Is 309 a good score on the bar exam?

Asked by: Prof. Gabriella Effertz Jr.  |  Last update: December 29, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (25 votes)

A 300 is in about the 90th percentile, and 330 is in the top 1% of all scores. Keep in mind that out of the 200 points that make up the MPT and the MEE, only 175 of them are actually scored, and the remainder are considered to be 'pretest' questions that do not count towards your overall score.

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.

Is 280 a good score on the bar exam?

Your overall score

Uniform Bar Exam states require a score between 260 and 280 to pass the Uniform Bar Exam. So, if your score was above 280, you technically received a score that is considered passing in every Uniform Bar Exam state. Congratulations if that is the case.

What is a good grade on the bar exam?

If the applicant's averaged total scale score after two readings is 1390 or higher, the applicant passes the exam. Applicants with averaged total scale scores of less than 1390 fail the exam.

What is an average bar score?

For example, California's bar exam passing score is 1390 out of 2000 points. You should aim for a scaled score of 139, but there is no way to accurately gauge what raw score you need. If you're taking the bar exam in a non-UBE jurisdiction, check out the appropriate UWorld state-specific bar exam pages: California.

What Score Do I Need To Pass The Bar Exam?

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Is 310 a good bar score?

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.

Is 330 a good bar exam score?

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.

What is a bad bar exam score?

To determine your average raw written score, divide your Raw Written number by 7 (PT counts twice). Consider a “weak” essay or MBE score to be under 1340 scaled (50 points under passing) and a “strong” score to be over 1440 (50 points over passing).

Is 288 a good bar exam score?

For example, if you choose California from the choice list, you will see 288 as the passing score. This is the 1440/2000 CA passing score converted to the UBE 400 scale. So if you receive an estimate of 20 points or higher than 288 (e.g. 320), there is statistically a good chance you will pass California.

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.

What state has the hardest bar exam?

California is widely considered to have the hardest bar exam, due to its low pass rate and the difficulty of the content and constraints of the exam.

Did Kim Kardashian pass the bar?

No, Kim Kardashian has not passed not the California General Bar exam but successfully passed the baby bar in 2021. She cleared it in her fourth attempt. Her journey illustrates the many challenges and frustrations that she has gone through in order to achieve this career in the legal field.

What is the lowest bar score?

Each UBE jurisdiction sets a minimum passing score, ranging from 260 to 270. Recently, many jurisdictions have re-evaluated these scores in response to national discussions on bar exam difficulty, candidate performance, and the demand for new lawyers.

Are bar exam scores 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 are the odds I passed the bar exam?

The bar exam pass rate is typically between 60-80% depending on your bar exam state. That means that 20-40% of people who sit for that bar exam do not pass.

How hard is it to pass the bar?

For many, it feels like trying to hold sand in your hands, knowing that you'll inevitably lose much of it. Despite its difficulty, many law school graduates who take the bar exam pass the first time, with pass rates often ranging from about 50% to nearly 90%, depending on the jurisdiction.

Is the bar exam harder than the LSAT?

Generally, the bar exam is considered harder than the LSAT. The LSAT tests logical reasoning and reading comprehension for law school admission, while the bar exam requires extensive legal knowledge and practical skills to obtain a license to practice law.

What is a 65% on the MBE?

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%. This means you should get 62-65 questions correct on a 100-question practice test or 124-130 questions correct on a full MBE exam.

What is the average bar exam score?

The national average score on the Multistate Bar Exam was 141.8—up 1.3 points from July 2023, the National Conference of Bar Examiners said on Thursday.

How much do bar exam graders make?

$11-$27/hr Bar Exam Grader Jobs (NOW HIRING) Jan 2025.

What happens if you fail the bar exam 3 times?

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.

How does bar scoring work?

Jurisdictions grade the MEE and MPT components. The MEE and MPT scores are scaled to the MBE and UBE total scores are calculated by NCBE. The MBE is weighted 50%, the MEE 30%, and the MPT 20%. UBE total scores are reported on a 400-point scale.

What percent of BARBRI students pass the bar?

That is why all our competitors show “pass rates” around 90 percent, while the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), which administers the exam, publishes national pass rates in the 70%s. And if BARBRI were to add the types of conditions that other companies use, our pass rate would also be above 90%.