2020 September California Bar Exam Forum

[Anonymous User]

Do we know if the exam will, for sure, be online? Also, did the NCBE formally approve the California bar's request to administer the MBE online?

Here's the official letter:

https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/doc ... rkplan.pdf

Check out the last paragraph. It's also been reiterated in other articles, that there are still certain things that are up in the air regarding the MBE.

I haven't seen anything that suggests that the exam will now be in-person.

[nthp]

I don’t know. I’m an attorney applicant and I much prefer everything on paper than on the computer. I feel as if I’m going to do worse with the test administered online than on paper. With paper, I can highlight and write notes on the margins at the same time. I can also do a mini outline in my head as I’m highlighting and writing notes. I’m sure you can do it online too, but I feel it’s not as efficient.

Plus, has the Bar considered this method of cheating: you have your computer, which locks you out of the internet, but there’s always a second computer on the same or different network (personal hotspot and all) and you have a person in the room helping you out? Or even your phone. There’s lots of ways you can cheat at home. The argument is that you don’t have time to cheat, but oh, when there’s a will there’s a way.

The New York Bar is lowering the amount of applicants they’ll take this year and spreading the Bar exam takers into smaller facilities around NY, such as law schools. No convention centers. Cannot California do the same thing?

[rcharter1978]

I don’t know. I’m an attorney applicant and I much prefer everything on paper than on the computer. I feel as if I’m going to do worse with the test administered online than on paper. With paper, I can highlight and write notes on the margins at the same time. I can also do a mini outline in my head as I’m highlighting and writing notes. I’m sure you can do it online too, but I feel it’s not as efficient.

Plus, has the Bar considered this method of cheating: you have your computer, which locks you out of the internet, but there’s always a second computer on the same or different network (personal hotspot and all) and you have a person in the room helping you out? Or even your phone. There’s lots of ways you can cheat at home. The argument is that you don’t have time to cheat, but oh, when there’s a will there’s a way.

The New York Bar is lowering the amount of applicants they’ll take this year and spreading the Bar exam takers into smaller facilities around NY, such as law schools. No convention centers. Cannot California do the same thing?

As I understand it the software has live proctor monitoring, environment scans and security checks.

Or maybe no one at the bar has considered that someone at home might try to cheat and the bar is going to go from a heavily proctored exam to a lassiez faire take home test where test takers will be free to have a Greek chorus in the other room on a laptop ready to answer questions at a moment's notice

LOL at people dreaming up hypothetical cheating scenarios.

I wonder if the California bar has considered this method of cheating: you're sitting next to a window and some guy outside with a laptop uses sign language to communicate all the answers to you. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY!

[Anonymous User]

I don’t know. I’m an attorney applicant and I much prefer everything on paper than on the computer. I feel as if I’m going to do worse with the test administered online than on paper. With paper, I can highlight and write notes on the margins at the same time. I can also do a mini outline in my head as I’m highlighting and writing notes. I’m sure you can do it online too, but I feel it’s not as efficient.

Plus, has the Bar considered this method of cheating: you have your computer, which locks you out of the internet, but there’s always a second computer on the same or different network (personal hotspot and all) and you have a person in the room helping you out? Or even your phone. There’s lots of ways you can cheat at home. The argument is that you don’t have time to cheat, but oh, when there’s a will there’s a way.

The New York Bar is lowering the amount of applicants they’ll take this year and spreading the Bar exam takers into smaller facilities around NY, such as law schools. No convention centers. Cannot California do the same thing?

As I understand it the software has live proctor monitoring, environment scans and security checks.

Or maybe no one at the bar has considered that someone at home might try to cheat and the bar is going to go from a heavily proctored exam to a lassiez faire take home test where test takers will be free to have a Greek chorus in the other room on a laptop ready to answer questions at a moment's notice

LOL at people dreaming up hypothetical cheating scenarios.

I wonder if the California bar has considered this method of cheating: you're sitting next to a window and some guy outside with a laptop uses sign language to communicate all the answers to you. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY!

