Among 2,156 Students Admitted Last Year, 941
Scholarship Penalties Are Ineffective
Four out of ten law school entrants retake the Law School Admission Test (LEET).
This is analyzed to be influenced by the increase in so-called 'bansu (반수)', where students who entered law school switch to SKY law schools, which make it easier to get jobs at large law firms. LEET is a test that measures the mathematical ability required to complete law school education and the basic knowledge and aptitude necessary to be a legal professional.
According to the status of LEET test takers among law school entrants obtained by the Legal Times on the 9th, out of 2,156 students who entered 25 law schools nationwide last year, 941 students, or 43.6%, retook the LEET. The LEET retake rate was 37.5% (796/2,123) in 2021 and 36.6% (784/2,142) in 2022. This means that four out of ten law school entrants over the past three years try to enter top law schools in Seoul through the LEET.
By law school, last year, Konkuk University had the highest LEET retake rate at 78.6%, followed by Inha University (76.4%), Kyungpook National University (74.2%), and Chonbuk National University (71.6%), all exceeding 70%. Next were Jeju National University (69%), Ajou University (69.1%), Pusan National University (63.6%), Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (61.8%), Chungnam National University (60.2%), Ewha Womans University (59.1%), University of Seoul (56.4%), and Kangwon National University (54.5%), where more than half of the entrants challenged retaking the test.
On the other hand, Seoul National University (1.3%), Korea University (9.8%), Yonsei University (15.3%), Wonkwang University (18.8%), Sogang University (20.5%), Hanyang University (24.5%), Yeungnam University (26.3%), and Chung-Ang University (30.9%) showed relatively low LEET retake rates.
These universities are interpreted to have relatively high student satisfaction and preference. Some law schools are reportedly struggling to prevent student attrition by, for example, holding promotion exams on the day of the LEET test.
A student at a regional law school said, "They impose sanctions such as taking a mock test on the LEET test day and penalizing scholarship payments for absences, but it is insufficient to stop it," adding, "There is a strong perception that investing just one year is worth it if it improves chances of employment at large law firms."
A professor at a small to medium-sized law school in Seoul said, "Out of ten students who took classes in the first year, five were not seen in the second year, and I heard they re-enrolled in other law schools," adding, "Especially since many top students leave, it greatly affects the bar exam pass rate and school finances."
Legal Times Reporters: Lee Soon-gyu, Yoo Ji-in, Ahn Hyun
※This article is based on content supplied by Law Times.
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