How Many MPTs Should I Practice?

How Many MPTs Should I Practice?

As students prepare for the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), they often wonder how many Multistate Performance Tests (MPTs) they should practice before exam day.  Do not be fooled into thinking that just because there is no need to memorize substantive law, or because you have written a memo or two in a legal writing class, that you don’t need to study for the MPT. You cannot simply count on your law school education and adrenaline to get you through the MPT come exam day! Though the MPT does not require memorizing substantive law, it still deserves time and effort as part of your bar studying regime. The MPT can be (and has been for many) the difference between passing and failing the bar exam. So, how many MPTs should I practice?

How Many MPTs Should I Practice?

So, how many do I need to complete? 

The only way to prepare for the MPT is to practice MPTs. You may have written memos before, but you have not likely submitted coherent legal writing based on a previously unknown set of facts and law under tightly timed conditions all while navigating the pressure of the bar exam. In order to assure the MPT will boost your score, practicing under exam-like conditions is key.

So, how much practice? How many MPTs should you be completing before exam day? Of course, the number can vary person-to-person based on your studying methods and strengths/weaknesses. However, a good rule of thumb for any test-taker is to do at least one timed MPT every week you study for the bar exam. For many test-takers, this will lead to between 7 and 8 completed MPTs during the course of your study. By practicing MPTs consistently throughout your bar prep, you will hone your strategy and become proficient in dealing with the different scenarios the examiners may throw at you.

Schedule Time To Practice

Schedule a weekly two-hour time slot (90 minutes to take the test with a 30-minute window for prep and wrap up) in your study routine specifically for a timed MPT. If you don’t schedule it in, it will be an easy task to skip over or “save for later” resulting in fewer practice MPTs and the potential for a lower score. Ideally, you would schedule this for the first thing of your day so you are most alert but also because the MPT is the first administered portion of the UBE come test day. Simulate the real experience as much as you can with time of day, timing conditions, and the setting.

Practicing the MPT is the best way to perfect the MPT. If you commit to strategically practicing the MPT, you can go into the bar exam confident that this portion of the UBE will work to maximize your overall score.

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