The percentage of test takers passing Connecticut’s July bar exam saw a dramatic drop as only 55 percent of all test takers made the cut this year, down from 70 percent a year ago.

Lawyers, law professors and those involved in administering the exam said the numbers are alarming, and that there might not be a single reason for the drop. The average pass rate for the July exam since 2000 had been around 75 percent, but the previous three years have seen some of the lowest rates. In addition, the February 2018 bar exam hit an 18-year-low, with only 38 percent of test takers passing.