Is the Uniform Bar Exam easier than a State Bar Exam?
A lot of students wonder if the Uniform Bar Exam is easier than a state bar exam. We get this question a lot when bar exam results are released as students consider taking the Uniform Bar Exam instead of their state bar exam.
In this post, we answer the question “Is the Uniform Bar Exam easier than a State Bar Exam?”
The general answer is: Yes the Uniform Bar Exam is easier than a state bar exam.
Below we tell you exactly why the Uniform Bar Exam is easier than a state bar exam. However, if you are wondering what, exactly, the Uniform Bar Exam is, check out this post first!
The Uniform Bar Exam tests fewer subjects than most state bar exams.
The Uniform Bar Exam tests 14 subjects total. The MBE (which is administered in virtually every state) tests Civil Procedure, Contracts & Sales, Criminal Law & Procedure, Constitutional Law, Evidence, Torts, and Real Property.
The multistate essay exam (MEE), which is administered in Uniform Bar Exam states in lieu of a “state-specific” essay portion, tests: Agency & Partnership, Corporations & LLCs, Conflicts of Law, Family Law, Secured Transactions, Decedents’ Estates, and Trusts in addition to the MBE subjects above. There are six essays to answer in thirty minutes apiece.
The UBE does not test tricky subjects like Commercial Paper. Nor does it test weird state Civil Procedure, Professional Responsibility, Workers’ Compensation–or a variety of other subjects that you may see on a state bar exam.
The Uniform Bar Exam does not require you to know state-specific laws.
One of the hardest things about taking a state bar exam is memorizing two sets of laws for each subject. Students complain about memorizing say, the “Virginia” version of Civil Procedure and then the version of Civil Procedure they have to know for the MBE. It can get complicated, especially for states that like to test state distinctions in the essay portion.
The Uniform Bar Exam is well-written and more predictable than many state bar exams.
The Uniform Bar Exam has a “testing” process whereby mock students will take and evaluate an exam before it is given. The National Conference of Bar Examiners goes through a process to ensure a fair test. That is unlike many state bar exams, where a Board of Law Examiners (which sometimes consists of members that are far removed from law school) will write essay exam questions. There is no “test” to see if it is fair, and sometimes the questions can be off the wall in comparison with what examinees expect.
The Uniform Bar Exam has an MPT portion, which is worth 20% of your score.
This may not be welcoming news to all, but the MPT portion is a closed-universe test (meaning, you do not have to know any “outside” law) and it is quite easy to improve your MPT score through practice. It is also 20% of your score! This is the same as 70 MBE questions.
It is easy for students who take the MPT portion seriously to improve their score significantly through practice. This makes the Uniform Bar Exam easier than many state bar exams, which only contain one MPT (usually worth around 10% of your score) or don’t test the MPT portion at all.
The Uniform Bar Exam is a two-day test.
The Uniform Bar Exam consists of two days, with six hours of testing on each day. It is relatively standard to have a two-day exam. However, some states contain exams that are over two days (e.g., 2.5 days or even 3 days). The Uniform Bar Exam is more manageable and less exhausting than these state bar exams!
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FAQs
Passing the UBE has never been an easy venture, and bar exam pass rates are at historic lows. The UBE is difficult and is unlike any other exam you have taken. But thousands of examinees pass the UBE every year.
What are the easiest bar exams to pass? ›
What Is the Easiest Bar Exam? Going by the 2021 bar exam passing rates, Wyoming has the easiest bar exam to pass. However, we don't really get the full picture by just looking at the passing rates. Each state's bar exam can differ in difficulty and content.
Is the universal bar harder? ›
The Uniform Bar Exam consists of two days, with six hours of testing on each day. It is relatively standard to have a two-day exam. However, some states contain exams that are over two days (e.g., 2.5 days or even 3 days). The Uniform Bar Exam is more manageable and less exhausting than these state bar exams!
