The Best MPRE Tips From Around The Internet

The Best MPRE Tips From Around The Internet

The Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (“MPRE”) is a mandatory test in almost every jurisdiction (except Wisconsin and Puerto Rico) that an individual must take in order to practice law. The MPRE is offered three times per year by the National Conference for Bar Examiners (NCBE). Students can take the MPRE in March, August, or October/November. The purpose of the MPRE is to measure your knowledge of ethical rules that govern the professional conduct of lawyers. Each jurisdiction has a different passing score, so make sure you know your jurisdiction’s passing score prior to taking the MPRE!

Compared to the bar exam, the MPRE is a much lighter test: it lasts for 2 hours and consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. Easy, right? Not so fast! While it is easy to underestimate the MPRE, if you do not take your prep for it seriously, you may have to retake it which can delay when you start practicing law.

Thankfully, there are many resources available on the internet to help you prepare for, study for, and take the MPRE.  We compiled a list that you can check out below!

The Best MPRE Tips From Around The Internet

1. From u/greenestgoo (via Reddit) 

“Go slow on the exam day (not too slow, but be methodical), practice as much as possible beforehand, and read answer explanations where they are offered on practice exams. Knowing why you got something wrong can be a big help in moving forward and correcting those mistakes of interpretation. There should be resources available on the bar website or elsewhere with practice exams that include answer explanations (eg, why a, b, and c are all not as good an answer as d, etc.)”

This advice from greenestgoo offers a great general guideline on how to take the MPRE. Two hours to complete 60 questions averages out to approximately two minutes per question. Given that the MPRE is all multiple choice, it can be easy to rush through the exam and immediately pick the first choice that sticks out to you. Remember to take your time, fully read all of the available choices, and pick the one that best answers the questions.

We are sure that you have heard over and over again to take as many practice tests as possible and answer as many practice questions as possible. While that may be helpful, it is crucial to understand why you answered a particular question wrong. Likewise, it is also important to understand why you got a question right.  Answering a question correctly with the wrong reasoning might mean that you answer a similar question incorrectly on the MPRE! Knowing which topics you struggle with can help you focus your studying to improve on those areas.

2. From Anonymous (via Quora)

“I took a Professional Responsibility class the semester prior to sitting for the MPRE. I reread the MRPC [Model Rules of Professional Conduct] & comments….”

Most, if not all, law schools require that each student complete one professional responsibility/ethics class prior to graduating. Students often complete this course during their 2L year or in the first semester of their 3L year. Oftentimes, law schools model the curriculum for these courses to prepare their students for the MPRE. While you are free to take the MPRE whenever you like, it is highly recommended that you take it after you complete your professional responsibility/ethics class so you have a foundation for the MPRE’s subject material.

As Anonymous suggests, rereading the MRPC, the comments, and your notes from class in addition to an MPRE prep course can really help you study for the MPRE. Refreshing your memory on a topic that you have already learned is much easier than starting over new. Plus, if there were certain areas you struggled with during your professional responsibility/ethics class, it can give you a head start on focusing your studying and developing a MPRE study schedule.

3. From u/LSACplz (via Reddit)

“The real thing to consider might be the application deadline. If you need accommodations, you have to apply much earlier than the average MPRE taker. [For example] The March MPRE deadline is January 26, but the accommodations deadline is December 5….”.

As you will see when it comes time to take the bar exam, you will need to apply to take the MPRE well in advance of your test date. Test dates and registration information can be found directly on the NCBE website. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to select a test date that works for you and complete and submit your application well in advance of the deadline.

LSACplz offers a kind reminder to check the deadline for those who might require accommodations for the MPRE. The deadline to apply for accommodations is much earlier than the deadline for an application that doesn’t require accommodations because the NCBE needs to make a determination regarding the accommodation before you can register for and schedule an MPRE test appointment. Be consientious  of the upcoming test dates, application deadlines, and accommodation application deadlines.

