Is the bar exam on a curve?
Asked by: Mckayla Emmerich | Last update: December 11, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (9 votes)
The bar exam curve is very real, and it can be your ally in passing the exam. By understanding how the curve works and leveraging tools like BARBRI's bar prep courses, you can maximize your chances of landing on the passing side.
How does bar exam scoring work?
Phased Grading
The total averaged score after two readings is then used to make a second set of pass/fail decisions. To pass the exam in the first phase of grading, an applicant must have a total scale score (after one reading) of at least 1390 out of 2000 possible points.
Is 291 a good bar score?
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.
Is the bar exam graded on a curve on Reddit?
The MBE is not curved. You are welcome.
What is a 266 on the bar exam?
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.
How the UBE Bar Exam is Scaled (simplified)
Why is the bar exam curved?
This adjustment is used to ensure that an applicant's likelihood of passing is not affected by any variation in the difficulty of the written section (includes both the essay and PT questions) across administrations. Almost all United States jurisdictions scale their written scores.
Is a 295 on the bar exam good?
What is a good bar exam score? A good bar exam score depends on the jurisdiction but is typically between 260 and 280. How does scoring work for the bar exam? Scoring for the bar exam works by awarding points for each correct answer.
Is 300 a good bar exam 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 grading on a curve fair?
Grading with a curve doesn't always work. In smaller classes, the grade distributions might be random enough that curving the grades distorts how students perform. Most professors avoid curving grades in classes smaller than around 30-40 students.
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.
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.
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).
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.
How many times can you take the bar exam?
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.
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%.
Why are exams curved?
Grading on a curve is a practice used by teachers to determine student grades for assignments and/or exams, where grades are adjusted to reflect the professor's desired distribution of scores (also known as normal distribution).
What is the disadvantage of grading on a curve?
Cons: - It can encourage unhealthy competition among students, as they might focus on beating their classmates rather than mastering the material. - It might not accurately reflect an individual student's understanding of the subject matter since the final grade is partially based on their peers' performance.
What is a 60 curved grade?
Someone who scores a 60% would get a new grade of 77%, which is a 17-point bump.
Has anyone ever gotten 100% on the bar exam?
Has anyone ever gotten a perfect score on the bar exam? Have you ever seen an essay exam answer written during an actual state-administered exam that the CA Bar Examiners scored a perfect 100? We never have either, which is why we're bringing it to your attention.
Is 295 a good bar score?
A 295 is a passing score in EVERY jurisdiction.
What is the lowest passing bar score?
UBE Minimum Passing Scores by State
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.
Is it OK to fail the bar?
Let's face it: everyone hates failing, especially such important exams. However, it might make you feel better to know you are definitely not alone if you have failed the bar exam. According to the American Bar Association, 75.79% of people pass after taking the bar exam for the first time in recent years.
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.
How many questions can you miss on the bar exam?
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!