July 2014 Bar Exam results thread Forum

[kjadkins]

That's kind of what I was thinking - some of those have got to be people who didn't actually sit for the exam for whatever reason.

[acc82]

Long time creeper, first time poster. Impatiently waiting for PA results. Anyone get an email from the PA Board of Examiners indicating that results would be released soon?

My understanding is that we will receive an email early in the week prior to results being released on Friday. I have not yet received such an email.

Any other PA applicants have additional info.? I was really hoping that this Friday would be the end of the wait. I need closure!

[analrapist]

I have heard that PA results always go online on a Friday. I'm guessing it's gonna be the 17th.

BUT I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE

[dudewithgame]

I too am a long-time stalker and first time writer. I heard that last year's July results were late and came out closer to the end of Oct. I haven't gotten an email with a date either. The bar exam site hasn't been updated since 9/8/14 either. I'm getting more anxious with each passing day. I don't want to go through that hell again

[angua]

Passed in CT (woo) but I took the MBE in Massachusetts and I'm still waiting on them (boo) and furthermore, because MA doesn't release MBE scores to test-takers, CT won't tell me even though they know the number (BOO).

I lost too many friends, nights of sleep, and tears over this stupid thing, and all I want is to know that number.

[nyk4life]

Passed in CT (woo) but I took the MBE in Massachusetts and I'm still waiting on them (boo) and furthermore, because MA doesn't release MBE scores to test-takers, CT won't tell me even though they know the number (BOO).

I lost too many friends, nights of sleep, and tears over this stupid thing, and all I want is to know that number.

I'm in the same situation but the opposite order (passed DE but waiting on NJ results in "mid-November"). Think the NCBE will give me my MBE score before I get the word from Jersey? I did too many damn practice MBEs to not know my score yet.

[cooperlaserpup]

Hey everyone,

Congrats to those who have heard! I can't even begin to express my envy.

Without going into great detail, I had sort of an odd situation with my hiring/ bar experience that has now boiled down to this fact: If I do not pass the MD bar on October 31st, then my dream job that I busted my ass for will fire me. It wasn't totally clear that this was the case when I accepted the job, so I picked up my life and relocated, signed a lease, etc. The amount of anxiety I've been feeling since learning this is hard to deal with, frankly. I'm sure many of you are going through something similar.

The thing is, I know I'm a smart person. Not to sound like an ass but its something I know about myself. Hell, TLS definitely attracts type A sorts of people who are typically above average in intelligence, so many of you probably feel the same way about yourselves. I went to a T-14 law school. I had an unremarkable but perfectly respectable GPA, something between a B+ and A-. I completed about 94% of Themis. I got decent scores on my essays (but always felt like my practice score was not what I expected) and by the final sets of practice MBEs could consistently get around 70% correct.

I am SO SURE I failed the bar. Essay day felt like an amorphous, confusing pile of crap. I don't remember a single answer I gave. I didn't feel really and truly sure about anything. I finished every essay with time to spare. I've always been able to write well, but I didn't feel like I could just whip out a memorized rule the way many people can. I looked for issues and tried to address them.

I thought MBE day was motherfucking impossible. I mean, I thought it was so hard. I went from feeling confident on 50% of questions and feeling decent on 30% to feeling unsure about every single question. It honestly felt like I had no confidence about ANYTHING. I finished in plenty of time. I didn't really check my answers too much though, because second guessing never really got me anywhere in practice essays.

I guess the reason I'm posting is for commiseration. I know, rationally, that no one can possibly offer me any indication of whether or not I passed but I am feeling so consumed by this anxiety that I needed some sort of outlet. Taking any action, even if it doesn't really achieve anything, feels better than sitting here every day panicking, imagining worst case scenarios, and fighting back tears. And now I've been hearing about how passage rates are down and I just feel 100% sure that I failed.

Its definitely not helpful to obsess about it, but I have wondered whether or not my character investigator secretly knows my score. I was contacted by him on October 1st to schedule my character interview and to get a couple employment certifications that hadn't come in. I tried to tell myself that maybe that means he knows something I don't and he wouldn't waste his time had I failed. However, I also have a hard time believing they would release that information to ANYONE. I mean, Maryland isn't a big place. Someone would slip up and tell, and if that info got out it would be chaos.

UGH. The obsessing needs to stop. Good luck to all of you, it is comforting to know I'm not alone.

