Welcome back! Today, we’re talking about the basics of the bar exam. This episode might send shudders down your spine if you’re a 3L looking to take the bar exam next summer, or perhaps you’re thinking, “Hey, I’m a 1L. Why should I be worrying about this so early?”
Well, the reality is the bar exam is a pretty big deal and is one of the final hurdles to becoming a lawyer. So whether you’re taking the next bar exam or taking it a few years from now, you need to understand the basics, to ensure you prepare effectively and only have to take it once!
(We’re pleased to announce our episodes now contain a transcript, which you’ll find below. Enjoy!)
In this episode we discuss:
- Bar exam basics, especially California and the UBE states
- What the UBE consists of (MPT, MBE, MEE)
- What the performance test covers and how to prepare
- What to expect on the MBE and how to prepare
- Being strategic and matching your bar exam planning to your career objectives
- Questions to ask yourself as you decide which bar exam to take
- The changes coming to the California bar exam
- Should you wait to take the CA bar exam?
- Will CA be harder or easier after the changes?
- Planning ahead for the bar exam as a 1L and 2L
- Other state bar exams you may encounter
- Choosing the right bar review provider and whether you need to buy immediately as a law student
- What are accommodations and how can you get them for the bar exam?
- Should you take bar electives in law school?
- The future of the bar exam
Listen Now
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Resources
- National Conference of Bar Examiners
- Thinking Ahead to Get Ready for the Bar Exam (podcast)
- The Top 5 Bar Exam Mistakes Podcast (sponsored by Adaptibar – with $55 discount)
- Adaptibar
- Themis Bar Review
- Lean Sheets
- Sketchy Law
- Can You Pass the Bar Exam Without Taking Barbri
- Bar Exam Tips: Mastering the MBE (podcast)
- Seeking Accommodations in Law School and the Bar Exam
- All our Bar Exam Related Podcasts
Download a copy of this transcript
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And you can always listen to other episodes on the main Law School Toolbox podcast page.
Thanks for listening!

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