Pounce The Bar

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$75
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Raised toward our $5,000 Goal
2 Donors
20
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Project ends on November 19, at 09:30 AM EST
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Help Georgia State Law Students Succeed on the Next Generation Bar Exam

Beginning in July 2028, all applicants to the Georgia Bar will take the Next Generation Bar Exam (NextGen Bar Exam), a modernized test that measures the real-world skills new lawyers need. Georgia State University College of Law (GSU Law) is leading the way in preparing students for this major shift.

A New Era of Bar Preparation

The NextGen Bar Exam emphasizes practical, performance-based skills such as research, analysis, writing, and problem-solving. Students must demonstrate their ability to think and act like practicing attorneys rather than simply memorizing the law.

To meet this challenge, GSU Law is expanding its Comprehensive Bar Exam Preparation Program, which includes the Pounce the Bar Supplemental Bar Program, a nationally recognized model for student success.

What the Program Provides

Under the leadership of Professor Tia Gibbs, Director of Academic Advisement and Bar Success, GSU Law offers a holistic, two-phase approach:

Pre-Graduation Support

  • Workshops and Simulations: Bar 101: From JD to Esq, MPRE preparation, simulated exams, and bar-readiness kickoff events.
  • Expert Visits: Representatives from the Georgia Office of Bar Admissions provide guidance on applications, accommodations, and deadlines.

Post-Graduation Support

  • Bar Boot Camp: Intensive two-day workshop led by national expert Professor Jonathan Grossman.
  • Simulated Exams and Writing Labs: Essay and performance-test practice with personalized faculty feedback.
  • Peer Mentoring: Alumni-student pairs offer study support, strategies, and encouragement during bar preparation.

Why Your Support Matters

GSU Law graduates, many of them first-generation law students, are determined to join the legal profession and serve their communities. Your gift helps ensure every student has the resources to succeed.

Donations fund:

  • Bar Boot Camp and simulation workshops
  • Mentoring stipends for alumni coaches
  • Writing and feedback programs
  • Testing software and materials
  • Need-based bar preparation scholarships

Together, these investments build confidence, improve bar passage rates, and create pathways to justice.

What Faculty Are Saying

"Our Pounce the Bar program is crucial to our students' and graduates' academic success, career placement and mental well-being. This is a comprehensive program that gives students the substantive skills needed to pass the bar and the mental preparedness that all attorneys need throughout school and upon graduation. The College of Law's bar passage rates have improved tremendously since this program began. There are changes coming very soon to the bar, and it is critical that the Pounce the Bar program has the resources needed to adapt and to support our students." - Dean Courtney Anderson

“The Pounce the Bar Program provides students with targeted support during one of the most challenging times in their legal education. By offering structure, accountability, and community, the program has helped increase the number of students successfully becoming licensed attorneys. It is a direct investment in the future of our profession.” - Director of Bar Success Tia Gibbs

“We are proud to graduate a significant number of first-generation law students whose dream of becoming practicing lawyers requires that they pass the bar, preferably the first time. Donations in support of our bar preparation program ensure that we continue to attract, educate, and graduate these students and prepare them for success.” - Professor Tanya Washington

Join Us

By supporting Pounce the Bar, you help future attorneys cross the final threshold to their careers better prepared, more confident, and ready to serve the citizens of Georgia.