[Tanicius]

Hey everyone,

Congrats to those who have heard! I can't even begin to express my envy.

Without going into great detail, I had sort of an odd situation with my hiring/ bar experience that has now boiled down to this fact: If I do not pass the MD bar on October 31st, then my dream job that I busted my ass for will fire me. It wasn't totally clear that this was the case when I accepted the job, so I picked up my life and relocated, signed a lease, etc. The amount of anxiety I've been feeling since learning this is hard to deal with, frankly. I'm sure many of you are going through something similar.

The thing is, I know I'm a smart person. Not to sound like an ass but its something I know about myself. Hell, TLS definitely attracts type A sorts of people who are typically above average in intelligence, so many of you probably feel the same way about yourselves. I went to a T-14 law school. I had an unremarkable but perfectly respectable GPA, something between a B+ and A-. I completed about 94% of Themis. I got decent scores on my essays (but always felt like my practice score was not what I expected) and by the final sets of practice MBEs could consistently get around 70% correct.

I am SO SURE I failed the bar. Essay day felt like an amorphous, confusing pile of crap. I don't remember a single answer I gave. I didn't feel really and truly sure about anything. I finished every essay with time to spare. I've always been able to write well, but I didn't feel like I could just whip out a memorized rule the way many people can. I looked for issues and tried to address them.

I thought MBE day was motherfucking impossible. I mean, I thought it was so hard. I went from feeling confident on 50% of questions and feeling decent on 30% to feeling unsure about every single question. It honestly felt like I had no confidence about ANYTHING. I finished in plenty of time. I didn't really check my answers too much though, because second guessing never really got me anywhere in practice essays.

I guess the reason I'm posting is for commiseration. I know, rationally, that no one can possibly offer me any indication of whether or not I passed but I am feeling so consumed by this anxiety that I needed some sort of outlet. Taking any action, even if it doesn't really achieve anything, feels better than sitting here every day panicking, imagining worst case scenarios, and fighting back tears. And now I've been hearing about how passage rates are down and I just feel 100% sure that I failed.

Its definitely not helpful to obsess about it, but I have wondered whether or not my character investigator secretly knows my score. I was contacted by him on October 1st to schedule my character interview and to get a couple employment certifications that hadn't come in. I tried to tell myself that maybe that means he knows something I don't and he wouldn't waste his time had I failed. However, I also have a hard time believing they would release that information to ANYONE. I mean, Maryland isn't a big place. Someone would slip up and tell, and if that info got out it would be chaos.

UGH. The obsessing needs to stop. Good luck to all of you, it is comforting to know I'm not alone.

Here's a feel good story for you: I also took the test, with my job depending on it, and I was also sure I failed, and I also averaged around that on Themis. Well, turns out not only did I pass, buty I absolutely blew everything out of the water. My UBE jurisdiction score was 310, averaging out to more than auto passing scores on both the MBE and essays. I think you're going to be okay, dude. Have yet to hear bad news from anyone I personally know who busted their ass on this thing.

[cooperlaserpup]

Hey everyone,

Congrats to those who have heard! I can't even begin to express my envy.

Without going into great detail, I had sort of an odd situation with my hiring/ bar experience that has now boiled down to this fact: If I do not pass the MD bar on October 31st, then my dream job that I busted my ass for will fire me. It wasn't totally clear that this was the case when I accepted the job, so I picked up my life and relocated, signed a lease, etc. The amount of anxiety I've been feeling since learning this is hard to deal with, frankly. I'm sure many of you are going through something similar.

The thing is, I know I'm a smart person. Not to sound like an ass but its something I know about myself. Hell, TLS definitely attracts type A sorts of people who are typically above average in intelligence, so many of you probably feel the same way about yourselves. I went to a T-14 law school. I had an unremarkable but perfectly respectable GPA, something between a B+ and A-. I completed about 94% of Themis. I got decent scores on my essays (but always felt like my practice score was not what I expected) and by the final sets of practice MBEs could consistently get around 70% correct.

I am SO SURE I failed the bar. Essay day felt like an amorphous, confusing pile of crap. I don't remember a single answer I gave. I didn't feel really and truly sure about anything. I finished every essay with time to spare. I've always been able to write well, but I didn't feel like I could just whip out a memorized rule the way many people can. I looked for issues and tried to address them.

