California Performance Test Frequency Chart

California Performance Test Frequency Chart

Here, we have a California Performance Test frequency chart! If you are wondering what has been tested on the performance test portion of the California Bar Exam, this should help clarify it!

Note that beginning July 2017, California changed the format of its bar exam from a three-day exam to a two-day exam. Prior to July 2017, the California Bar Exam contained two three-hour performance tests. However, since July 2017, the California Bar Exam has tested only one 90-minute performance test. (This performance test more closely resembles the performance tests administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE).)

California Performance Test Frequency Chart Takeaways 

You will notice a few things when you review this frequency chart. (Click on the picture to open it in a new tab!)

• First, the most common task by far is the objective memo. (From 2013 through July 2023, of the 31 tasks that have been administered, this has been tested 15 times, or 48% of the time!).
• The persuasive brief is the second most popular task, but it is much less popular than the objective memo, having only been tested about 13% of the time (it has composed 4 of the past 31 tasks).
• The persuasive memo and response to a demand letter are the next in line for being most popular (each being tested 3 times since 2013 of the 31, or 10% each).
• The persuasive letter is less popular (only being tested 2 times since 2013, of the 31, or 6% of the time)—but it was tested semi-recently, in July 2017.
• The opinion letter has only been tested twice since February 2013, making it the least popular task (2/31 = 6% of the time) and further, it has not been tested recently.

You should not ignore any type of performance test when you are preparing for the California Performance Test portion of the bar exam. However, hopefully, this chart can help you focus your studies and show you the tasks most likely to appear on your exam!

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