Is The MPT Easy? MPT FAQs To Help You Prepare

Is The MPT Easy? MPT FAQs To Help You Prepare

The Multistate Performance test, also known as the MPT, is administered as part of the Bar Exam in many states. Many students think this is the easiest part of the exam because all of the materials are provided and it is worth the least amount of points. While you cannot “study” for the substance of MPT like you can for the other portions of the exam, you can – and should – prepare for it. The sections below provide an overview of the MPT as well as tips for maximizing your points by avoiding easy mistakes.

Is The MPT Easy? MPT FAQs To Help You Prepare

What is it and how many points is it worth?

The MPT tasks are considered “lawyer” assignments. Students are expected to complete two different writing assignments. The most common task is writing a memo; however, the MPT can also ask students to draft a contract provision, an argumentative response to a court, a will, a closing argument, a letter to a client, or another unique task. Students must complete the task in 90 minutes. Check out these attack outlines for how to approach each type of MPT task.

The MPT accounts for about 20% of each students’ score. As a result, many look at the point value and decide to allocate their time elsewhere. But as one of my professors once said, “You won’t pass the bar because of the MPT, but you can fail because of it.” While it may not be worth as many points as the other section, a strong score accounting for 20% of your overall grade can boost weaker sections of your test and get you the passing score you need.

Be sure to also check out what score is needed to pass the MPT in your jurisdiction!

Do you have to study for the MPT?

Technically, there is nothing to “study” for on the MPT. This is because the questions provide you with all of the relevant statutes and cases needed. For this reason, some students choose not to take practice MPTs.  They think that they can just write a memo as they did in law school. These students often score low because they are unprepared. As discussed above, students can be asked to complete a wide variety of tasks, thus students should practice each type of task at least once in order to better understand how to approach the various assignments. Even if you can’t study for this section, you can become familiar with each of the tasks so that you are more prepared for the actual test. Knowing and feeling confident in how to approach the MPT and earn the maximum amount of points is time well spent in the bar studying process!

Are there any other common mistakes students make during the MPT?

There are generally three common mistakes students make regarding the MPT.

First, students rush through the question and dive straight into the facts and rules, thinking they must write a memo because that is the most common assignment. As a result, the students submit an answer that is not in the proper format, resulting in a large loss of points. Always provide what is being asked of you. If you need to write a memo, write a memo, if it is a persuasive argument, write a persuasive argument. Spend the necessary time and read the instructions to avoid mistakes such as this.

Second, students use laws and cases they learned in school to answer the prompt. Remember, these essays take place in a fictional location, DO NOT use laws and cases that it does not provide. Students believe that providing extra laws or cases boosts their scores because they demonstrate knowledge of the subject. Instead, students lose a majority of the points.

The final mistake is the most common and most severe, students fail to put in the necessary study time for the MPT. Because they are given the laws and facts, students believe that there is nothing that can be studied. While you cannot “study” for the MPT, you can still prepare for it. Students who do not spend enough time preparing often do not pace well and run out of time, fail to fully address the prompt, or provide an incomplete response they have not practiced the type of question being asked. Students who practice the various types of MPTs can thoroughly answer the question because while the question’s content is new, they know the proper approach and can craft an answer to fit the prompt.

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