Escaping the Baby Bar in CA - One Way, & Will Save You Money!

[financialandtaxguy]

If you've read the requirements for online/distance learning law students, you know that we have to take and pass the Baby Bar here in California after your first year, and most of the online/distance learning schools are going to require you pass the Baby Bar before you can proceed to finish off the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years of law school. 

We know the Baby Bar can be a big obstacle for some of us, as it has been for me.  However, for those of you who have not started your first year of online/distance law school, you can use a little strategy by taking your first year in a traditional ABA approved law school, and then transfer to an online/distance learning law school in California, and you will be exempt from taking the Baby Bar!  Using this strategy, you will only have to pay the high cost of law school for one year at a traditional brick & mortar law school, and then transfer to an online program to finish up law school, and save yourself a ton of money, and escape the Baby Bar exam!

[passaroa25]

If I start my first year all over again at a brick and mortar law school, the last thing I am going to want to do is leave it and finish online!!!!!

[financialandtaxguy]

If I start my first year all over again at a brick and mortar law school, the last thing I am going to want to do is leave it and finish online!!!!!

Hi again,

I was particularly addressing the strategy of getting around the Baby Bar and Saving Money at the same time.  I did say in my post "for those of you who have not started your first year of online/distance law school," that especially in that scenario, take your first year at a brick and mortar law school, then finish your studies online/distance, get exempted from taking the Baby Bar, and you would have saved yourself two more years of high cost tuition at a brick and mortar law school.  Of course you have to pass your first year at a Brick and Mortar law school.

But you also save time, because under the all online route, at most CA online/distance law schools, if you don't pass the Baby Bar, you cannot advance to your second year!  So, what if takes five attempts at the Baby Bar before moving onto your second year, that's almost three years of waiting before you advance to your second year!  Which means you finish your online/distance law school in seven years!  Therefore, if you use the strategy I'm suggesting, you would save yourself time and money if you take your first year at a brick and mortar law school, and then enter your second year at an online/distance law school, be exempt from the Baby Bar, finish up your law degree in four years, and at a lower cost!

In response to your response in particular, if I retake my first year at a Brick and Mortar law school, and pass, I would not stay at that Brick and Mortar law school, but to save money, I would finish up law school online!  Thanks for your comment!

[passaroa25]

There are quite a few law graduates who have done just what you have suggested.  I don't remember where I saw the discussion, but I remember reading a blog by Taft students who discussed having left their brick and mortar law schools and were studying at Taft instead.  The California Bar even tracks those students who were first year law school students at brick and mortar schools as far away as Georgia, who became online law school students.  The old saying, "by any means necessary", has many believers.

[calgal27]

Does it work in the reverse?  For example, I was planning to attend a brick & mortar school in Birmingham, AL.  Classes start September 3 and they meet every Saturday.  I am in Atlanta and the drive is not bad until you cross into Alabama where the speed limit is 50MPH and there are cops everywhere.   I made a trial run to Birmingham and was very disturbed by all that.

Plus, it seems that with family obligations, this year is not a great year to be gone every Saturday.   Next year... as kids are older, it won't matter so much.

So, while I was reading my student handbook, I found something interesting.  BSOL will accept transfer students from ABA approved, non-ABA approved and ONLINE law schools at their discretion.  Since I was already admitted to BSOL, I am sure that if I took my first year classes online and then transfered to BSOL, I would have no problem getting in. 

So the question is... would I still have to sit for baby bar?  I guess if I am not taking my second year online, the the obvious answer would be no.

Any thoughts?

[InterAlia1961]

Unless you do your first year at an ABA-approved law school, you're sitting for the baby bar. It's as simple as that.

[GovLaw]

Actually no, it's not as simple as that.  You must take the baby bar to continue your online education in California, but if you do not attempt to continue with a California law school you are not required to take the baby bar.  The regulations are clear, you must pass the baby bar before proceeding in a California law school, and in the instance posted by calgal27 she would not be returning to California law school and would be under no obligation to take the baby bar.

[InterAlia1961]

Mea Cupla. If you can practice in AL after graduating from a non-ABA approved school, then forget about the baby bar.

[passaroa25]

Knowledge wise, you might be better off studying online first.  You will be ahead of everyone else.  But being gone every Saturday is temporary.  On the other hand, put your kids first.  You won't get that year back.  We are pulling for you.

[like_lasagna]

If you get into and attend an ABA-approved law school, it seems like it would be a huge waste to then transfer to an online law school. You'd unnecessarily limiting your post-graduate options: you'd have fewer opportunities and fewer places where you could practice.