Enjoyed your sarcasm there, rcharter1978. That was an unnecessary dunk and an overreaction to what I wrote. There was no sarcasm on my part. It was legitimate worry that they can pull something off in less than 5 months time. I personally feel like it’s a pipe dream to get something done in such a time crunch. However, my own desire is to continue to have it be done on paper.

That said, I had not heard how they will proctor this exam. Seems like a good idea.

[rcharter1978]

I don’t know. I’m an attorney applicant and I much prefer everything on paper than on the computer. I feel as if I’m going to do worse with the test administered online than on paper. With paper, I can highlight and write notes on the margins at the same time. I can also do a mini outline in my head as I’m highlighting and writing notes. I’m sure you can do it online too, but I feel it’s not as efficient.

Plus, has the Bar considered this method of cheating: you have your computer, which locks you out of the internet, but there’s always a second computer on the same or different network (personal hotspot and all) and you have a person in the room helping you out? Or even your phone. There’s lots of ways you can cheat at home. The argument is that you don’t have time to cheat, but oh, when there’s a will there’s a way.

The New York Bar is lowering the amount of applicants they’ll take this year and spreading the Bar exam takers into smaller facilities around NY, such as law schools. No convention centers. Cannot California do the same thing?

As I understand it the software has live proctor monitoring, environment scans and security checks.

Or maybe no one at the bar has considered that someone at home might try to cheat and the bar is going to go from a heavily proctored exam to a lassiez faire take home test where test takers will be free to have a Greek chorus in the other room on a laptop ready to answer questions at a moment's notice

LOL at people dreaming up hypothetical cheating scenarios.

I wonder if the California bar has considered this method of cheating: you're sitting next to a window and some guy outside with a laptop uses sign language to communicate all the answers to you. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY!

Enjoyed your sarcasm there, rcharter1978. That was an unnecessary dunk and an overreaction to what I wrote. There was no sarcasm on my part. It was legitimate worry that they can pull something off in less than 5 months time. I personally feel like it’s a pipe dream to get something done in such a time crunch. However, my own desire is to continue to have it be done on paper.

That said, I had not heard how they will proctor this exam. Seems like a good idea.

There are likely people who cheat in every bar administration, even before this. As you said, where there is a will there is a way. But are you best served by worrying about a small fraction who may cheat or by devoting all your time to preparing yourself for the exam?

I wasn't concerned about anyone else when I took the exam. As long as I passed I didn't particularly care who was doing what.

This isn't the Titanic, there aren't a limited number of rafts. You can pass and a morally bankrupt cheater can also pass.

I might even be more understanding if there was some realistic opportunity for large scale cheating,
but all of these schemes are convoluted, involved and complicated to execute, so if anyone is doing this it is likely a small number of test takers.

As someone upthread said, you'd be better served by focusing your efforts on passing the exam. That really should be all that matters.

[Anonymous User]

I don’t know. I’m an attorney applicant and I much prefer everything on paper than on the computer. I feel as if I’m going to do worse with the test administered online than on paper. With paper, I can highlight and write notes on the margins at the same time. I can also do a mini outline in my head as I’m highlighting and writing notes. I’m sure you can do it online too, but I feel it’s not as efficient.

Plus, has the Bar considered this method of cheating: you have your computer, which locks you out of the internet, but there’s always a second computer on the same or different network (personal hotspot and all) and you have a person in the room helping you out? Or even your phone. There’s lots of ways you can cheat at home. The argument is that you don’t have time to cheat, but oh, when there’s a will there’s a way.

The New York Bar is lowering the amount of applicants they’ll take this year and spreading the Bar exam takers into smaller facilities around NY, such as law schools. No convention centers. Cannot California do the same thing?

As I understand it the software has live proctor monitoring, environment scans and security checks.

Or maybe no one at the bar has considered that someone at home might try to cheat and the bar is going to go from a heavily proctored exam to a lassiez faire take home test where test takers will be free to have a Greek chorus in the other room on a laptop ready to answer questions at a moment's notice

LOL at people dreaming up hypothetical cheating scenarios.

I wonder if the California bar has considered this method of cheating: you're sitting next to a window and some guy outside with a laptop uses sign language to communicate all the answers to you. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY!