4. From u/Desperate-Ad-3147 (via Reddit)

“JD Advising has a nice chart that translates raw scores to average weighted scores. As long as you are in the zone for your jurisdiction’s weighted passing score, you should be good to go.”

When you are studying for the MPRE and completing practice problems, it is important to know the difference between your raw score and your weighted score. Knowing the difference, and ultimately what a passing MPRE score is, can help you study efficiently. Before you start studying, make sure to check what the passing MPRE score in your jurisdiction is and make that your goal as you complete practice problems and tests.

5. From u/ApartmentOK7020 (via Reddit)

“I’d recommend using one of the bar prep company’s free review courses.”

If there is a silver lining to preparing for the MPRE, it is that you can find a plethora of study materials available online…FOR FREE! At the very least, this should help alleviate any (additional) financial stress you may have prior to taking the exam. Make sure to take your time and look around for the best resources that fit your needs and schedule. Not sure where to start?  An MPRE prep course can be a great option! If you’re not sure which company’s MPRE course will be the best fit, try testing multiple courses until you find the one that works best for you! You may find that the free resources available to you are enough to help you pass the MPRE.

Keep in mind, however, that the law may change, even slightly, from year to year. Check to make sure that the materials you are using are updated.

A great place to start is by exploring JD Advising’s Free MPRE Resources.

6. From u/PasstheBarTutor

“My advice would be to invest time so that you are comfortable, complete and review the practice…I would encourage you to over-prepare versus under.”

Ensuring that you are comfortable with your preparation prior to the MPRE is fantastic advice. The Internet is full of MPRE tips from all over saying that you should study “x” amount of hours for “x” amount of days to be fully prepared or that you should complete “x” amount of practice problems in order to pass the MPRE. While that may be what worked for that specific MPRE taker, everyone is different and studies differently.

The best way to ensure that you have prepared enough for the MPRE is to measure your comfort level. Of course, you will feel some level of anxiety or nervousness going into the test – that is human nature. But if you feel like you are prepared enough to pass the MPRE, that is what matters. Be sure to focus on quality studying and not just quantity.  For example, practicing hundreds of MPRE questions without fully understanding why you got them right or wrong might not lend itself to a passing score.  Practicing fewer questions while carefully evaluating your answers makes it more likely that you will pass the MPRE!

7. From u/Hakuna_my_Matata

“Breathe and do not overthink the questions.”

Remember that the MPRE consists of sixty multiple-choice questions and that you have two hours to complete it. Do not stress yourself out when the clock starts. You have plenty of time to get it done! If there is a particular question that you get stuck on, flag it and come back to it. Be confident in yourself and in your preparation. If you feel really stressed out during the test and it is impairing your focus, shut your eyes for thirty seconds and take a couple of deep breaths. You have made it all the way up to this point – you can get through the MPRE!

8. From u/Its_A_Chip

“Know exceptions and focus on your “UNLESS”s. Start with mastering the areas most tested (i.e. conflict of interests; lawyer’s role/forms of advocacy; client confidentiality).”

This is some great advice for when you sit down and actually start studying. Take a few minutes to research what the most commonly tested subject areas on the MPRE and make a note of them. This can be a great way to help initially focus your studies! Whether you answer practice problems within those subject areas or create outlines, focusing on the most commonly tested subject areas will help you pass the MPRE.

While the MPRE tips from around the Internet listed above are great advice for studying, preparing for, and taking the exam itself, we also want to give you some advice on what to do if you do not pass the MPRE. First and foremost, do not panic! You can take the MPRE again. The NCBE administers the MPRE three times throughout the year, so you will have an opportunity to retake it in a couple of months.

If you do fail the MPRE, try not to look at it in a negative light and get down on yourself (much easier said than done, we know!). Instead, try to look at it as an opportunity to reflect and make your preparation process better! Try to figure out what did and did not work in your study routine and prepare differently the next time around.

We hope that you found this list of the best MPRE tips from around the Internet helpful. Make sure to check out these 35 tips from a top MPRE Lecturer and to explore JD Advising’s free MPRE course and resources to help you prepare for the MPRE!

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