July 2014 Bar Exam results thread Forum

[Saddle Up]

My sister said her (GA) exam result will release on Oct 24. One of her best friends, who accepted a position in PA, said her result will release on the same day.

[AJS30]

So when do the NY results normally arrive? I have received contradicting answers to this question...

Yeah everything I have seen seems to indicate November. It is a shame they make the students wait so long.

Was wondering if anyone has heard anything concrete or even speculation about Pennsylvania release results?

Last year it was released very end of October, but usually it seems to be beginning of Nov.

[BigJohnny]

Was wondering if anyone has heard anything concrete or even speculation about Pennsylvania release results?

Last year they were released about the 18th. The site says "Mid-October," so there's a good guide. I also know that after having my stuff in for month, I got a C & F letter asking me to clarify some things, which...I dunno if that really means anything.

I'd assume they probably have the first round back and know who definitely passed, since PA does a re-scoring on people in a certain point range of passing to see if they may pass with a re-score of the written portion, which I'd think takes a couple weeks or so probably. Who knows. I'll look around the 18th, and not a minute sooner unless I start seeing Facebook posts.

[arkhamhorror]

Was wondering if anyone has heard anything concrete or even speculation about Pennsylvania release results?

Last year they were released about the 18th. The site says "Mid-October," so there's a good guide. I also know that after having my stuff in for month, I got a C & F letter asking me to clarify some things, which...I dunno if that really means anything.

I'd assume they probably have the first round back and know who definitely passed, since PA does a re-scoring on people in a certain point range of passing to see if they may pass with a re-score of the written portion, which I'd think takes a couple weeks or so probably. Who knows. I'll look around the 18th, and not a minute sooner unless I start seeing Facebook posts.

PA doesn't just post them out of the blue. One or two days prior, you'll receive an e-mail stating the date and time that the scores will be posted. So, don't worry about constantly refreshing, just keep your eyes on your inbox come mid-October.

[Arbinshire]

I'm anxiously awaiting my Colorado bar results, so in the interim I took the results from an acquaintance who took the bar in another state and failed. Based upon her results, it looks like they scaled it by 28.5 points.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rjda9l98uoth2 ... .xlsx?dl=0

Does that make sense, or am I completely in left field? I assumed a perfect MEE/MPT score of 6 = 20 points for the MEE questions and 40 points for each MPT (total of 120/400 for 30% MEE, and 80/400 for 20% MPT).

[swan87]

Was wondering if anyone has heard anything concrete or even speculation about Pennsylvania release results?

Last year they were released about the 18th. The site says "Mid-October," so there's a good guide. I also know that after having my stuff in for month, I got a C & F letter asking me to clarify some things, which...I dunno if that really means anything.

I'd assume they probably have the first round back and know who definitely passed, since PA does a re-scoring on people in a certain point range of passing to see if they may pass with a re-score of the written portion, which I'd think takes a couple weeks or so probably. Who knows. I'll look around the 18th, and not a minute sooner unless I start seeing Facebook posts.

I also got a Pennsylvania C & F letter early last week. Did you get yours in late August?

I'm also not sure if it means anything, but they have to know who passed by now, right?

[robertsrich]

Was wondering if anyone has heard anything concrete or even speculation about Pennsylvania release results?

Last year they were released about the 18th. The site says "Mid-October," so there's a good guide. I also know that after having my stuff in for month, I got a C & F letter asking me to clarify some things, which...I dunno if that really means anything.

I'd assume they probably have the first round back and know who definitely passed, since PA does a re-scoring on people in a certain point range of passing to see if they may pass with a re-score of the written portion, which I'd think takes a couple weeks or so probably. Who knows. I'll look around the 18th, and not a minute sooner unless I start seeing Facebook posts.

I also got a Pennsylvania C & F letter early last week. Did you get yours in late August?

I'm also not sure if it means anything, but they have to know who passed by now, right?

I don't know what it means. According to the bar exam website they do a preliminary investigation once they accept the application. they do a more through investigation after an applicant "successfully completes" the bar exam. I guess it all goes to the definition of what it means to successfully complete the bar exam.

Going to the earlier post, it would seem they would have the first round of scores back. I am sure those who have passed, those who have failed, and those who are in that re-score range. Maybe they start to do more through investigations on those who have passed, and the letter you got in a good sign. I cannot imagine the investigators at this point wasting time on someone who failed the test. I will admit, i don't know and I am not sure anyone else really knows either. It is trying to read the tea leaves.

The ultimate solution is for Pennsylvania to release results sooner rather than later, so we all can know whether we passed or failed.

[VermiciousKnid]

I got a C&F letter too from PA last week. They wanted proof I paid for some overdue library books from 2 years ago...that I didn't even realize hadn't been returned or had gone to collections. I would like to think that means I passed, because I have a hard time believing they really care that much about 3 overdue library books. Oh, and I found and returned the library books. Or maybe its just a mass effort to make us pay our debts through fear of the C&F.

[golfnut15]

FWIW - the Illinois results are up. I passed, thankfully, but to add to the conversation about passage rates around the country, here's Illinois' percentage breakdown.

https://www.ilbaradmissions.org/july201 ... ent-charts

264 is passing.

[BigJohnny]

I got a C&F letter too from PA last week. They wanted proof I paid for some overdue library books from 2 years ago...that I didn't even realize hadn't been returned or had gone to collections. I would like to think that means I passed, because I have a hard time believing they really care that much about 3 overdue library books. Oh, and I found and returned the library books. Or maybe its just a mass effort to make us pay our debts through fear of the C&F.