I thought MBE day was motherfucking impossible. I mean, I thought it was so hard. I went from feeling confident on 50% of questions and feeling decent on 30% to feeling unsure about every single question. It honestly felt like I had no confidence about ANYTHING. I finished in plenty of time. I didn't really check my answers too much though, because second guessing never really got me anywhere in practice essays.

I guess the reason I'm posting is for commiseration. I know, rationally, that no one can possibly offer me any indication of whether or not I passed but I am feeling so consumed by this anxiety that I needed some sort of outlet. Taking any action, even if it doesn't really achieve anything, feels better than sitting here every day panicking, imagining worst case scenarios, and fighting back tears. And now I've been hearing about how passage rates are down and I just feel 100% sure that I failed.

Its definitely not helpful to obsess about it, but I have wondered whether or not my character investigator secretly knows my score. I was contacted by him on October 1st to schedule my character interview and to get a couple employment certifications that hadn't come in. I tried to tell myself that maybe that means he knows something I don't and he wouldn't waste his time had I failed. However, I also have a hard time believing they would release that information to ANYONE. I mean, Maryland isn't a big place. Someone would slip up and tell, and if that info got out it would be chaos.

UGH. The obsessing needs to stop. Good luck to all of you, it is comforting to know I'm not alone.

Here's a feel good story for you: I also took the bswell, th my job depending on it, and I was also sure I failed, and I also averaged around that on Themis. Well, turns out not only did I pass, buty I absolutely blew everything out of the water. My UBE jurisdiction score was 310, averaging out to more than auto passing scores on both the MBE and essays. I think you're going to be okay, dude. Have yet to hear bad news from anyone I personally know who busted their ass on this thing.

Appreciate it! (FYI and it doesn't matter but I am a lady, not a dude The username is based on my doggie.) Very glad it worked out for you. I talked to so many people who felt really confident coming out of the exam an the fact that I did NOT was so disheartening.

[beachbum]

[post]

Despite your feelings to the contrary, everything about your background and preparation indicates you passed, and probably passed by a lot. Congrats. Go have a drink.

[sinkorswim818]

Hey everyone,

Congrats to those who have heard! I can't even begin to express my envy.

Without going into great detail, I had sort of an odd situation with my hiring/ bar experience that has now boiled down to this fact: If I do not pass the MD bar on October 31st, then my dream job that I busted my ass for will fire me. It wasn't totally clear that this was the case when I accepted the job, so I picked up my life and relocated, signed a lease, etc. The amount of anxiety I've been feeling since learning this is hard to deal with, frankly. I'm sure many of you are going through something similar.

The thing is, I know I'm a smart person. Not to sound like an ass but its something I know about myself. Hell, TLS definitely attracts type A sorts of people who are typically above average in intelligence, so many of you probably feel the same way about yourselves. I went to a T-14 law school. I had an unremarkable but perfectly respectable GPA, something between a B+ and A-. I completed about 94% of Themis. I got decent scores on my essays (but always felt like my practice score was not what I expected) and by the final sets of practice MBEs could consistently get around 70% correct.

I am SO SURE I failed the bar. Essay day felt like an amorphous, confusing pile of crap. I don't remember a single answer I gave. I didn't feel really and truly sure about anything. I finished every essay with time to spare. I've always been able to write well, but I didn't feel like I could just whip out a memorized rule the way many people can. I looked for issues and tried to address them.

I thought MBE day was motherfucking impossible. I mean, I thought it was so hard. I went from feeling confident on 50% of questions and feeling decent on 30% to feeling unsure about every single question. It honestly felt like I had no confidence about ANYTHING. I finished in plenty of time. I didn't really check my answers too much though, because second guessing never really got me anywhere in practice essays.

I guess the reason I'm posting is for commiseration. I know, rationally, that no one can possibly offer me any indication of whether or not I passed but I am feeling so consumed by this anxiety that I needed some sort of outlet. Taking any action, even if it doesn't really achieve anything, feels better than sitting here every day panicking, imagining worst case scenarios, and fighting back tears. And now I've been hearing about how passage rates are down and I just feel 100% sure that I failed.

Its definitely not helpful to obsess about it, but I have wondered whether or not my character investigator secretly knows my score. I was contacted by him on October 1st to schedule my character interview and to get a couple employment certifications that hadn't come in. I tried to tell myself that maybe that means he knows something I don't and he wouldn't waste his time had I failed. However, I also have a hard time believing they would release that information to ANYONE. I mean, Maryland isn't a big place. Someone would slip up and tell, and if that info got out it would be chaos.

