3 Tips For Time Management On The MBE

3 Tips For Time Management On The MBE

One minute and forty-eight seconds. That’s how long you have to answer one MBE question on the bar exam in order to finish on time. Now take that time and multiply it by 200 MBE questions. Six hours. That’s the amount of time you should be spending on both sections of the MBE portion of the bar exam. Easier said than done, right? Time management on the MBE is a skill that can make the difference between passing and having to re-take the bar exam. So, if you’re struggling with time management on the MBE portion of the bar exam, what can you do? Well for one, know that you’re not alone! Time management skills are something that thousands of applicants struggle with during each administration of the bar exam. The tips included below will provide you with steps to become faster, more accurate, and more confident with MBE questions.

3 Tips For Time Management On The MBE

1. Get Out Your Stopwatch 

JD Advising always recommends starting off your MBE practice process without imposing a time limit on yourself. However, at some point while studying, you’re going to have test yourself in a timed environment. It’s at this point that time management on the MBE becomes a major component of your preparation process. If you find yourself struggling with timed MBE questions, it’s a good idea to time yourself on each question. This way you can identify whether you’re going too fast or too slow. Depending on what you discover, you can begin to adjust your approach accordingly. Remember, approximately one minute and forty-eight seconds is what you should be aiming for on each MBE question.

2. Read The Question 

Start with the fact pattern, read the call of the question, but stop before reading the answer choices. The fact pattern and call of the question will help you focus your efforts when you review the answer choices.  Some students read an answer choice that sounds good, and then they misread the fact pattern that points them toward their pre-determined answer choice!  Starting with the fact pattern and call of the question gives you an idea of what to look for when reviewing the answer choices. For instance, if the call of the question asks about a breach of contract, you can adjust your reading accordingly. Focusing on what the question is asking before trying to answer the question can not only improve your time management skills but also your accuracy on the MBE.

3. Don’t Be Afraid To Circle Back

The MBE will be filled with many difficult questions, some of which you may want to address later. Don’t be afraid to do this! If you find yourself spending an amount of time in excess of what’s recommended on an MBE question, skip it. You can always come back at a later time to take another stab at it. There are other questions to answer on the MBE and some of those might be challenging in their own respects. Therefore, if you decide to skip a question, simply mark the number on your scantron with a small reminder. Nothing extravagant, just a small symbol to indicate you need to return. If you have time left over at the conclusion of the MBE portion you’re working on, you can go back. You may remember later on in the exam how to answer the MBE you skipped. Skipping certain questions and returning to them at a later time helps to improve time management on the MBE.

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