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The JD-Next Bridge Program
Provide incoming 1Ls with a solid foundation for success in law school by equipping them with a program designed to build on essential skills, knowledge, and preparation for academic excellence.
What is the JD-Next Bridge Program?
JD-Next Bridge is an online, asynchronous course and final exam offered by law schools to all or some incoming students to help prepare them for the rigors and expectations of law school. The course is offered in 5- and 8-week options; both include the same content with different pacing.
Why Students Benefit
JD-Next Bridge provides a realistic preview of the law school experience, focusing on skills that directly impact 1L success:
- Reading and briefing cases: Students learn how to dissect complex judicial opinions and identify key rules and facts.
- Analytical reasoning: Through interactive exercises, students develop critical thinking skills needed to tackle hypos and legal arguments.
- Legal writing fundamentals: JD-Next Bridge assists students with structured, persuasive writing through instruction, assessment, and feedback.
Students spend an estimated 6-10 hours per week in the course. The course is organized around classic Contract Law cases like Hawkins v. McGee, exposing students to materials they will encounter in their first semester of law school. Each week, students engage with manageable, self-paced modules that:
- Build confidence before starting law school
- Begin to acclimate to the unique process of studying law
- Develop essential legal research and writing skills
Validity studies have demonstrated that JD-Next scores are correlated with grade point average for the first year of law school. Students who completed the JD-Next program have demonstrated an increase in 1L GPA by 0.20 points on average – a significant academic boost that translates to greater persistence and success in law school.
Why Law Schools Benefit
JD-Next is a powerful tool that can help identify students at risk while providing them extra support before school even begins. The program will help not only students at risk but also better prepare any students for law school aiding persistence and their overall success. Our program can also be used to help you with waitlist or contingency admission status.
And with flexible pricing and course lengths, law schools can decide which incoming students should take the course and for how long.
Upcoming JD-Next Bridge Dates
| JD-Next Bridge Session | Course Start Date | Exam Window Begins | Score Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-week session | June 2, 2025 | July 10, 2025 | August 11, 2025 |
| 8-week session | June 2, 2025 | July 31, 2025 | August 27, 2025 |
JD-Next Bridge contracts must be finalized at least two weeks prior to the course start date to allow sufficient time to set up the JD-Next Bridge program for your institution.
JD-Next White Paper
JD-Next is excited to introduce the release of our latest document highlighting the validity and fairness of our program.
This white paper summarizes the innovative approach of our program in proving aspiring law students with a realistic preview of law school and emphasizing practical skills over traditional test scores. Through detailed research and analysis, the primary takeaways of this paper are:
- Showcasing the development and implementation of JD-Next as a groundbreaking solution to improve law school performance
- JD-Next promotes access to legal education for all students
- Underscoring the significance of JD-Next in minimizing score disparities to level the playing field for all candidates
- Highlighting recent validation studies that demonstrate the strong predictive power of JD-Next test scores in forecasting law school grades