Rumors, Myths & Other Distractions - Bar Exam Services - School of Law - Golden Gate University

There are so many rumors floating around the bar exam. Students, thirsting for information, seek out classmates, alumni, bar providers, professors, and anyone else who they think might know about the bar exam. Many attorneys who have passed the bar exam, although well intended, have limited exposure and knowledge about the bar exam. Professors oftentimes are in the same boat as attorneys. Bar providers, being commercial entities, tend to interpret information in a way that would sell their products.

So why would this site have better information? First of all, we are not trying to sell anything. Instead, we are trying to make sure our students are well informed about the bar exam. Second, being a repository of bar related information, we hear most of the rumors that circulate from bar to bar. Finally, we can check it out.

You have a 50 percent chance of passing the bar exam. Most of our students have heard that their chances of passing the bar exam in California are less than 50 percent. Yes, when the bar results are released every November, the pass rate reported is around 50 percent or less. What people don't know is that this is the overall pass rate for first-time takers and repeaters. Also, most people are not aware that graduates from non-ABA law schools can sit for the California bar exam. When all of these categories are filtered out, first-time takers from California ABA law schools have passed the last four July bar exams at around 70 percent.

You need a minimum score of "x" on the MBE to pass the California bar exam. California does not require a minimum score on any component of the bar exam in order to pass. You need to achieve a minimum total score to pass successfully. Either you pass the entire exam or you retake the whole thing. (Attorneys who have passed the bar exam in another jurisdiction may not have to take the MBE component.) For example, a low score on the MBE portion can be balanced out by high scores on the written portions (essays and performance tests).

You cannot bring any bottled water into the exam. This is true. The bar examiners are concerned about spillage. Not only might you spill your water on your own test booklet, but you might also ruin someone else's test booklet. Don't worry about dehydrating during the exam - there are water fountains.

If I start studying during the semester, I'll burn out before the bar review course begins. It is possible to burn out during the semester, especially if you have a heavy load of classes and a job. You will certainly burn out during the bar review course if you are not ready to take the bar exam.

Make an assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. How is your knowledge of the law? How are your test-taking skills? If your knowledge of the law is not good or you feel uncomfortable taking essay exams, multiple choice questions, or performance tests, you should start preparing for the bar exam earlier than later. Waiting to learn the law and test-taking skills during the two months of bar review is not a wise decision. There simply is not enough time to learn and master the materials.

You will also need to assess your priorities if you are deciding among preparing for the bar exam, scoring well on your final exams, and working.

Once you make the decision to start studying in advance, do not study with the intensity of studying for final exams. The bar exam is not tomorrow nor the day after. It is important that you reintroduce yourself with the material and re-learn it if necessary. It is not important that you memorize it. With such low intensity studying, you should not be burning yourself out.

Also, use the break in May between the end of school and the beginning of bar review to take a well deserved and much needed break. This is the time to re-energize and gear up for the bar review period.

Here are some myths about the MBE from the National Conference of Bar Examiners.