Should I Take The California Or Uniform Bar Exam?

Should I Take The California Or Uniform Bar Exam?

At first glance, the question of whether to take the California Bar Exam or the Uniform Bar Exam may appear simple. However, in some situations, deciding between the two tests can be a complex decision that requires some thought. The California Bar Exam is often discussed in the context of its notorious difficulty and low pass rate. The UBE, on the other hand, is often considered to be a slightly easier test. This article will look at some of the nuances to think about when deciding to take the California Bar Exam or the Uniform Bar Exam.  Disclaimer: This article focuses on students who only want to take one bar exam and not on applicants who plan to be licensed in multiple jurisdictions.

Should I Take The California Or Uniform Bar Exam?

Location, Location, Location

Choosing where to settle down has a major impact when deciding between the California or Uniform Bar Exam. Unfortunately, taking and passing a bar exam in one state does not grant you the ability to practice law nationwide. That means if you pass the Texas Bar Exam and decide to later move to California, you cannot simply start practicing law in California. For students who know where they want to practice, the decision is straightforward. For students who are not quite sure where they ultimately want to live and practice, the decision is more difficult.  These students typically weigh factors such as the location of their family, the job prospects for both themselves and/or their significant other, certain lifestyle requirements, and the cost of living when making their decision of whether to take the California or Uniform Bar Exam.

Score Portability

As mentioned above, passing the Bar Exam in one state doesn’t automatically mean you can practice law in another. However, students deciding between the two tests may appreciate how transferable the UBE scores are within other UBE states. Applicants who take the UBE earn a transferable score that can often (with some limitations!) be used to seek admission in other UBE jurisdictions. This means students can take the UBE in one state and transfer the score to another UBE state without retaking the bar exam.

California, on the other hand, does not accept UBE scores from any other state. If you’re an attorney who’s been practicing for less than four years in one state and want to practice in California, you’ll have to prepare for and pass the California Bar Exam. If you have been licensed for more than four years, you might qualify to take a one-day attorney’s exam instead of the full California Bar Exam.  The one-day attorney’s exam contains no MBE questions, which may or may not be attractive to some applicants.

A Student’s Strengths/Weaknesses

Another common reason students may have a tough time deciding between the two tests has to do with their skillset. The California Bar Exam and the UBE emphasize different skills. For example, the UBE styles the writing portion of the exam differently than the California Bar Exam. Although each exam weighs the multiple-choice and the essay portions equally, the UBE’s essay questions are higher in number and are much shorter. The California Examiners suggest spending one hour on each essay question, excluding the performance test, whereas the UBE recommends only thirty minutes per question. As a result, the UBE essay questions are not as complex and intricate as California’s. Therefore, the UBE essay portion is more suited to students who prefer discussing the basics of certain rules. On the other hand, students who find they are more granular in their approach may prefer California’s essay question format.

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