How To Prepare for A High Stakes MPRE

How To Prepare for A High Stakes MPRE

For some students, there isn’t a lot of pressure when they take the MPRE because they can simply re-take it in 3-5 months (depending on what administration they originally took the MPRE).  However, for others, the MPRE is “high stakes”.  For instance, if your jurisdiction requires you to pass the MPRE before you can take the bar exam, or if you have already passed the bar exam and the MPRE is the final hurdle to becoming a licensed attorney, then it is a “high stakes” exam! It is also high stakes if you are taking the MPRE because you have been disciplined by your state authority — it will look much better if you pass the MPRE the first time you take it in that case. In this post, we provide tips for studying for a “high stakes” MPRE!

How To Prepare for A High Stakes MPRE

1. Start studying early.

A lot of students are under the misconception that they can simply show up for the MPRE without studying because they can go with their gut instinct about what type of behavior is ethical.  Students who took this approach and passed got lucky.

The MPRE tests the nuances of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct.  The difference between a correct and an incorrect answer could be a single word in the language of one of the rules.  For this reason, it is important to start reviewing the rules early to reduce your stress and the amount of work you have to put in as the MPRE approaches.  Starting to review an outline, memorize the rules, and practice questions 4-6 weeks before the exam will help ease the pressure and anxiety of the exam.

2. Do practice questions.

You don’t want to be surprised the day of the exam when you see what the questions actually look like and realizing that they are a lot more difficult than you imagined.  You might be surprised by how long and complex some of the fact patterns are for MPRE questions!  Eliminate the element of surprise by doing real, released practice questions prior to the MPRE.

It is important to do as many REAL practice questions as possible.  There are many resources for questions, but many companies write their own.  That isn’t to say that these questions are bad – they are still a great way to practice your knowledge of the rules – but they are not going to adequately prepare you for the actual questions that you will see on the exam.  There are multiple sources for real, released MPRE questions (and, in fact, we offer them here!).

3. Be familiar with test day policies.

Don’t add to an already stressful situation by showing up unprepared to take the test on test day!  Eliminate any additional, unnecessary stress by reviewing the MPRE test day policies ahead of time.

For instance, you must bring a government-issued photo ID AND a passport-type photo with you to the testing center.  Obtaining this passport-type photo well in advance will alleviate last-minute stress as you prepare for the day of the exam!  You can read about this and the other updated test-day policies from the NCBE.

4. Consider getting help!

If you have test anxiety in general, or you have struggled with exams in the past, a tutor or MPRE course could help ease that anxiety!  Not only will a tutor or course explain the rules and concepts that you need to know for the test, but tutors and course instructors also generally have helpful hints and tips that will help you succeed on the MPRE!

Looking for a five-star MPRE course? Check out our free MPRE course! It comes with a free outline, free practice questions, and free instruction! You can enroll here!

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