Which bar exam is the hardest? ›
Is The California Bar Exam Hard? Yes, the California bar exam is widely considered to be the most difficult of all state bar exams in the US. The California bar exam has a pass rate of 34%.
What is a good score on the uniform bar exam? ›
The lowest possible passing score of 266 will suffice in states like South Carolina, Montana, and some others. Depending on how many people have taken the UBE, a score of 280 is approximately the 73rd percentile. A 300 is in about the 90th percentile, and 330 is in the top 1% of all scores.
What states don't accept the Ube? ›
The following are not UBE jurisdictions: California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, *Hawaii, *Mississippi, Nevada, *South Dakota, Virginia, *Wisconsin, *Guam, *Northern Mariana Islands, *Palau, Louisiana, and Puerto Rico.
What state is easiest to become a lawyer? ›
Wisconsin makes the list of easiest bar exams for a unique reason: if you attend an ABA law school in Wisconsin, you don't have to take the bar! Students who have graduated from these universities can just apply to practice law in the state. No studying, no stressing, no grueling examination period.
What state has the highest pass rate for the bar exam? ›
More often than not, the bar pass rate in Kansas exceeds 80 percent, making it z front-runner for passing on your first try. And because the exam doesn't test candidates on Kansas-specific laws, students don't have to do the additional studying or research about those laws to pass it.
What percentage of people fail the bar exam the first time? ›
February 2024 Bar Exam
| JURISDICTION | OVERALL PASS RATE | FIRST-TIMER PASS RATE |
|---|
| Arkansas | 50% | 63% |
| California | 34% | 45% |
| Colorado | 59% | 73% |
| Connecticut | 37% | 55% |
52 more rowsMay 14, 2024
The answer is, as you may have guessed, quite subjective. Many people think that the Barbri MBE questions are longer and harder than the real MBE questions. And still others say that the Barbri MBE questions are easier than the real MBE questions.
The bar exam is like the final boss of a video game. After spending your entire academic career taking tests, this is the final, most difficult one you'll face. Unlike the LSAT, the bar exam does test your knowledge of the law itself. You'll be tested on a wide array of subjects.
How many times did JFK Jr take the bar exam? ›
In 1989, Kennedy earned a Juris Doctor degree from the New York University School of Law. He then failed the New York bar exam twice, before passing on his third try in July 1990. After failing the exam for a second time, Kennedy vowed that he would take it continuously until he was ninety-five years old or passed.
What state has the easiest bar exam? ›
Easiest Bar Exam to Pass in the U.S.
| Rank | State Bar Examination | Calculated Passage Rate |
|---|
| 1 | California | 76.85 |
| 2 | Louisiana | 72.07 |
| 3 | Washington | 78.27 |
| 4 | Oregon | 80.11 |
44 more rowsDec 17, 2020
All month, we'll be here to help. First, realize that rote memorization alone is not the most effective strategy for the bar exam. You need to fully understand concepts and know how to apply the law, versus just memorizing vocabulary out of context (what we call “legal trivia”).
Is the ube hard to pass? ›
UBE scaled passing scores range from 260-280 out of 400 and non-UBE jurisdictions may have different grading systems. If you earn 266 points, you pass the bar exam. The MBE is “scaled” for parity with past bar exams.
Is Ube easier than California bar? ›
Look at the various states' passing scores
The 1390 required to pass in California is is the equivalent of a 278 on the UBE's 400-point grading scale. Most UBE states require a lower score to pass.
Is the July or February bar exam harder? ›
Most winter studiers are either repeat takers or students who completed law school on a part-time basis who don't have the luxury of being able to take months off from work (or caring for children, etc.) while studying for the bar exam. So, it's official, the February bar exam is not harder than July.
Is the series 7 harder than the bar exam? ›
The Series 7 and the bar exam are both known for their difficulty. You can't really compare the two because of the differences in content and purpose. Both exams require dedicated study and preparation.