Enjoyed your sarcasm there, rcharter1978. That was an unnecessary dunk and an overreaction to what I wrote. There was no sarcasm on my part. It was legitimate worry that they can pull something off in less than 5 months time. I personally feel like it’s a pipe dream to get something done in such a time crunch. However, my own desire is to continue to have it be done on paper.

That said, I had not heard how they will proctor this exam. Seems like a good idea.

There are likely people who cheat in every bar administration, even before this. As you said, where there is a will there is a way. But are you best served by worrying about a small fraction who may cheat or by devoting all your time to preparing yourself for the exam?

I wasn't concerned about anyone else when I took the exam. As long as I passed I didn't particularly care who was doing what.

This isn't the Titanic, there aren't a limited number of rafts. You can pass and a morally bankrupt cheater can also pass.

I might even be more understanding if there was some realistic opportunity for large scale cheating,
but all of these schemes are convoluted, involved and complicated to execute, so if anyone is doing this it is likely a small number of test takers.

As someone upthread said, you'd be better served by focusing your efforts on passing the exam. That really should be all that matters.

I actually very much agree with you on not paying attention to the people around you and to focus on passing the exam. At my Bar exam, my seat mate left over an hour early each section, each day. It was rather distracting, but I passed. Focusing on cheaters will do no good, you are right.

I think it’s more wishful thinking for me to have it still be done on paper because I’m not the best online, and I think it will hinder my exam taking. I have no exam anxieties being in a large convention center with fellow exam takers. My friend has the opposite view. She loves that it will be online and that nobody else will be around. That is why I was focused on cheating: because it might hold off the Bar from administering it online.
To my benefit. Of course.

[rcharter1978]

I don’t know. I’m an attorney applicant and I much prefer everything on paper than on the computer. I feel as if I’m going to do worse with the test administered online than on paper. With paper, I can highlight and write notes on the margins at the same time. I can also do a mini outline in my head as I’m highlighting and writing notes. I’m sure you can do it online too, but I feel it’s not as efficient.

Plus, has the Bar considered this method of cheating: you have your computer, which locks you out of the internet, but there’s always a second computer on the same or different network (personal hotspot and all) and you have a person in the room helping you out? Or even your phone. There’s lots of ways you can cheat at home. The argument is that you don’t have time to cheat, but oh, when there’s a will there’s a way.

The New York Bar is lowering the amount of applicants they’ll take this year and spreading the Bar exam takers into smaller facilities around NY, such as law schools. No convention centers. Cannot California do the same thing?

As I understand it the software has live proctor monitoring, environment scans and security checks.

Or maybe no one at the bar has considered that someone at home might try to cheat and the bar is going to go from a heavily proctored exam to a lassiez faire take home test where test takers will be free to have a Greek chorus in the other room on a laptop ready to answer questions at a moment's notice

LOL at people dreaming up hypothetical cheating scenarios.

I wonder if the California bar has considered this method of cheating: you're sitting next to a window and some guy outside with a laptop uses sign language to communicate all the answers to you. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY!

Enjoyed your sarcasm there, rcharter1978. That was an unnecessary dunk and an overreaction to what I wrote. There was no sarcasm on my part. It was legitimate worry that they can pull something off in less than 5 months time. I personally feel like it’s a pipe dream to get something done in such a time crunch. However, my own desire is to continue to have it be done on paper.

That said, I had not heard how they will proctor this exam. Seems like a good idea.

There are likely people who cheat in every bar administration, even before this. As you said, where there is a will there is a way. But are you best served by worrying about a small fraction who may cheat or by devoting all your time to preparing yourself for the exam?

I wasn't concerned about anyone else when I took the exam. As long as I passed I didn't particularly care who was doing what.

This isn't the Titanic, there aren't a limited number of rafts. You can pass and a morally bankrupt cheater can also pass.

I might even be more understanding if there was some realistic opportunity for large scale cheating,
but all of these schemes are convoluted, involved and complicated to execute, so if anyone is doing this it is likely a small number of test takers.

As someone upthread said, you'd be better served by focusing your efforts on passing the exam. That really should be all that matters.

I actually very much agree with you on not paying attention to the people around you and to focus on passing the exam. At my Bar exam, my seat mate left over an hour early each section, each day. It was rather distracting, but I passed. Focusing on cheaters will do no good, you are right.

