Retaking the New York bar exam? Make sure to do this!

Retaking the New York bar exam? Make sure to do this!

If you are retaking the New York bar exam, you are not alone. Thousands of examinees fail the New York bar exam every administration. You cannot change the past, but you can maximize your chances of passing the New York bar exam on your next attempt! 

If you are retaking the New York bar exam, make sure you do the following things to make your next attempt your last attempt.

Retaking the New York bar exam? Make sure to do this!

1. Study your New York bar exam score report. 

Nobody wants to think about failure! So some students ignore their score reports altogether and come up with a plan of attack without even looking at their scores. They say “I know it was the MBE” then they start answering 100 MBE questions a day. (Hint: that is not a winning strategy!)

Your score report is an invaluable source of information. In New York, it tells you how you scored on each essay and MPT. It also tells you your MBE score and your precise percentile for each subject. This is great information and you should not ignore it! We have a detailed post on how to dissect your New York bar exam score report here. Make sure you do this — it is worth your time! And, you may just be surprised by what you find.

2. Request your essays and MPT answers. 

New York allows you to request your essays and performance test answers. Make sure to do this in a timely manner even if you do not look at them right away. (You don’t want to miss your chance to request them!) Going over your essays an MPT answers can be helpful in determining what went well and what didn’t.

If you do not have the energy or desire to go through them yourself, ask a trusted advisor or professor to review them. (We are also happy to review them if you are looking for a totally different approach!)

3. Figure out a solid game plan for the next exam. 

Next, figure out a solid game plan. We recommend you read our guide for those who failed the Uniform Bar Exam. It will help you come up with a great plan of attack moving forward! It is the next best step you can take.

You will also feel better as soon as you have a plan in place. Some of the feelings of dread, anxiety, and sadness will be lifted when you have a game plan for the future.

4. Do not delay studying too long! 

It is fine to not start studying right after you find out you failed the New York bar exam. (In fact, we recommend you wait a bit to start studying. If you try to start studying the day you find out you failed, your studying will not be productive!) However, you also do not want to delay studying too long. Some examinees push it off and then there is only four or six weeks left to study! Ultimately, many of these examinees end up failing the exam.

If you failed the New York bar exam – especially if you failed the July exam – you have the added bonus of extra time to study. You can start studying a month early and space out your studying. This makes bar study manageable and less daunting than before!

If you have any questions about retaking the New York bar exam, feel free to contact us or post in the comments below.

If you are looking for a new approach to the New York bar exam, please see below for the resources we offer.