What is the Bar Exam?

Every law student dreams of one day passing the bar exam and becoming a licensed attorney. But what exactly is the bar exam, why do you have to take it, how can you prepare for it, and what's required to pass it?

What is a bar exam?

A bar exam is a written examination administered by a country or region's bar association. The exam is designed to assess whether an individual has the skills and legal knowledge necessary to practice law in that jurisdiction. In general, passing a bar exam is the final step to being admitted to your country, state, or jurisdiction's bar association, a professional organization for practicing lawyers.

Many countries require some form of a bar exam for law students who wish to progress to legal practice. The format and requirements vary from country to country, and passing the bar exam in one country or region does not necessarily mean that you can practice law in another country.

In this article, we will mainly cover the Bar Exam in the USA.

What is on the bar exam?

In the USA, most states administer the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which is divided into three main sections: the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). The MBE is a multiple-choice exam with 200 questions that test legal knowledge, while the MPT tests legal analysis skills using multiple-choice and essay questions, and the MEE examines understanding of legal principles. States and territories that do not use the UBE usually have their own test formats or additional components.

Some topics commonly tested on the bar exam include constitutional law, contracts, criminal law, property law, and torts. Additionally, nearly all states also require applicants to take an ethics exam, known as the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE).

In most cases, the bar exam is administered over two days. The UBE is split into two six-hour segments with morning and afternoon sessions. In states that don't use the UBE, additional components may extend the testing period.

How to study for the bar exam?

The bar exam is typically regarded as one of the most challenging professional qualification exams. In the USA, pass rates for the bar exam vary from state to state. In 2024, the first-time pass rate averaged just under 83 percent, a record high; however, some states, such as Connecticut and California, had a first-time pass rate of around 40 percent. First-time pass rates are generally higher than repeat pass rates.

The bar exam is difficult not just because it tests an immense amount of knowledge. The format and duration of the test also contribute to its difficulty, and it is important to be prepared. For most law students, studying for the bar exam is a full-time job. Students usually start studying at least two to three months before the exam date and spend approximately 40 to 50 hours a week studying.

Bar prep programs

To prepare for the test, many law students enroll in preparatory programs that can help guide and structure study efforts. Most bar prep programs include instruction in both the information needed for the test and strategies to maximize performance. Prep programs can be offered in-person and online, and range from free tutorials to full tuition programs that can cost thousands of dollars.

💡 Pro tip: You can try out different bar prep services. Many bar review courses offer preparatory programs for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE), which is usually taken after the second year of law school. Prep materials for the MPRE are frequently offered for free by bar prep providers and are a good way to get a feel for the type of materials and services offered.

What to study?

In general, you should concentrate your efforts on the material that will be covered in the MBE. This necessitates memorizing a lot of legal information; however, solid comprehension of the information will also prepare you for the essay and analysis portions of the exam.

Make sure that you understand core legal principles, as well as the theories and legal reasoning that underscore them. Whether you utilize a bar prep program or study independently, you'll want to review both the material you covered in law school as well as practice exams.

Honing your analytical and essay-writing skills is also essential. Again, prep courses or practice exams can be useful here. You'll want to understand not only the information needed to answer the questions, but the process you'll need to use to organize your thoughts and analysis into comprehensive responses. Knowing how to structure an argument or what you need to analyze in a case study is as important as knowing the legal principles that make up the answers.

Finally, as you approach the exam deadline, try to prepare your mind and body for the rigors of the exam. Structure your study time in a format similar to the exam setting. For example, try writing an essay response in the time you will be given for the exam. Time yourself answering multiple-choice questions - remember that during the exam, you'll need to answer 200 in three hours! Simulating the external stresses of the exam can help you perform well under the inevitable pressure of the day.

How is the bar exam scored?

Most states use a point system to score the bar exam. Each correct answer on the multiple-choice portion is worth one point, and each essay question is worth a certain number of points depending on its difficulty. For states using the UBE, there are 400 possible points, with the MBE accounting for 50 percent, and the MEE and MPT making up the other 50 percent combined.

The MBE is scored on a 200-point scale, and because only 175 of the 200 questions are scored, the raw score is scaled and then curved to determine the pass rate. The combined scores of the MEE and MPT are scaled to the MBE, and your overall score is determined by your results from all three sections. In general, a score of 270 or higher is considered a passing score.

How much does the bar exam cost?

The cost of the bar exam varies from state to state but generally ranges from $250 to $1,500. Exam fees can also include things like background checks, application fees, and charges for materials like laptops. In some states, some or all of the cost may be waived for candidates with financial need.

Additionally, preparation for the bar exam can come at a high price. Bar exam preparatory programs can cost thousands of dollars, and even studying independently can include the cost of practice tests and study materials.

