Retaking the UBE: A Fast and Efficient Guide to Passing the Uniform Bar Exam

Retaking the UBE: A Fast and Efficient Guide to Passing the Uniform Bar Exam

If you find yourself retaking the UBE (Uniform Bar Exam) you are not the only one. It takes many examinees more than one try to pass the bar exam. The important thing is that you think critically about what you can change so that you can pass the Uniform Bar Exam the next time you take it! Here, we give you a few tips to guide you while you make your plan to retake the Uniform Bar Exam. 

Retaking the UBE: A Fast and Efficient Guide to Passing the Uniform Bar Exam

1. First, use the information you have to your advantage.  

You may not realize it but you have a ton of valuable information at your disposal.

• You have your score report which will tell you how you scored and what you need to work on. (Read how to dissect your UBE score report here!)
• You might have the option to request or review your essay and MPT answers (for example, New York allows you to request them. DC allows you to set up a time to review them.)
• You have your bar exam experience–you know what went well and what struggles you had in an exam setting. For example, maybe you found your hotel or Air BnB was perfect for you. But maybe you found you struggled with timing or that you needed to bring warmer clothing.

All of this is very helpful information that will give you insight into how to approach the next bar exam. If you pay attention to the information you have at your disposal, you will find you at an advantage when you retake the UBE.

2. Remember what the bar exam actually tests.  

A lot of students lose sight of what the Uniform Bar Exam tests. For example, many say “I struggle with the MBE” and then only focus on the MBE. (Many of these students send us their score reports and ironically, they perform the same or worse on the written portion of the exam! This is why it is important to follow Step 1 — to actually pay attention to the information you have!)

Even if you do struggle with the MBE, keep in mind that the MBE portion and the written portion are weighted equally.

• The MBE is worth 50% of your score
• The written portion is worth 50% of your score with the MEE being 30% and the MPT portion being worth 20%

Many students seem to forget this. They over-focus on one portion and tend to ignore other portions (usually the MPT portion). Keep in mind that each portion is weighted equally if you are retaking the UBE. This will help you focus your studying and score higher!

3. Don’t do the same thing and expect to pass.  

We had someone who came to us after failing the bar exam and he only missed it by five points. The problem was it was his  fifth time taking the exam — and all five times he had been within five points of passing. (He did pass after using our services, so it has a happy ending!) But the point is, he could have just as easily passed his second time as he could his fifth time. He just kept doing the same thing over and over again, thinking he could make up those extra points, and he never did.

You can learn from his mistake! Even if you are not too far, act like you are. That way, if you aim high, even if you fall short you will still hopefully accomplish your goal of passing the bar exam.

Just make sure you are not doing the exact same thing you did last time. You have probably learned your strengths and weaknesses. Change your approach to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.

4. Be realistic about which bar exam you should take.

Some students are unsuccessful when retaking the UBE because they don’t take the “right” bar exam. For example, they decide to take July’s bar exam even though they are starting a new full-time job, getting married, and traveling for a month. It is not to say you won’t pass if you have other obligations while you study, but be realistic about which bar exam is the best one for you to take.

Also, some students just keep taking bar exam after bar exam until they are burnt out.

We do recommend that you retake the bar exam as soon as possible. But, if it does not fit with your personal schedule, reconsider. Perhaps delaying an exam will give you your best chances of passing.

5. Stay positive and resourceful. 

Going through the bar exam once is grueling enough. Retaking the bar exam again is even worse. It can put a drain on you both emotionally and physically. It can also affect your personal and professional relationships.

So do your best to stay positive. Remind yourself that you are not starting from scratch. A lot of what you learned for the last bar exam will stay with you. (Even if you don’t remember everything exactly, it will be much easier to learn it the second time around.) Use the information you have at your disposal to your advantage. Talk to your friends, family, mentors, or your boss to let them know what they can do to help. Maybe your boss can give you some time off to study. Or pay for part of your bar prep (we see that happen all the time!). Or maybe your sister can help with some errands so you have more time to study. Rather than isolating yourself, tap into your network. Your family, friends, and colleagues want you to pass. They want to be supportive but often don’t know how.

Best of luck retaking the UBE! If you are looking for a totally different approach to the Uniform Bar Exam, feel free to check out some of our resources below.

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