Mine was in re an old DUI and loitering violation (both disclosed) which they want me to do a screening for based on one being in the last five years. Got a nice phone call from Tracy and a release for them to set up the screening. So it isn't scattershot, they're sending them out as part of the actual, in-depth C & F investigation. Other than that, though, I'm apparently okay, and considering I've been candid and have no substance issues, I'm freaking more about the $110 screening fee and results than about the screening itself.

FWIW, I did know guys who should have gotten letters about stuff like this last year, didn't, and didn't pass....but how many people admit to getting a C&F letter?

[sherpaorlawschool]

So I looked at the percentile charts for the July 2014 Illinois exam and the July 2012 Illinois exam. It does indeed appear that the MBE is responsible for the drop is passing rates, at least in Illinois. The essay percentiles remained relatively stable compared to the MBE, though there was some variation. Interestingly, the essay raw score averages (at least I think they are raw) were almost uniformly lower than July 2012. I'm not sure if Illinois scales the essays to the MBE, but if it doesn't, this might be evidence of a weaker applicant pool (no offense to those taking the Illinois exam; I'm talking about all of us).

An extra 6 percent of Illinois test takers scored lower than 145 on the MBE in Illinois from the 2012 exam (and likely 2013 as well since 2012 and 2013 had almost identical pass rates). Interestingly, the extra six percent is clustered in the range between 140 and 145 and below 135. So it looks like more people were in the lower 140s than in the past and then there's a jump down to more people scoring below a 135. It appears we should expect to see similar drops in passing rates for the remaining states, but perhaps not as dramatic as some of the smaller states who have fewer test takers.

I can only speculate as to why this is happening. The weaker applicant pool doesn't make much sense because 2011 (when most of us matriculated) had more applications than previous years. Maybe a bunch of people were trying to escape the recession job market and law schools were desperate for warm bodies. In any case, I think it is more likely that the MBE is changing a bit and many examinees were caught by surprise. As I said before, I took the MBE OPE-4 the weekend before the exam, and I thought it was pretty close to the actual exam, at least compared to the questions I did from my bar review course. I suppose that makes sense since OPE-4 was only released in the fall of 2013 and has a lower average score than the other OPEs available through the NCBE. I will be sure to report back once I get my MBE score in case it is helpful to anyone considering whether to spend 50 bucks on OPE-4 in the future.

[arkhamhorror]

DE is out. 63% pass rate; 68% for first-timers.

That's down around 3-5% from previous years.

[sandcastle45]

PASSED IN CONNECTICUT.

[rawrab]

PASSED in CT as well!!! This is the best feeling I have ever felt. I had no idea it would feel this good!! fuckkkk yessss

[hoppingabird]

rawrab,

Congrats! I know the exact feeling you have right now. I didn't know it would feel that awesome to pass either when I got my results earlier in September. Go pound some cocktails to celebrate!

Any new theories on why pass rates are down in every single state?

[LSATNightmares]

So, what's proper etiquette on congratulating people on the bar? Like, let's say you have a good friend who took it and passed. But this person didn't post anything on Facebook and kept quiet, but his/her name is on a pass list for the state. Should you inquire whether he/she passed? Should you just congratulate the person, which may sound stalkerish, since the person will know you looked at the pass list?

[crysmissmichelle]

So, what's proper etiquette on congratulating people on the bar? Like, let's say you have a good friend who took it and passed. But this person didn't post anything on Facebook and kept quiet, but his/her name is on a pass list for the state. Should you inquire whether he/she passed? Should you just congratulate the person, which may sound stalkerish, since the person will know you looked at the pass list?

I think it's completely normal to congratulate someone based on the published list. . .not even something I'd think twice about. Everyone knows it's published and everyone knows friends are going to look.

[robertsrich]

So it is Monday 10/6, I am really hoping PA releases results this Friday. Does anyone have any information?

[BigJohnny]

So it is Monday 10/6, I am really hoping PA releases results this Friday. Does anyone have any information?

Nothing as of yet. We're close. I'm waiting to hear from a PA Supreme Court Justice I know a little bit, as he said he'd try to give me a heads up when they certify the results this year so I'll know when to go into full freak out mode. I'd guess end of this week or next.

[robertsrich]

Nothing as of yet. We're close. I'm waiting to hear from a PA Supreme Court Justice I know a little bit, as he said he'd try to give me a heads up when they certify the results this year so I'll know when to go into full freak out mode. I'd guess end of this week or next.[/quote]

That is what I was thinking. My biggest thing is I just want to know. If it is this Friday then great, but if it is next Friday then fine, just let me know. I will say I will be on this thread waiting for you to post an update.

[kjadkins]

Passed MN!

So far everyone I know has passed. I've only heard of one co-worker-of-a-friend who failed. Official passage rates aren't posted yet, but I'll be back when they are!

[UndecidedMN]

Passed MN! They only give you the use which is worthless no MBE. The put out the exam numbers that passed. The missing numbers (like if they show 1 and 3 passed then 2 must have failed) seem to indicate a much lower pass rate overall.

[kjadkins]

The missing numbers (like if they show 1 and 3 passed then 2 must have failed) seem to indicate a much lower pass rate overall.

I noticed this too - LOTS of missing numbers. I wasn't sure if every number was used, or if there are maybe people who applied but didn't sit for the test who were assigned a number anyway. I'm very interested to see the pass rate.

[UndecidedMN]

Bored out of my mind so counted all of the numbers up. Look like bar passage rates dropped from 89% to 77%.

[Tanicius]

Bored out of my mind so counted all of the numbers up. Look like bar passage rates dropped from 89% to 77%.

That would be the biggest drop in summer passage yet. I highly doubt it's that bad. A great many of those missing numbers are definitely going to be from people who never sat for the exam.