I think it’s more wishful thinking for me to have it still be done on paper because I’m not the best online, and I think it will hinder my exam taking. I have no exam anxieties being in a large convention center with fellow exam takers. My friend has the opposite view. She loves that it will be online and that nobody else will be around. That is why I was focused on cheating: because it might hold off the Bar from administering it online.
To my benefit. Of course.

I understand that and I am sympathetic because I did all of my outlining on paper and my PT method relied on a hand-drawn matrix so it would be hard to adjust. And I'd be super frustrated too.

I thought the bar would just contract more venues and proctors to ensure social distancing. I mean, it seems likely there will be a lot of cancelled concerts and events and so there would be a lot of large, open venues to choose from. But, I guess they went the other direction. It does suck.

Your frustration and annoyance at the situation are totally understandable.

They are postponing until September, but if you feel strongly can you wait until February?

[Anonymous User]

I don’t know. I’m an attorney applicant and I much prefer everything on paper than on the computer. I feel as if I’m going to do worse with the test administered online than on paper. With paper, I can highlight and write notes on the margins at the same time. I can also do a mini outline in my head as I’m highlighting and writing notes. I’m sure you can do it online too, but I feel it’s not as efficient.

Plus, has the Bar considered this method of cheating: you have your computer, which locks you out of the internet, but there’s always a second computer on the same or different network (personal hotspot and all) and you have a person in the room helping you out? Or even your phone. There’s lots of ways you can cheat at home. The argument is that you don’t have time to cheat, but oh, when there’s a will there’s a way.

The New York Bar is lowering the amount of applicants they’ll take this year and spreading the Bar exam takers into smaller facilities around NY, such as law schools. No convention centers. Cannot California do the same thing?

As I understand it the software has live proctor monitoring, environment scans and security checks.

Or maybe no one at the bar has considered that someone at home might try to cheat and the bar is going to go from a heavily proctored exam to a lassiez faire take home test where test takers will be free to have a Greek chorus in the other room on a laptop ready to answer questions at a moment's notice

LOL at people dreaming up hypothetical cheating scenarios.

I wonder if the California bar has considered this method of cheating: you're sitting next to a window and some guy outside with a laptop uses sign language to communicate all the answers to you. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY!

Enjoyed your sarcasm there, rcharter1978. That was an unnecessary dunk and an overreaction to what I wrote. There was no sarcasm on my part. It was legitimate worry that they can pull something off in less than 5 months time. I personally feel like it’s a pipe dream to get something done in such a time crunch. However, my own desire is to continue to have it be done on paper.

That said, I had not heard how they will proctor this exam. Seems like a good idea.

There are likely people who cheat in every bar administration, even before this. As you said, where there is a will there is a way. But are you best served by worrying about a small fraction who may cheat or by devoting all your time to preparing yourself for the exam?

I wasn't concerned about anyone else when I took the exam. As long as I passed I didn't particularly care who was doing what.

This isn't the Titanic, there aren't a limited number of rafts. You can pass and a morally bankrupt cheater can also pass.

I might even be more understanding if there was some realistic opportunity for large scale cheating,
but all of these schemes are convoluted, involved and complicated to execute, so if anyone is doing this it is likely a small number of test takers.

As someone upthread said, you'd be better served by focusing your efforts on passing the exam. That really should be all that matters.

I actually very much agree with you on not paying attention to the people around you and to focus on passing the exam. At my Bar exam, my seat mate left over an hour early each section, each day. It was rather distracting, but I passed. Focusing on cheaters will do no good, you are right.

I think it’s more wishful thinking for me to have it still be done on paper because I’m not the best online, and I think it will hinder my exam taking. I have no exam anxieties being in a large convention center with fellow exam takers. My friend has the opposite view. She loves that it will be online and that nobody else will be around. That is why I was focused on cheating: because it might hold off the Bar from administering it online.
To my benefit. Of course.

I understand that and I am sympathetic because I did all of my outlining on paper and my PT method relied on a hand-drawn matrix so it would be hard to adjust. And I'd be super frustrated too.

