law student registration requirements for taking
the bar. In these states, students may have to convey
their intent to take that state’s bar as early as their first
year of law school. The penalty for not registering early
is usually a much more expensive bar fee. Florida, for
example, charges a non-registered examinee $875 to take
the bar; this is $500 more than the $375 charged registered
students who register as 1Ls for as little as $75.
California, Illinois, Iowa, and Florida are among the
states that have student registration requirements.
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