Points to pass CA Bar Exam Forum
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Points to pass CA Bar Exam
This has probably been beaten to death, but I understand you need 1440/2000 points to pass. Is this scaled or raw?
I hear out of 190 scored questions, we should aim to get 127-130 questions right? How is that converted to a scaled score?
And on the PT's and Essays we should aim for minimum of 62.5 average on all of them to barely pass and ideally 65 on all of them?
I hear out of 190 scored questions, we should aim to get 127-130 questions right? How is that converted to a scaled score?
And on the PT's and Essays we should aim for minimum of 62.5 average on all of them to barely pass and ideally 65 on all of them?
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Re: Points to pass CA Bar Exam
Gevalt! Don't even think of trying to psych out the bar exam! Just go in and do the best you can on all sections. 

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Re: Points to pass CA Bar Exam
I agree. Try to do equally well on all sections. Don't try to base your studying or performance on a point scale (it changes with every administration of the bar).
Also, just focusing on 1 section, such as the MBE, and blowing off essays or PTs won't help you. Try to assess your weaknesses and work on them. If you hate PTs and don't feel you're doing well, do 8 of them before the bar!
Also, just focusing on 1 section, such as the MBE, and blowing off essays or PTs won't help you. Try to assess your weaknesses and work on them. If you hate PTs and don't feel you're doing well, do 8 of them before the bar!
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Re: Points to pass CA Bar Exam
Take a look at the statistics for the July 2012 exam for example. Pass rates for first-time takers from ANY ABA approved law school in California was 77%. If you eliminate the Notorious Fourth Tiers, it goes up to the high 80s. Other research shows a high correlation between bar performance and class rank.
Moral: If you are in the top 2/3 of your class at a decent (T1/T2) school, you will very probably pass on your first attempt, even in California. If you survived Stanford or Berkeley or USC or UCLA without spending time on academic probation you could just about show up with a bad hangover and STILL pass (not that I recommend it). Pass rates for those schools historically BOTTOM OUT at about 88% and they not infrequently hit 100%.
Now...if you are finishing in the bottom third at a Notorious Fourth Tier, there is one piece of strategy you might consider and that's engaging an (expensive) tutorial service for essay writing. If law school was a struggle, your writing skills are probably the biggest reason why.
Moral: If you are in the top 2/3 of your class at a decent (T1/T2) school, you will very probably pass on your first attempt, even in California. If you survived Stanford or Berkeley or USC or UCLA without spending time on academic probation you could just about show up with a bad hangover and STILL pass (not that I recommend it). Pass rates for those schools historically BOTTOM OUT at about 88% and they not infrequently hit 100%.
Now...if you are finishing in the bottom third at a Notorious Fourth Tier, there is one piece of strategy you might consider and that's engaging an (expensive) tutorial service for essay writing. If law school was a struggle, your writing skills are probably the biggest reason why.
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Re: Points to pass CA Bar Exam
Bottom 10 percent at good T1. I probably need to work on essay writing more than the MBE's then.
Me passing the bar right now seems like a 50/50 chance.
Me passing the bar right now seems like a 50/50 chance.
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Re: Points to pass CA Bar Exam
Found this. No idea if its accurate. Fun to play around with though.
http://one-timers.com/calculate-your-fi ... exam-grade
http://one-timers.com/calculate-your-fi ... exam-grade
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Re: Points to pass CA Bar Exam
I disagree. I think essays and PTs are the part you should focus least on since they are very similar to law school writing, and even being in the bottom 10% of your class, you still graduated and therefore have that skill down. The killer is the MBE, because that's a WHOLE new animal. And don't be like me my first time and count on Themis and Barbri questions, which are nothing like the real thing. Be like me the second time and use one of the specialized MBE programs that use REAL MBE questions. Personally, I used Adaptibar and killed the MBE.
If you need a coupon code for $50 off Adaptibar, send me a pm with your email and I'll hook it up.
If you need a coupon code for $50 off Adaptibar, send me a pm with your email and I'll hook it up.