Is the NextGen UBE Harder? A Look at What's Changing 

The introduction of the next generation of the Uniform Bar Exam (NextGen UBE) is understandably being met with curiosity by the legal community. With its debut scheduled for July 2026 in a limited number of U.S. jurisdictions, students are eager to understand how it differs from the legacy UBE format — and more importantly, if it poses a tougher challenge.  

If you’re preparing for your bar exam in the coming years, you’re likely wondering how these changes will impact your study plan and performance. Let's break down the key changes, highlight some potential challenges, and outline effective strategies to tackle the new format with confidence. 

What’s New in the NextGen UBE?  

The reimagined Uniform Bar Exam is designed to better align with real-world legal practice. Here’s what you need to know. 

1. Skills-Based Testing 

The NextGen UBE prioritizes assessing seven foundational lawyering skills, moving beyond rote memorization to emphasize practical application. Since you will need more than a stellar memory to pass the bar exam, knowledge of real-world legal skills will be essential. These skills include legal research, writing, client counseling, and negotiation/dispute resolution.  

2. Performance Task Weight Increase 

Performance tasks will make up 30% of the total exam score, a 10% increase from the legacy UBE. While the legacy UBE “Performance Tests” were 90-minute assessments, the new NextGen “Performance Tasks” are shorter at 60 minutes each. Both formats simulate real-world legal work and require you to exercise your critical thinking and problem-solving skills to real-world legal tasks, like drafting memos or crafting legal arguments.  

The Challenge  

Learning how to concisely analyze legal materials, extract key facts, and draft a well-structured response to a real-world legal problem under a one-hour time constraint.  

3. New Question Types  

On the NextGen exam, you will see a new question type called an Integrated Question Set — an unfolding series of questions that can test more than one substantive area and one or more skills.  

The Challenge 

Navigating a variety of question types, doctrinal areas, and practical skills within the allotted time. 

4. Focus on Foundational Concepts  

The NextGen exam has a narrower substantive scope than the legacy UBE. While the legacy exam tested 12 foundational subjects, the NextGen exam will test 8. And unlike the legacy bar exam, where all concepts require memorized knowledge, only selected “starred” topics on the NextGen UBE will require this type of knowledge. But the foundational concepts on the NextGen exam may also be tested with legal skills within integrated questions. 

The Challenge 

Understanding how starred versus unstarred topics will be tested on the exam and how these areas will be assessed together with skills. 

How to Meet Potential Challenges Head-On 

Adapt to the New Format 

Currently, there are three separate components tested on the UBE (the MBE, MEE, and MPT). The NextGen UBE will shift away from test components to feature an integrated testing format. 

The Solution  

Simulating real-world tasks in your study routine will help you adapt. Prioritize performance task exercises and integrate practice opportunities into your prep schedule. BARBRI Bar Review’s active learning approach with frequent integrated practice and simulations supports deeper learning and will help you efficiently reinforce key concepts and practice developing your skills while tracking your progress over time.

Build Skill Proficiency 

The NextGen UBE more directly tests your ability to think and act like a practicing attorney as compared to the legacy UBE. 

The Solution  

BARBRI’s NextGen UBE bar preparation emphasizes active learning with applied practice and simulations layered throughout to help bridge this gap. As a result, your preparation is appropriately focused on developing practical skills like legal writing, issue-spotting and analysis, investigation and evaluation, client counseling and advising, and negotiation and dispute resolution. 

Balance Study Time 

With changes to exam weightage, you might feel pulled in multiple directions trying to prepare for both MCQs and performance tasks effectively. 

The Solution  

Rely on BARBRI for a structured and balanced study plan that allocates time proportionally to each exam component based on area weighting. Start early to build momentum across all skills.  

BARBRI’s Personalized Study Plan (PSP) sets a pace based on your study schedule and progress and provides a comprehensive review of all the substantive law you need to know plus frequent practice to further develop your knowledge and use of foundational skills. This approach allows you to progress through bar review in a balanced and structured manner, allocating dedicated time to each subject’s nuances, complexities, and importance with a consistent skills focus incorporated throughout.

Manage Your Time Under Stress 

Like the legacy UBE, you will have to complete the NextGen UBE under timed conditions. 

The Solution  

Regular use of tools like timed exercises and performance task simulations will train you to work quickly and effectively. The BARBRI Simulated Exam + Pass Predictor is a great way to prepare for either the NextGen UBE or the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE).

About the Question Types 

Here’s a preview of some of the question types that will appear on the NextGen UBE. Are they harder than what is traditionally tested? Try your hand and be the judge.  

Multiple-Choice Questions 

Approximately 40% of the exam time will be devoted to standalone multiple-choice questions with between four and six answer options and one or more correct answers. Initially, many of these questions will closely resemble MBE questions to ensure stability between scores for the current and NextGen bar exams. Practice with sample multiple-choice questions. 

Integrated Question Sets 

Just over a quarter of the exam time will be devoted to integrated question sets. Each of these sets is based on a common fact scenario and may include some legal resources and/or supplemental documents, plus a mixture of multiple-choice, medium-answer, and short-answer questions. In addition to testing doctrinal law, some integrated question sets will be focused on drafting or editing a legal document; other sets will be focused on counseling and/or dispute resolution. Practice with sample integrated question sets. 

Performance Tasks 

Approximately a third of the exam time will be devoted to performance tasks. These tasks, like current Multistate Performance Test (MPT) questions, will require demonstration of the ability to use fundamental lawyering skills in realistic situations. These tasks may feature areas of doctrinal law such as Trusts and Estates, Intellectual Property, or Administrative Law. One of the longer performance tasks will include several multiple-choice questions and short constructed response questions focused on research skills, followed by a longer writing assignment. Practice with sample performance tasks. 

Empower Yourself for Success 

Change may bring uncertainty, but it also brings opportunity. The NextGen UBE redefines how you’re tested, but with the right preparation, it also provides a better foundation for your legal career. By understanding the changes, anticipating potential challenges, and adopting a structured study strategy, you can transform these changes into your advantage. 

Everything NextGen UBE  

Want more news on the NextGen UBE? Continue to check the BARBRI Resource Center for updates as they unfold. We're here to help you navigate the changes and prepare for the bar exam as only BARBRI can.  

Learn more about the next generation of the Uniform Bar Exam, what it might mean for you, and how BARBRI Bar Review is structured to help you succeed on the NextGen UBE.