Is The February Bar Exam Harder Than The July Exam?

Is The February Bar Exam Harder Than The July Exam?

The pressure to pass the February bar exam is often higher for repeat test-takers. Many times, job offers from law firms, future income, and more hinge on passing the February exam. Unfortunately, the February bar exam often suffers from lower pass rates than the July bar exam. This may lead many test-takers to panic and ask themselves “is the February bar exam harder than the July exam?” The good news is that the February exam is not harder. In reality, the February bar exam is no harder than the July bar exam, despite the lower pass rates. So, let’s explore what factors combine to create the notion that the February bar exam is the more difficult one.

Is The February Bar Exam Harder Than The July Exam?

The Number of Test-Takers Sitting for the Exam

It’s no secret. The February administration of the bar exam generally receives lower passing rates when compared to the July exam. One of the primary reasons for this has to do with the number of test-takers when compared to the July exam. Fewer people take the February exam because there is a greater chance that February test-takers are repeat test-takers. If you’re not a repeat test-taker, you may have skipped the July exam for any number of reasons. This means that February test-takers likely won’t be graded against the huge wave of recent law school graduates that sit for the exam in July.

Studying and Preparation

If you took the July bar exam, chances are that you took the summer after law school to study. Many test-takers no longer have that luxury when studying and preparing for the February exam. Many individuals have to work, raise families, and deal with other external circumstances all while studying for the February exam. Fewer test-takers vigorously preparing for the exam means a lower pass rate. The good news? You won’t be taking the test with the guy that raised his hand to answer every question in law school.

Understanding the Grading Scale

If you’ve heard the theory that the February bar exam is more difficult because it applies a tighter grading curve – you’re not the only one. This is a common misconception that often freaks out future examinees. In reality, each exam is calibrated and statistically adjusted for difficulty. Your scaled score should theoretically be equivalent to other exam administrations. For example, if you get a 120 scaled MBE score, that score is equivalent to a 120 scaled score on another exam. This is even the case if the number of questions you got correct is different.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners utilizes a statistical process known as “equating” that is commonly used on standardized examinations. Equating adjusts raw scores on an examination to account for differences in difficulty as compared with past examinations. So, in theory, equating makes it possible to compare scaled scores across test administrations. Any particular scaled score will represent the same level of knowledge/performance from one test date to another.

Similarly, the State Bar of California utilizes a process known as “scaling.” Scaling is a statistical procedure that adjusts scores assigned by the essay graders. Scaling is used to ensure that an applicant’s likelihood of passing is not affected by any variation in the difficulty of the written section across administrations.

The Takeaway

Despite what you’ve heard, the February administration of the bar exam is not harder than the July exam. If you’re a repeat test taker, make sure to check out our awesome resources to help you pass. If you’re taking the February bar exam as a first-time test-taker, we have an extensive number of resources designed to help you pass.

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