It's also important to remember that the time needed to prepare for the test precludes working a full-time job, since most students spend 40 to 50 hours a week studying in the months leading up to the exam. Failing the exam also adds to the cost, since resitting the exam means additional study time and preparatory materials or courses.

Luckily, passing the bar exam qualifies students to practice law. In the USA, the average starting salary for a law graduate is approximately $100,000 per year, with salary prospects averaging around $200,000 or more per year. The bar exam is a big investment but it can have a significant ROI.

When do you take the bar exam?

Most law students take the bar exam for the first time once they have completed their studies. The exam is administered twice a year in February and July. The UBE is offered on the same dates throughout the USA, but states that do not use the UBE may have different schedules. You should check with your local court or licensing authority for more information about when the exam will be offered in your area.

Most recent law graduates aim to take the February bar examination. This is because those who fail the February exam can re-register as 'immediate repeaters' for the July exam.

Make sure to register in a timely fashion. Most jurisdictions increase registration fees for later registrations. There are also deadlines for withdrawing from the bar exam, registering for character and fitness assessment, and requesting accommodations if you have special needs. You can find out more on the website for the American Bar Association.

How many times can you take the bar exam?

No one hopes to fail, but law students are acutely aware of the difficulty of the bar exam and the likelihood of initial failure. In some states, the first-time failure rate is more than 50 percent. It's no surprise, then, that many prospective law professionals resit the exam, or that the test is offered twice a year. In most states, there is no limit on the number of times you can take the bar exam. Some states do limit the number of resits, while others impose mandatory waiting periods between tests.

If you do fail your first attempt, you can use the opportunity to learn from your mistakes. A successful second (or fourth) attempt relies on understanding and addressing what went wrong before. Some jurisdictions let you review your exam answers so you can determine exactly what happened. You can also review your score report to see where you performed well and not-so-well on certain areas of the exam.

Can you take the bar exam without going to law school?

Yes, you can take the bar exam without going to law school, but it won't be easy. The majority of people who take the bar have formally studied law for at least three years and have had access to curricula and instruction that are designed to prepare students to take the bar exam. Additionally, some states require that bar exam applicants hold a law degree.

However, there are other paths you could take:

• Getting a law degree from another country and then studying for and taking the bar exam in the United States
• Completing an apprenticeship or law office study
• In California, the 'baby bar' exam might be an option if you have other qualifications
• Studying for the bar exam on your own and sitting the exam in a state that doesn't require a law degree for registration

In short, while it is possible to skip law school and still sit the bar exam, the surest way of passing the bar exam is to complete a law degree first.

How long does it take to get the bar exam results?

The time it takes to get your results will mainly depend on where you take the bar exam. Some states and jurisdictions release results sooner than others, so it's important to check with your state's bar association for specific information.

You should also take into consideration when you took the exam. Because students who fail the February exam tend to resit the exam in July, the February results may be released more quickly to allow for re-registration and preparation. Similarly, because the July exam cohort tends to be larger, due to resits as well as new registrations, the exams may take longer to process, delaying the results.

In general, it can take between one and three months to receive your results. In most cases, the February results are released in April, while the July results are released between October and November. Results may be released online on the state-specific bar association website/application portal or delivered by mail (or email) to the applicant.

Does my passing score matter?

After all the stress of studying and taking the bar exam, you may wonder whether your score matters or whether passing is the only objective. In short, as long as you receive a passing score, the actual number rarely matters in the long term. Bar associations typically require a passing score but do not rank members based on or publish their results. Similarly, because the bar exam is essentially pass or fail, hiring criteria at law firms do not usually require bar exam scores, and in many cases, law graduates will receive an offer of employment contingent on passing the bar.

The only time your numerical score might matter post-bar exam is if you decide to transfer your bar membership to another jurisdiction. In that case, you may need to resubmit your scores because jurisdictions can stipulate different passing grades. For example, many states set the minimum passing grade at 270 points, but states like Utah, New Mexico, and North Dakota set the minimum at 260. If you passed the bar in New Mexico with a score of 265 and want to transfer to another state, you may not meet the minimum passing score.

Conclusion

The bar exam is a difficult but necessary step for anyone wishing to practice law in the USA. It covers a wide range of material and demonstrates the knowledge a student has obtained during their legal education. It also assesses professional suitability - specifically things like reading comprehension, written communication skills, critical thinking, and the ability to analyze complex issues. Additionally, the preparation needed to take the test (including the registration process) establishes an individual's commitment to the legal profession.

If you are a law student nearing graduation or an undergraduate student considering a law degree, understanding what the bar exam is, why it's administered, and how to succeed during your exam will help you prepare and make informed choices.