I thought the bar would just contract more venues and proctors to ensure social distancing. I mean, it seems likely there will be a lot of cancelled concerts and events and so there would be a lot of large, open venues to choose from. But, I guess they went the other direction. It does suck.

Your frustration and annoyance at the situation are totally understandable.

They are postponing until September, but if you feel strongly can you wait until February?

Thanks recharger1978. Yeah, I think contracting with more venues would have been a great idea, and something they should really think about.

This is me trying to come up with reasons not to administer it online, but when I was taking Barbri the first time, and all throughout law school too, they did say that studies show that you remember more when you write, versus just reading. And it’s true. The MBE has a ton of long winded questions that could use highlighting and underlining, plus notes and outlining.

As to waiting, thanks for asking. My employer has graciously let me off for two months to study for the Bar. They’d like me to become a full attorney this year or early next year. So it’s not feasible to take it in February.

[Anonymous User]

I don’t know. I’m an attorney applicant and I much prefer everything on paper than on the computer. I feel as if I’m going to do worse with the test administered online than on paper. With paper, I can highlight and write notes on the margins at the same time. I can also do a mini outline in my head as I’m highlighting and writing notes. I’m sure you can do it online too, but I feel it’s not as efficient.

Plus, has the Bar considered this method of cheating: you have your computer, which locks you out of the internet, but there’s always a second computer on the same or different network (personal hotspot and all) and you have a person in the room helping you out? Or even your phone. There’s lots of ways you can cheat at home. The argument is that you don’t have time to cheat, but oh, when there’s a will there’s a way.

The New York Bar is lowering the amount of applicants they’ll take this year and spreading the Bar exam takers into smaller facilities around NY, such as law schools. No convention centers. Cannot California do the same thing?

I read an article a few weeks ago, I think it was written by a law professor, that cheating won't really help because there's not enough time to look through books or whatever.

I think that's the philosophy of the CA Court and the Bar, that literally every minute counts and that negates potential cheating. For each Bar, most of the students are still writing when time is almost called.

Btw, there was a study that said 62% of college students admitted to some type of cheating for online classes.

https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2020/05/ ... -cheating/

I really hope the Bar doesn't make this exam packed with Negligence and Jurisdictional issues.

[retaker_SF]

NCBE is only offering remote MBE for October 5-6. California Bar Exam is in September. The State Bar said they are not responding to questions about the bar format until after the "baby bar" on June 23. Is it up to the Supreme Court of California to decide? I think the Governor banned large events, meaning an in-person exam is unlikely. If so, MBE probably will not be tested.

NCBE also said they will not be doing scaling. Any suggestions for studying for an unknown format? I personally would rather focus on just what is being tested and not waste time on MBE questions if they're not being tested.

http://www.ncbex.org/ncbe-covid-19-updates/

[Heyall]

NCBE is only offering remote MBE for October 5-6. California Bar Exam is in September. The State Bar said they are not responding to questions about the bar format until after the "baby bar" on June 23. Is it up to the Supreme Court of California to decide? I think the Governor banned large events, meaning an in-person exam is unlikely. If so, MBE probably will not be tested.

NCBE also said they will not be doing scaling. Any suggestions for studying for an unknown format? I personally would rather focus on just what is being tested and not waste time on MBE questions if they're not being tested.

http://www.ncbex.org/ncbe-covid-19-updates/

Thanks for that update.

Personally, I'm studying the main outlines for essays for the time being.

If they announce that MBE's will be part of the exam in early July, then August should be enough time to study for that portion. It's not like MBE topics are foreign. They're the same topics as essays, just with greater nuance. So it's not worth worrying about.

[JDMBALLMMS]

It appears that the best option based on the NCBE statement will be to wait for the February option and that may also be their intent. But there is no assurance that this COVID-19 issue is going away soon.

[Rooks]

It appears that the best option based on the NCBE statement will be to wait for the February option and that may also be their intent. But there is no assurance that this COVID-19 issue is going away soon.

Don't say that.

