Bar Exam Toolbox Blog

If you plan on sitting for the bar exam in the near future or if you simply enjoy keeping up to date on the latest bar exam news, you’re probably well aware of the revelation that bar exam scores are at a historic all-time low. This isn’t the first year that scores have taken a plummet. In July 2017, the national mean MBE scaled score was 141.7. However, everyone hoping that this average was a one-time fluke may have faced some serious disappointment when the NCBE released the national mean scaled score for July 2018. A shocking 139.5, a surprisingly low result, especially considering that the national mean score has not been that low since 1984. So what exactly is happening? Why do scores appear to be on a down turn and is there anything we can do to fix it? Well, to provide the shortest answer, it’s unclear why scores have plummeted. Some people have attributed this to law schools accepting students with low LSAT scores. While I can concede that there is perhaps a slight correlation between an examinee’s poor standardized testing on the LSAT and then later on the bar exam, I cannot attribute this as the sole factor for this issue. Instead, I contend that a variety of factors may have contributed to this plummet. Everything from the number of examinees to the difficulty of the exam should definitely be taken into consideration. However, regardless of the true underlying cause, you probably have one major concern as you read this post, “how can I avoid ending up on the lower end of the score spectrum?” I suggest giving the below options a try. [Read more…] about How Do I Survive the Bar Exam with MBE Scores at a Historic Low?