Kentucky Bar Sees Testing Score Error

Hearing bad news first typically makes good news feel better.

But that’s only the case if the news—good or bad—is true.

15 law students got a case of good news in October. They were told they passed the Kentucky Remote Bar Exam. Then, they were told that they actually didn’t pass, ABC News reports.

TESTING SCORE ERROR

The culprit behind the mishap was a testing score error in which 18 applicants received false information regarding their exam results.

“The scoring error occurred when an applicant identifier was entered into a database spreadsheet twice, causing a limited number of other applicants’ scores to be misaligned and assigned to the wrong applicant,” according to an official statement by the Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions. “The Office of Bar Admissions worked immediately to investigate and correct the error, which unfortunately resulted in eighteen applicants having been informed incorrectly about their Bar Exam results.”

Unfortunately, the error resulted in 15 applicants who had been falsely informed they passed the exam when they didn’t. Additionally, due to the error, three applicants who had been informed they did not pass the exam actually did pass.

“I want to apologize to every applicant affected by the incorrect Kentucky Bar Exam results that were issued by my office earlier this week,” KYOBA executive director Valetta Browne says in the statement. “I know that no apology can undo the anguish and disappointment that these bar examinees and their families have endured. We sincerely regret this mistake, which was the result of a data entry error.”

The Board of Bar Examiners and Supreme Court waived all application fees for the February Bar exam for the 15 applicants who were falsely informed that they had passed.

Sources: ABC News, Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions