Dear Graduating Students,

Welcome back! I hope you had a relaxing break and that classes are off to a good start.

As initial bar application deadlines approach for several states, including Louisiana and Texas, I know some of you already have started the bar application process. If you have questions about the process, please feel free to set up a time to discuss at Calendly.com/abigailgaunt. I’m also available to notarize documents by appointment on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (don’t sign your documents before coming in). Dean’s Certificates should be submitted to Academic Services, either by hard copy to Suite 204 or by email to lawacademicservices@tulane.edu, depending on the state’s instructions.

If you haven’t started this process, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the deadlines for any states you are considering (California, New York, and Florida aren’t due until April/May). You can search bar application requirements and components by jurisdiction using the interactive map here. The Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, published by the American Bar Association, provides general information on each Bar. The book includes tables that provide an easy comparison of the rules, regulations, fees, deadlines, and general information for each state. You are encouraged to confirm the information with the jurisdiction’s bar admission directly, particularly given Covid-19 related changes.  

As a reminder to Louisiana students who completed the Law Student Registration Process in their 2L year, you must submit a separate application to sit for the bar. Visit the

Although 1L students do not receive a class rank in the fall semester, we do offer the following quartile information so that first year students may gauge how they are performing.

These quartile cutoffs are the only information which is available for first year students for the fall term, and are not official class standings (official class rankings are determined at the end of the spring semester once a full year of law studies is completed).   Information regarding class rankings may be found in Section IV.M of the Student Handbook.

These are the 1L quartiles following the fall semester (for informational purposes only):

25% - 3.666
33% - 3.574
50% - 3.334
75% - 2.970

The 1L grade distributions for the fall semester are now posted under the Grades link of the Academic Services page of TLS Intranet at https://intranet.law.tulane.edu/Depts-Offices/Academic-Services-Home/Grades-Transcripts  The list of the highest grade in each course is indicated on the grade distribution chart.

Please contact Academic Services if you have questions about this information. 

• Students who are taking exams remotely are expected to take their exam at the scheduled exam time.   Academic Services will send students taking exams remotely the exam password information at the scheduled time for the exam.  
• As a reminder, students are not receiving printed copies of the exams.  The questions for each exam will appear in the question fields.  The exam document will be attached as a pdf copy.   With the exception of a take home exam, no one, either in-person or remote, is to receive or print a hard-copy of the exam document.  Specific directions for the exam will be indicated on the instruction page, or first page, of your exam.  The test document will be included as an attachment to the exam file.   Students will be able to access the test once they have logged in to start an exam. The test document would be found under Exam Controls or accessed in Tools once you have started the exam.   
• In an open book exam you may have and refer to any texts and/or notes as permitted by the instructor.  Students may not collaborate or share any materials during the examination.  Students may not access the Internet during the exam unless specifically authorized by the exam instructions. The use of any material or devices which do not comply with Law School rules may be a violation of the Student Honor Code.
• The exam software does provide a timing feature which will be used to track the time spent on the exam.   The software will automatically end when the specified time period for the exam is reached.   When time is up you should immediately end the exam and upload your completed exam answer.

The updated exam schedule, including room assignments and times, is posted on the Exam Information link on the TLS Intranet.  

If you are taking exams in-person before Thanksgiving, you will report to the assigned classroom at the designated time to take your exam.  There will be a proctor present to check in those students who are taking exams in-person.   Please make sure to have your student ID with you when you check in for your exam.   All students will be using the Examplify software to take exams but the ExamMonitor and ExamID features won’t be enabled for the in-person exams.   The proctor will provide in-person exam takers with the password to start their exams, and will check out those students upon completion of their exams.    

• Rescheduled exams completed before Thanksgiving will take place at 9:00 am.  Those taking a rescheduled exam in-person should check in with Academic Services, in room 204, by 8:45 am.  Academic Services will send students taking rescheduled exams remotely the exam password information by 9:00 am.

After Thanksgiving exams are being administered remotely.   We are using the ExamID and ExamMonitor component of the Examplify software to check in and monitor students taking exams remotely.   Prior to taking exams all students will need to complete the Baseline Photo Mock Test (see instructions below) so that the ExamID function is set up for you.   The students will see that the ExamMonitor and ExamID feature is indicated when they login to take the exam on Examplify.  

• All exams, including rescheduled exams, completed after Thanksgiving will be taken at noon CST on the scheduled exam date.  Academic Services will send all exam takers the password for the exam at that time. 

The functions of the software are the same for in-person or remote exams, with the exception that ExamMonitor and ExamID are used for remote exams but not for in-person exams (they are also not enabled for any take-home exams). 

• If you are taking an open book exam you will be able to access your notes and documents on the desktop provided this access is allowed by the instructor.   Please make sure that you have saved any documents or notes needed for your exam(s) on your desktop.
• Students may use blank paper as scratch paper unless specifically prohibited by the instructor.

ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE INSTALLED THE EXAMPLIFY SOFTWARE AND COMPLETED THE BASELINE PHOTO MOCK TEST BEFORE THE EXAM PERIO

• The Deadline for Fall 2020 semester loan increase requests is December 11, 2020. This will allow time for them to be processed before the winter break. Our office will close Friday, Dec. 18, 2020.
• If you will be attending spring semester, you will be able to request loan increases until mid-April pending eligibility.
• If your classes start on Jan. 19, 2021 and you have federal loans, they will disburse to your Tulane account on Jan. 15, 2021. Request a refund via Gibson Online if you are expecting living expense funds.
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Financial Aid can be contacted via phone: 504-865-5931, or  email: finaid@law.tulane.edu. Good luck on finals and have a great break!