How are California bar essays scored?
Asked by: Gus Rau | Last update: December 21, 2025Score: 4.6/5 (66 votes)
Based on the panel discussions and using the agreed-upon standards, graders assign raw scores to essay and performance test answers in five-point increments, on a scale of 40 to 100.
Is 75% on MBE good?
We suggest aiming for at least 60% to be safe. If you are aiming for an MBE score of 136-140 (which is a passing MBE score in jurisdictions that require a 272-280 to pass) you should aim for 62%-65%. If you are aiming for an MBE score of 144 (which is considered passing in California), you should aim for about 67%.
What is a good bar essay score?
In most states that grade on a 1–6 scale, a 4 is considered a passing score. Here is the exact number a passing score for each essay: A 3.9 is considered passing in Uniform Bar Exam jurisdictions that require a 260 to pass.
Can you fail the essay portion of the bar and still pass?
You do not need to “pass” both sections to pass the exam. You could get all 60s on the essays and PT and still pass the exam. You could get all 70s on the essays and PT and still fail the exam. A high MBE score is not an “auto-pass,” but it will reduce the score you need on the written side.
How do bar examiners grade essays?
The graders assign a raw score to each essay on a scale from 40 – 100. The State Bar of California has explained, “in order to earn a 40, the applicant must at least identify the subject of the question and attempt to apply the law to the facts of the question.
How Are California Bar Exam Essays Graded? (Bar Exam Essay Scoring Explained)
How are CA bar essays graded?
Based on the panel discussions and using the agreed-upon standards, graders assign raw scores to essay and performance test answers in five-point increments, on a scale of 40 to 100.
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.
Can you bomb the mee and still pass the bar?
You can fail the MEE and still pass the bar because you just need a cumulative score of 65% to 70% to pass the overall bar exam.
How much is each essay worth on the bar exam?
There is a total of 700 possible raw points for the written portion of the California bar exam (100 points for each essay and 200 points for the performance test).
What is a good essay score?
A nearly universal truth of standardized test essays is that readers gravitate to the middle of the scale. For the SAT, readers favor 2s and 3s, so the most common combined scores are 4s, 5s, and 6s. For the ACT, readers most commonly settle on 3s and 4s, so overall student scores cluster at 6, 7, and 8.
How hard is the California bar?
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%.
How long should bar essay answers be?
General Length
While there is no magic length, generally the highest scoring essays are about one page in length. This is an appropriate amount of space to draft an issue statement, rule paragraph, analysis, and conclusion.
Is 60% enough to pass MBE?
These are the approximate scores you want to aim for in order to have a passing MBE score: If you are aiming for a MBE converted score of 131-135 (which is a passing score in most jurisdictions that require scores of 262-270 to pass), you should aim for 58%-62%. We suggest aiming for at least 60% to be safe.
Are bar exams curved?
Most bar takers fall right in the middle on the curve, within a few points of each other. The MBE portion of the bar exam is significant to your overall score in almost all U.S. states. Getting just a few additional points can really tip you into the “passing zone.”
What MBE score do you need to pass in California?
MBE Scores: Raw vs.
The percentage needed for a passing MBE score in California is 69.5% (1390/2000 or 139/200) is the scaled score. Being that 25 random questions are dropped; a raw score of 1220/1750 or 122/175 is needed.
Can you fail an essay and still pass the bar?
The answer, in most states, is yes. In most states, as long as you make up for any lost points on the essay portion of the exam, you can fail the MBE and still pass the bar exam. For example, in New York, you need a 266 out of 400 potential points to pass the bar exam.
What states have the hardest bar exams?
What is the hardest bar exam to pass? California has a notoriously hard bar exam, with only 45% of first-time takers passing the Feb 2024 bar exam, and 24% of repeat takers passing the July 2023 exam. However, there are other states with lower pass rates in July 2023, including Maine, Wyoming, and Maryland.
What are MEEs graded out of?
Scaling of MEE scores
Each jurisdiction sets their own grading scale. Most MEE jurisdictions use a 1–6 scale, while some use a 1–10 scale, and some use different scales altogether (e.g., New York uses a 20–80 scale). Each jurisdiction has their own grading policies, re-grading policies, and standards for essay graders.
Is it illegal to cheat on the bar exam?
The Impact of Cheating on the Bar Exam
ABA Model Rule 8.4 states it is professional misconduct to “engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.” Cheating demonstrates a propensity to violate the critical duty of honesty and candor expected of lawyers.
Has anyone passed the bar first try?
The 79.18% pass rate was up slightly from the 78% pass rate earned by first-time bar examinees in 2022, but lower than the 80% pass rate among 2021 takers and the 84% pass rate earned by 2020 examinees.
What is a 266 on the bar?
In most states that grade on a 1–6 scale, a 4 is considered a passing score. Here is the exact number a passing score for each essay: A 3.9 is considered passing in Uniform Bar Exam jurisdictions that require a 260 to pass. A 4.0 is considered passing in Uniform Bar Exam jurisdictions that require a 266 to pass.
Who has the highest bar score?
Matthew Graham, a University of Baltimore Law School alumnus, smashed the previous bar exam record by scoring 309 out of 400 on his first attempt.