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What Score Do I Need to Pass?Since the bar examiners of each jurisdiction use the Multistate bar Exam (MBE), the essay section, and other parts of the bar exam in different ways, the answer to this depends on where you are taking the exam. In some states, with a sufficiently high score on the MBE, the bar examiners won't even look at your essays (the theory behind this is that, if you did very well on the MBE, you are likely do the same on the essay, so there is no need to grade the essay as well). Minnesota, for example is such a jurisdiction; in Minnesota you are automatically admitted (non-MN examinees only) with a scaled score of 145. Most states, however, combine MBE and essay scores to determine a passing score. There are three formulas for combining the two scores: 1) the standard deviation method; 2) the comparative range method or 3) the equi-percentile method. All three are quite involved and are beyond the scope of this primer. Passing scores range from 120-140, depending on the state. What you should know is that bar exam failures are on the rise over the past ten years for those who have used traditional bar reviews. See: www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1141898562490 To learn more about your options to pass, visit these quick links:
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