I'm personally just waiting on CA to respond. I get the whole "incompetence" of the CA Bar and how they handled that meeting a couple of months ago, but I still trust they, or the CA Supreme Court, will find an option that allows us to take the Bar this year. Diploma privilege? Likely not. Postpone until October 5-6, maybe. In person on September 9-10th? That's my current guess. But regardless, it is what it is. At this point, I'll take it. If no decision is made by June 23/30th, I will start preparing to study full-time on July 1st. We still have about a month until then, and I think we will hear some update by by June 30th.

[james11]

It appears that the best option based on the NCBE statement will be to wait for the February option and that may also be their intent. But there is no assurance that this COVID-19 issue is going away soon.

Don't say that.

I'm personally just waiting on CA to respond. I get the whole "incompetence" of the CA Bar and how they handled that meeting a couple of months ago, but I still trust they, or the CA Supreme Court, will find an option that allows us to take the Bar this year. Diploma privilege? Likely not. Postpone until October 5-6, maybe. In person on September 9-10th? That's my current guess. But regardless, it is what it is. At this point, I'll take it. If no decision is made by June 23/30th, I will start preparing to study full-time on July 1st. We still have about a month until then, and I think we will hear some update by by June 30th.

So the best option is to tell 12,000 test takers to wait until Feb? No way the CA Supreme Court goes along with that. Why not just go the Nevada/Michigan/Indiana route and test essay only?

[Anonymous User]

I've read the announcements but remain a little confused about the situation and have a few questions.

(1) Is it confirmed if the CBX will be online?
(2) Is it confirmed if the MBE will be on the CBX?
(3) Is it confirmed that the CBX will only be the essay portion without the MBE?
(3) Is it confirmed that regardless what happens with (1)-(3), the CBX will be held on September 9-10?

Sorry if I'm missing something, but any advice would be much appreciated!

[retaker_SF]

They won't answer any questions till June 23, 2020.

They don't care about ensuring recent graduates get a chance to demonstrate minimum competency. They care about $20,000,000 in revenue from administering the exam. It's big business for them. Otherwise the cut off score wouldn't be so arbitrarily high.

Hopefully the Supreme Court of CA intervenes and requires us to know what the exam format will be prior to June 23. I personally have so much anxiety I can't focus anymore, and I don't know how to study other than hoping for luck with graders.

Essay grading is so subjective and inconsistent.

[rcharter1978]

They won't answer any questions till June 23, 2020.

They don't care about ensuring recent graduates get a chance to demonstrate minimum competency. They care about $20,000,000 in revenue from administering the exam. It's big business for them. Otherwise the cut off score wouldn't be so arbitrarily high.

Hopefully the Supreme Court of CA intervenes and requires us to know what the exam format will be prior to June 23. I personally have so much anxiety I can't focus anymore, and I don't know how to study other than hoping for luck with graders.

Essay grading is so subjective and inconsistent.

That makes sense, when I took the bar the written portion was worth 65% and that felt particularly sucky because there is so much subjectivity built into essay grading.

The MBEs aren't perfect, but they are at least more objective, so the 50/50 split seemed like it would lean in favor of test takers.

Your anxiety sucks and is understandable. Uncertainty is the worst, at least you can plan your life accordingly if you know what the situation is.

Personally, I'd probably delay taking the exam if there wasn't an MBE. But that was my area of strength so, I guess for strong writers maybe they would go for an all written exam.

Anyways, I'm really sorry this is happening to all of you. All this uncertainty is unfair to you. You'll have to take the exam, that's fine, but it seems like a few people dropped the ball on planning and foresight and it sucks.

[Anonymous User]

How do we know they're going to decide on June 23? From the bar's plan on the September CBX Online, it seems like they've already blown multiple timelines without transparently addressing the public.

https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/doc ... rkplan.pdf

[retaker_SF]

How do we know they're going to decide on June 23? From the bar's plan on the September CBX Online, it seems like they've already blown multiple timelines without transparently addressing the public.

https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/doc ... rkplan.pdf

Agreed they have blown multiple deadlines, June 23 is supposedly when the "baby bar" is. It's supposedly serving as their test of online proctoring.

DC just announced they are moving the bar exam to Oct 5-6. Personally I think this would be a big mistake for CA if they follow that. DC at least lets people transfer MBE scores.

