Is it normal to feel like you failed the MBE?

Asked by: Frankie Barton  |  Last update: July 18, 2023
Score: 4.1/5 (57 votes)

If you do not feel good about the bar exam, it is important to keep the following in mind: First, if you had timing issues, or got an answer wrong, or had to guess on a lot of questions, you are not alone and it does not mean you failed. This is very common! Second, you do not need an “A” to pass the bar exam.

Is it normal to feel like you failed the bar exam?

Remember, however, that feeling is normal because the bar exam is hard. A passing score for the bar exam is the equivalent of somewhere between 65% and 75%. In most jurisdictions, you need around a 266/400, which is 66.5%.

How bad can you do on the MBE and still pass?

You could get a 130 on the MBE and a 136 on the written portion. Or a 110 on the MBE and a 156 on the written portion. In other words, in most states there is no minimum MBE score that you need to pass.

How hard is the MBE?

2) The MBE is hard

Most people regard the MBE as the hardest portion of the bar exam. The questions are rarely easy or straightforward. They can be tricky, and sometimes worded in a way that guides you to the wrong answer. The only upside of the MBE is, again, that you know ahead of time what subjects will be tested.

How long is break during MBE?

The Multistate Bar Exam, or MBE, is a six-hour exam consisting of 200 multiple-choice questions. The MBE is administered in two parts: a three-hour morning session with 100 questions, and a three-hour afternoon session with 100 questions. There's usually a one hour lunch between the two sessions.

I Don't Feel Good About the Bar Exam - Does That Mean I Failed? (Hint: No!)

25 related questions found

What is the hardest section on MBE?

Nevertheless, many future attorneys who have taken or are currently preparing for the bar exam seem to agree that the following three subjects are the most challenging:
  1. Real Property. ...
  2. Contracts. ...
  3. Civil Procedure.

Is 60% on the MBE good?

If you are answering about 60-66% correct on the MBE, you are likely in the “safe zone.” A higher score than that is, of course, even better! If you are scoring lower than that, see below for tips. But also, make sure that you work on the written portion of the exam.

What is the average MBE score?

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE®) developed a statistical technique to ensure a scaled score on one examination is equivalent to a score on any other examination). You must shoot for a scaled score of 140 to 145 (which is the average score). A scaled score of 150 or higher is recommended.

What is the lowest MBE?

MBE Scores

The performance information provided for the MBE is a scaled score which can range from about 40 (low) to 200 (high). MBE scaled scores are calculated by NCBE based on a statistical process known as equating that is commonly used on standardized examinations.

Is the MBE curved?

MBE score results consistently follow a bell curve pattern for every single bar exam administration. A few students have a very high MBE scaled score and some have a very low scaled score.

What are the hardest MBE subjects?

What Are The Most Highly Tested MBE Topics?
  • Torts: (25 questions)
  • Evidence: (25 questions)
  • Real Property: (25 questions)
  • Contracts and Sales: (25 questions)
  • Civil Procedure (25 questions)
  • Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure: (25 questions)
  • Constitutional Law: (25 questions)

What percentage of MBE is right to pass?

This means you should get 60-62 questions correct on a 100-question practice test or 120-124 questions correct on a full MBE exam. 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%.

Is 150 on the MBE good?

Your percentile for the MBE Score is as follows:

A 160 is about 90th percentile. A 155 is about 82nd percentile. A 150 is about 72nd percentile. A 145 is about 62nd percentile.

How many times do most people fail the bar exam?

The vast majority of law school graduates, 85 percent, take the bar exam once, according to a study by the National Conference of Bar Examiners that looked at data over five years. About 9 percent took the test twice. Less than 1 percent took the exam more than five times. A few refused to give up.

What is the hardest state to pass the bar exam in?

1. California

Law students across the US may be familiar with the famed “impossible” California bar exam. But why is the California bar exam so hard? For starters, the cut score (the score needed to pass the test) of the California bar is 1390 out of 2000, which is 40 points above the national average.

Why do most people fail the bar exam?

Students especially struggle with timing when it comes to the performance test portion of the bar exam. Students often fail to practice performance tests under timed conditions before they take the exam. Then, they are surprised on exam day when they run out of time.

What is the MBE score for 2023?

MADISON, WISCONSIN, March 31, 2023—The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) announced today that the national mean scaled score for the February 2023 Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) was 131.1, a decrease of 1.5 points compared to the February 2022 mean of 132.6.

Can you pass the bar with a low MBE score?

While it would be great to ace every potion of your bar exam, you don't necessarily need to get a passing MBE score to pass the bar. Often, students are able to balance out lower MBE scores with higher essays scores. In UBE states, the MBE and essays are weighted equally.

What is a good raw score for the MBE?

We'll say you should aim for a raw score of about 115. This raw score is the number correct that an examinee got out of 190. So, do the math: 115/190 = 60.52%. That is the percentage of questions that you need to answer correctly to “pass” the MBE.

Are Barbri questions harder than actual MBE?

The Barbri invented questions are harder than the real MBE questions. (Real MBE questions are still difficult though.) The Barbri MBE compares you to how others score on the Barbri simulated MBE.

How many questions can you miss on the MBE?

That means you'll need to get 115 questions correct out of 190 — or that you can miss up to 75 questions and still pass the MBE!

How many practice MBE should I do?

After all, the goal of MBE practice questions is to expose yourself to the material, perfect your timing, and prepare you to pass. Although there's no magic number, there is a general range of MBE practice questions you should complete. For most students, this optimal range is between 800-1000 questions.

Why are my MBE scores going down?

Your MBE scores might be getting worse if you dive right into timing practice with 100 question sets. This is a very overwhelming exercise and it takes a lot of skill to be able to complete one of these, let alone complete it with a high score. You need to build up to 100 questions by starting smaller.

How do you pass the MBE?

If you're preparing for the MBE, this article covers all you need to know about how to ace the exam and pass with flying colors.
  1. The MBE Structure. ...
  2. Start Early! ...
  3. Study the Right Content. ...
  4. Go Through Previous Bar Exam Questions. ...
  5. Use Flashcards and Mnemonics. ...
  6. Practice Timing Yourself. ...
  7. Most Important: Revise What You've Done.

Does Barbri use real MBE questions?

When it comes to “real” MBE questions released by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), most BARBRI bar prep options include a MBE final prep comprised of 100 “real” MBE questions. That's a lot.