Nearly one quarter of UCLA law students granted extra time on exams

Nearly One Quarter of UCLA Law Students Now Receive Extra Time on Exams

By Mark Smith

Nearly one quarter of students at the UCLA School of Law are now receiving disability accommodations that grant them extra time on exams. The figure has drawn attention to the rapid rise in such accommodations at one of the nation’s top law schools.

According to records obtained through a public records request, 323 students — or about 24% of the law school’s total enrollment — received extra time on exams during the 2024-2025 academic year. That number was up from 308 students the previous year. In both years, the vast majority of accommodations involved additional testing time, with some students receiving as much as 50% or even 100% extra time on high-stakes exams.

Sharp Rise in Accommodations

The data, first reported by The California Post, shows a significant increase in the number of UCLA Law students receiving disability-based testing accommodations in recent years. While exact historical figures for the law school are limited, the current percentage is notably higher than the roughly 10% of undergraduates and far lower percentage of graduate students who typically receive similar accommodations across the broader University of California system.

Law schools nationwide have seen increases in disability accommodation requests in recent years, particularly for conditions such as ADHD and anxiety. However, the nearly 25% figure at UCLA Law stands out even among elite institutions.

Debate Over Fairness and Academic Standards

The high percentage of students receiving extra time has sparked debate about fairness, grade curves, and the overall integrity of law school assessments. Critics argue that when such a large portion of a class receives extra time, it can distort the competitive grading curve that determines class rank, honors, and job prospects.

Supporters of expanded accommodations maintain that they are necessary to ensure students with documented disabilities have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge. They point to legal requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act and argue that proper documentation and review processes prevent abuse.

UCLA Law has not publicly commented in detail on the specific numbers, but like other law schools, it operates under federal guidelines that require institutions to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities.

Broader Implications for Legal Education

The rise in testing accommodations at UCLA Law raises broader questions about how law schools should balance accessibility with academic rigor. Law school exams are traditionally timed, high-pressure assessments designed to test not only knowledge but also the ability to perform under time constraints — a skill many argue is relevant to legal practice.

Some observers have expressed concern that the growing number of students receiving extra time could affect bar exam preparation and passage rates, though there is limited public data directly linking law school accommodations to bar performance. Others worry that the system may be vulnerable to over-diagnosis or strategic use of accommodations.

The issue is not unique to UCLA. Similar debates have emerged at other selective law schools as the number of students requesting and receiving disability accommodations has increased nationally.

What Comes Next

As more data becomes public and the conversation continues, law schools across the country are likely to face increased scrutiny over how they handle disability accommodations. Some institutions have begun reviewing their processes to ensure accommodations are granted appropriately while maintaining academic standards.

For now, the UCLA numbers highlight a significant shift in how disability accommodations are being used in legal education. With nearly one in four students at one of the top law schools in the country receiving extra time on exams, the issue is drawing attention from students, faculty, administrators, and legal employers alike.

The debate over fairness, access, and standards is expected to continue as more law schools release or face questions about their own accommodation data.

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