[persianprincess]

How do we know they're going to decide on June 23? From the bar's plan on the September CBX Online, it seems like they've already blown multiple timelines without transparently addressing the public.

https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/doc ... rkplan.pdf

Agreed they have blown multiple deadlines, June 23 is supposedly when the "baby bar" is. It's supposedly serving as their test of online proctoring.

DC just announced they are moving the bar exam to Oct 5-6. Personally I think this would be a big mistake for CA if they follow that. DC at least lets people transfer MBE scores.

Ugh my goodness sounds like everything's still up in the air from your guys's posts. I guess it's best for us to just prepare for essays for now a little more than MBE until we know more in July after they examine how the baby bar goes and after NCBE gives us some kind of final word on what's happening with MBE.

Also to previous posters I too really wish we had a paper exam to write, underline, and scratch up next to the essay prompts and the whole PT because that's how I'm used to doing it and I'm quick with the pen.. will be hard/not the same to work off the computer screen trying to do that and prob end up trying to keep it all organized in my head so I don't hit a wrong button and delete everything with 10 seconds left.

[BarEssays]

Now it looks like the Cal Bar might be moved to October!

http://www.calbar.ca.gov/About-Us/News/COVID-19-Updates

Examinations
The California Supreme Court on June 10 issued a letter updating its April 27 guidance regarding the fall California Bar Exam. The Court “will consider moving the exam to October 5-6, 2020 after the State Bar assesses its online administration of the First-Year Law Students’ Examination on June 23 and the feasibility of upscaling that administration to the full exam in the fall.” Given the Court’s notice, the Office of Admissions will not change any examination and corresponding deadline dates until a final determination has been made by the Court. Exam applicants are encouraged to continue studying with the September date in mind but are alerted about the possibility that these dates can change. We encourage applicants to check our website for updates. Registered applicants are advised to check the Applicant Portal for any changes and updates.

The State Bar’s May work plan for delivery of the First-Year Law Students' Exam and options for the fall bar exam both in-person and online is here. Information about refund policies related to the July Bar Exam postponement is available here.

[retaker_SF]

Someone please explain to the Supreme Court of California that this is hurting inclusion of first generation attorneys. We can not afford to wait around til October to take the test! I already quit my job! I could have had one month of extra income!

I am so tired of the California Bar Exam! It is ruining our lives! I barely failed my past exams! It is depressing.

We are in a pandemic. Does no one get it?

Someone pls institute a rule that the bar exam dates have to be set, and if they can't be met then diploma privilege and/or retroactive passing based on a certain cut-off of a past score! This effects repeaters and new grads!

[retaker_SF]

FYI Washington State just instituted diploma privilege for all those that signed up for WA State Bar, and graduated from ABA school.

So much for CA being progressive. I hope they follow WA's lead. This is incredible news.

Bar prep companies are probably not so happy about it.

[james11]

FYI Washington State just instituted diploma privilege for all those that signed up for WA State Bar, and graduated from ABA school.

So much for CA being progressive. I hope they follow WA's lead. This is incredible news.

Bar prep companies are probably not so happy about it.

Diploma privilege would never happen in California because of the large amount of retakers and foreign lawyers it would leave behind, in addition to the large amount of "California accredited" schools that are not ABA but also would be left behind. The big states - California, New York, Florida, would never allow diploma privilege, but it could work for small jurisdictions like Washington or Utah.

[cavalier1138]

FYI Washington State just instituted diploma privilege for all those that signed up for WA State Bar, and graduated from ABA school.

So much for CA being progressive. I hope they follow WA's lead. This is incredible news.

Bar prep companies are probably not so happy about it.

Diploma privilege would never happen in California because of the large amount of retakers and foreign lawyers it would leave behind, in addition to the large amount of "California accredited" schools that are not ABA but also would be left behind. The big states - California, New York, Florida, would never allow diploma privilege, but it could work for small jurisdictions like Washington or Utah.

And on the flip-side of that, California has enough ABA-accredited law school grads that shouldn't be practicing law to make diploma privilege a non-starter.

I'm actually a fan of how Utah handled the diploma privilege question: only grant it to grads from schools with a history of adequate pass rates.