The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) takes the top spot as the most challenging exam in the US, with an average preparation time ranging from 200 to 400 hours for each of its three steps.
In California, there are three main paths to becoming admitted to the state bar: (1) applicants with a law school degree taking the California Bar Exam, (2) applicants without a law school degree completing the Law Office Program and taking the California Bar Exam, and (3) attorneys already admitted to practice in ...
The percentage needed for a passing MBE score in California is 69.5% (1390/2000 or 139/200) is the scaled score. Being that 25 random questions are dropped; a raw score of 1220/1750 or 122/175 is needed. For a more accurate determination of your score, take advantage of One-Timers' MBE Test Simulator.
California's bar exam is known for its rigorous content and low pass rates compared to other states. In fact, even though California recently lowered its passing score from 1,440 to 1,390, that is still higher than the 1,350 score required for a passing grade in many other states.
The overall pass rate was 53.8%, up 2.3 percentage point from last year's exam. For California ABA-accredited law schools, the pass rate for first time test-takers was 81%, up 5 percentage points from 2023.
While your study time, days and location are extremely flexible, passing the bar exam requires time and commitment. Plan on spending approximately 40 hours per week over 8-10 weeks studying for the bar exam. During the few weeks of bar prep, treat your studies like you would treat a new, important job.
California has the most difficult bar examination in the country. The pass rate on the California bar exam is the consistently the lowest in the US, and it's usually several percentage points lower than the other states. New York, on the other hand, is an unusually easy state to pass the bar examination in.
In California, only attorneys can practice law. When someone who is not licensed to practice law provides services that can only be performed by attorneys, that is called the unauthorized practice of law (UPL). UPL is a crime.
For questions related to a moral character application, contact the Office of Admissions at moral.character@calbar.ca or 800-843-9053.
California Breach Of Legal Ethics Lawyers Client Neglect – not returning phone calls, or answering correspondence. Conflicts of Interest – a lawyer may not be representing a client to the best of their ability due to allegiance to another client, or the opposition.