UGH. The obsessing needs to stop. Good luck to all of you, it is comforting to know I'm not alone.

I felt the exact same way waiting for results. I was sure I failed, but also sure I had been prepared enough to pass that thing (which at the time felt like an injustice - "I did everything right! No fair if I failed!"). I passed and will echo what others have said about not knowing anyone who truly studied who failed. I know A LOT of people who failed, but they all seem to have a pretty good idea why. Also, it is my belief that people who felt good about that test didn't really understand the questions. If you understood the questions you would know how impossible it was to pick from the answers on the MBE, and spot the issues on the essays.

Not sure if this is helpful, but I totally get the commiseration feeling so thought I'd pitch in.

[cooperlaserpup]

my rambles

I felt the exact same way waiting for results. I was sure I failed, but also sure I had been prepared enough to pass that thing (which at the time felt like an injustice - "I did everything right! No fair if I failed!"). I passed and will echo what others have said about not knowing anyone who truly studied who failed. I know A LOT of people who failed, but they all seem to have a pretty good idea why. Also, it is my belief that people who felt good about that test didn't really understand the questions. If you understood the questions you would know how impossible it was to pick from the answers on the MBE, and spot the issues on the essays.

Not sure if this is helpful, but I totally get the commiseration feeling so thought I'd pitch in.

It is helpful, and I do appreciate it. It is tough to shake this nervousness. I always wonder if I could have done more....I mean I studied 9-5 like a job, did some review on weekends, but I definitely still had a social life. I knew a lot of people who basically didn't socialize for two months. I would study 8 or 9 hours then catch a happy hour or dinner out. I also had to move the week before the bar and lost a couple days to that whole process. Maybe this will prove to be my downfall! (I'm intentionally being a tad dramatic, but the thought has crossed my mind.)

Didn't mean to turn the thread into a cooperlaserpup pity party!! Hopefully others feeling like me will know they are not alone!!!

[kapital98]

@cooperlaserpup: You are not alone. Many of us are feeling anxiety about the results. Keep on sharing what you think.

[sandcastle45]

@cooperlaserpup:

I felt very similarly to you after the bar. Honestly, I felt like the essays went okay, even though I made up a lot of rules and just hoped for the best. I felt like the MBE kicked my ass though. When I was doing my practice tests, at least on like 75% of the questions, I felt like I "knew" the answer or could intelligently narrow it down to 2. On the MBE, I don't know if it was just the exhaustion or the stress, but after it was done, I just felt like I straight-up guessed on about 185 of the questions. I'm sure some of that was exaggeration in my mind, but that's how it felt. I just found it much harder.

I ended up passing. My state only releases MBE scores and mine wasn't even super great (PM me if you want to know it), but I still somehow passed. I know it sucks and I can't believe you have to wait another entire month. I hope you passed and believe me, I know the feeling!

[OklahomasOK]

@cooperlaserpup:

I'm in the same boat, I've already started working too. AND I have my girlfriend quitting her out of state job to move down with me. Talk about pressure. I'd be more concerned if you thought the bar was easy. It seems like those who completed, or came close to completing, their prep course did very well on the bar. Remember, it's a test of minimum competency. You just got to pass.

My health insurance kicks in a couple days before bar results. Going to be pretty awkward if I didn't pass.

[crysmissmichelle]

@cooperlaserpup:

I'm in the same boat, I've already started working too. AND I have my girlfriend quitting her out of state job to move down with me. Talk about pressure. I'd be more concerned if you thought the bar was easy. It seems like those who completed, or came close to completing, their prep course did very well on the bar. Remember, it's a test of minimum competency. You just got to pass.

My health insurance kicks in a couple days before bar results. Going to be pretty awkward if I didn't pass.

This is why I'm scared. Took Virginia, 22 freaking topics for essays to study for. . . answered every one on the real test with time to spare; re-read all answers. . .felt "squishy" on some rules, but came out with a fully reasoned answer for each one. MBE: felt difficult, many questions where two could have been correct--but felt like fewer of those "guess" questions on actual MBE than on my Kaplan study course.

I did EVERYTHING I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO ON KAPLAN. I finished all normal assignments, did very well on the midterm and practice MBEs . . .but switched up the final study plan to do things that I felt I needed to do instead of their busy work. Spent extra time reading past sample essays for the Virginia exam (one of which was a REPEAT on the actual exam!)

