How To Prepare For The UBE

How To Prepare For The UBE: Are you taking the bar exam in a Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) state? Are you unsure of how to begin studying for the exam? Below we give you some tips on how to prepare for the UBE more effectively.

How To Prepare For The UBE

1. Check the passing score for your state.

The name Uniform Bar Exam is a bit of a misnomer because each state sets its own passing score for the exam. Passing scores currently range from 260 points to 280 points. So if you get the minimum passing score in NY (266) you will not be able to transfer your score to a jurisdiction with a higher passing minimum score. Keep this is mind as you prepare for the exam. If your intent is to receive a score that can be transferred to all UBE jurisdictions, you will need to earn an overall scaled score of 280. To look up your state’s passing score check out our post.

2. Use thorough, up-to-date outlines to help you prepare for the exam.

We cannot stress enough how important it is to use quality outlines to help you prepare for the exam! You want to make sure that your outlines are the right length – not too long, not too short! Your outline should clearly cover all of the concepts you need to know in an easy-to-memorize way. Also, make sure that your outlines include new material that has been added to certain subjects by the NCBE, such as Real Property. If you are deciding which outlines to use, see why our outlines are the best to help you prepare for the MBE and MEE subjects.

3. Use actual past MBE questions to study!

One of the biggest mistakes we see students make is that they do not prepare for the exam by using actual past questions. Remember when you studied for an exam in law school and you practiced using essays and multiple-choice questions that your professor used previously? This is no different! There are a few sources we recommend if you are looking for actual past MBE questions. Keep in mind that commercial courses such as Barbri and Kaplan do not use actual MBE questions. We recommend using their questions only if you run out of past questions.

4. Do not be afraid to create and revise your study schedule!

Only you know what your day looks like. Do you have kids to look after? Will you be working part-time or full-time while studying for the bar exam? Be realistic when you create your study schedule based on your other commitments. Not everyone will need to devote the same amount of time to each subject. Maybe you had a fantastic civil procedure professor and found yourself nodding off in your 8 AM evidence class in law school. You know what your strengths and weaknesses are. So if you need to spend a few extra days on a subject, do it! Once you begin studying, take a few minutes each weekend to assess what study methods worked for you and which ones did not. There is no point in repeatedly using methods that are ineffective.

5. Do timed practice exams!

Many students make the mistake of not doing any timed exams or saving them until the last two weeks of bar study. It is better to do timed practice exams throughout the course of bar study so you can build your stamina and avoid test fatigue. For example, you can start of with 25 timed MBEs and two timed MEEs. Gradually work your way up to doing a timed set of 100 MBEs, six timed MEEs, and two timed MPTs. You will know early on whether you struggle with timing. This will give you plenty of weeks to improve your time on the multiple-choice questions, essays and MPTs.

We hope these tips on how to prepare for the UBE are helpful!

Christine, one of our bar exam tutors, wrote this post. She has passed three bar exams, including California, New York, and New Jersey. Christine scored in the 95 percentile on the MBE, and specializes in helping students raise their uniform bar exam scores!

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