Has the California bar exam gotten easier?
Asked by: Dallas Rohan | Last update: October 16, 2025Score: 4.7/5 (1 votes)
California's bar exam is known for its rigorous content and low pass rates compared to other states. In fact, even though California recently lowered its passing score from 1,440 to 1,390, that is still higher than the 1,350 score required for a passing grade in many other states. Now for the good news.
Has the California bar gotten easier?
The pass rate of California's bar exam has slightly increased since the state announced it would be lowering the cut score from 1440 to 1390 and spreading the exam over two days rather than three, but it is still widely considered the most challenging in the country.
Did they make the bar exam easier?
The New Lowered Cut Score
The Court lowered the score from 1,440 to 1,390, placing California more in line with the passing scores required by other states. Overall, California's new 1,390 passing score places it seventh highest in the nation.
Which US state has the easiest bar exam?
Overall, Utah is the easiest bar exam to pass. This is true whether you are a first-time taker or repeat taker! In July 2023, Utah had a 94% pass rate for first time takers and a 73% pass rate for repeat takers. It also has the lowest UBE cut score of 260.
Is 314 a good bar exam score?
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.
BAR EXAM TRUTHS FOR FOREIGN QUALIFIED ATTORNEYS
Which state is easiest to become a lawyer?
Statistically speaking, Oklahoma has one of the easiest bar exams based on first-time passing rates. Nearly 87% of first-time exam takers pass the Oklahoma state bar exam. In comparison, California has a much lower first-time passing rate at 58.1%.
Is CA getting rid of the bar exam?
Transition Away from the MBE: Starting in 2025, California will no longer use the National Conference of Bar Examiners' (NCBE) Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) for its multiple-choice component. Instead, Kaplan will develop new multiple-choice questions specific to California.
Is the California bar exam curved?
the bar exam isn't curved, but scaled. That means it's normalized to adjust for the difficulty from one administration to the next, not the applicant pool.
Is 295 a good bar score?
In order to pass the Uniform Bar Exam, examinees must earn a score of at least 260 on the MBE and MEE. However, a score of 280 is generally considered to be a good score, and a score of 300 to 330 (highest score on bar exam) is considered to be excellent.
Is Canadian bar exam easy?
The bar exam is a comprehensive and highly challenging exam that will require you to study extensively. This article is all about preparing for the bar exam. We will explore the different pathways students may take before writing the bar, and what you can do to be ready to succeed when it is your time to write.
How is the CA bar changing?
Beginning in February 2025, the multiple-choice questions on the California Bar Exam will be developed by Kaplan Exam Services, LLC, and the exam will be delivered remotely and in person at test centers.
How hard is it to pass the bar in Canada?
You'll be surprised at how many intelligent, accomplished people you know and respect had to take the bar exams more than once. The Ontario Bar Exams might not have the same notorious reputation as the New York Bar, but they are not easy.
How many times can you take the bar exam in California?
There is no limit to the number of times you can take the bar exam in the state of California. While it may come as a relief to many students who are planning to take the bar exam in California that there are no limits, California's bar exam is known for being one of the hardest exams in the U.S.
Is the new bar exam easier?
As per feedback and research, the NCBE does expect that most examinees will feel that the NextGen Bar exam is easier than the UBE. While the items' level of difficulty is not actually decreasing, the shorter, computer-based, and skills-based exam should yield a much more natural testing experience for most.
How tough is the California bar exam?
California's bar exam is generally considered the most difficult. It covers a wide range of subjects and takes two days. However, the pass/fail stats vary greatly among schools. Top schools such as Stanford, Berkeley, USC, UCLA have very high pass rates.
Is the California bar the hardest to pass?
California is universally regarded as the toughest state for taking the bar exam. This notion is not dissuaded by the state's low bar-pass rate. In addition to the performance test, five essay questions, and the Multistate Bar Exam, the California exam takes two days.
Is the Ontario bar curved?
A candidate's score is based on the number of correct answers chosen. There are no penalties for failing to choose an answer or for choosing an incorrect answer. The Law Society does not use a bell curve, and there is no pre-determined rate for the proportion of candidates who will pass a licensing examination.
Is 300 a good bar exam score?
A 300 is approximately the 90th percentile. A 280 is approximately the 73rd percentile. A 270 is approximately the 58th percentile. A 260 is approximately the 44th percentile.
How many times can you fail the bar exam in Canada?
During your licensing term, you may write the barrister and solicitor licensing examinations up to three times each. If you have been authorized pursuant to the Lawyer Licensing Process Policies, you may write the licensing examination(s) up to four times.
What percentage of people fail the California bar?
The percentage of people who passed California's July 2024 bar exam ticked up to 53.8%, marking the second highest pass rate in 11 years, according to statistics released by the state bar early Friday evening. The success rate rose from 51.5% in July 2023 and from 52.4% in July 2022.
What are the changes to the California bar exam in 2025?
Transition Away from the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE)
California is moving away from using the National Conference of Bar Examiners' (NCBE) multiple-choice questions. Beginning February 2025, the state will use multiple-choice questions developed exclusively by Kaplan Testing Services.
What type of lawyer is highest in demand?
Some of the most universally in-demand legal specialties include intellectual property law, family law, immigration law, real estate law, and corporate law. Other quickly growing areas of law also include intellectual property law, data privacy and cybersecurity law, litigation, and labor and employment law.
Can you take the bar without going to law school in California?
In California, qualified applicants can take the bar exam without going to law school. Most law schools require a college degree, but some may only ask for equivalent course work, and some law schools focus on your legal interest and life experiences and not on your grades or LSAT scores.
What is the least stressful lawyer field?
What type of lawyer is the least stressful? Real estate law, estate planning law, and intellectual property law are commonly cited as the least stressful types of law to practice. Unlike other practice areas, people's lives aren't on the line.