I came out feeling like I'd been successful on the exam, just relieved that it was over and that is VERY SCARY because, what if I was oblivious? What if I'm wrong. We still have until next week before scores come out and I HAVE NO PERMANENT JOB. Every job I want to apply to requires bar passage. I am completely freaking out.

[LAWYER2]

The only thing we can do is not worry about what's beyond our control at this point. I've been going back and forth, but one thing remains constant; worrying about it won't achieve anything.
An atty at my job said after he'd taken his exam he honestly felt like there wasn't much he could have done differently. That seems to be the general consensus among those who pass, so I'm remaining cautiously optimistic. If not, then it's back to the drawing board. Yes it would be entirely awkward at my job to explain that I didn't pass, but thankfully my job isn't dependent on passing just yet. I get asked about twice a day when my results come back, seems like everyone else has a vested interest, however the only person I'm concerned about letting down is myself at this point.

[Drowe]

In the same boat. Know for a fact that I screwed up on 3 question subparts. For those 3 questions, I got part a and b, but forgot or misapplied the law for part c. (I check w&m's model answers) Felt good on the rest. For the MBE, I narrowed my choice to two answers. Scared as hell that I failed.

[crysmissmichelle]

The only thing we can do is not worry about what's beyond our control at this point. I've been going back and forth, but one thing remains constant; worrying about it won't achieve anything.
An atty at my job said after he'd taken his exam he honestly felt like there wasn't much he could have done differently. That seems to be the general consensus among those who pass, so I'm remaining cautiously optimistic. If not, then it's back to the drawing board. Yes it would be entirely awkward at my job to explain that I didn't pass, but thankfully my job isn't dependent on passing just yet. I get asked about twice a day when my results come back, seems like everyone else has a vested interest, however the only person I'm concerned about letting down is myself at this point.

The results in Virginia get posted online, by name. The attorneys at the firm where I'm clerking for the last two-and-a-half years will know my results before I do. SO EMBARRASSING.

[crysmissmichelle]

In the same boat. Know for a fact that I screwed up on 3 question subparts. For those 3 questions, I got part a and b, but forgot or misapplied the law for part c. (I check w&m's model answers) Felt good on the rest. For the MBE, I narrowed my choice to two answers. Scared as hell that I failed.

The model answers were encouraging, but I could not keep looking at them, just skimmed them. I have to keep reminding myself, those are the answers of six or seven law professors, with the benefit of research and several days of preparation and consensus. . . there's no way we're supposed to answer the questions in as much breadth and detail as they did. I'm hopeful I'll be able to look at them again *after I pass* (fingers crossed).

[dtl]

In the same boat. Day 2 and 3 went pretty well, but I feel like my essays on day 1 were not nearly where they should have been. And thinking back to the day 1 PT, I am not sure it was legible.

We will see November 21. There is definitely a strong correlation between "busting your ass" like we did and passing though, so hopefully things will be okay. I ended up with a 91% on Themis.

Edit: It would be so nice to have something similar to the W&M answers in California. The best we have is some crazy guys blog post trying to sell his bar tutoring with bullet points!

[acc82]

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.

Any news from your Justice friend? I am fully obsessing at this point and am holding on to a faint glimmer of hope that we will not have to wait until the 17th. Fingers crossed!

[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.

Any news from your Justice friend? I am fully obsessing at this point and am holding on to a faint glimmer of hope that we will not have to wait until the 17th. Fingers crossed!

Nothing yet. I'm in the same boat with hoping that it will be this week just so I can know, though.

[cooperlaserpup]

@cooperlaserpup:

I'm in the same boat, I've already started working too. AND I have my girlfriend quitting her out of state job to move down with me. Talk about pressure. I'd be more concerned if you thought the bar was easy. It seems like those who completed, or came close to completing, their prep course did very well on the bar. Remember, it's a test of minimum competency. You just got to pass.

My health insurance kicks in a couple days before bar results. Going to be pretty awkward if I didn't pass.

Hah I can REALLY relate. I get my transit pass the day before, and my company cell phone. My boyfriend is looking for jobs here too but thankfully hasn't quit his job yet so at least he can wait on that.

It SUCCKKKSSS to have so much riding on it. But like another poster said it is entirely out of my control at this point. It just seems to evil to not let us know sooner....grading can't possibly take longer than a few weeks.

[fundamentallybroken]

Colorado posts at 10 am MST, score reports sent snail mail tomorrow.