The bar exam curve is very real. What it helps do is establish a passing threshold that takes into account the overall performance of all test takers on the multiple-choice portion for a single bar exam administration.
You can see this phenomenon in action by checking out recent Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) National Scaled Score Distribution charts published by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) for 2020, 2021 and 2022. MBE scores have a history of consistently following a bell curve pattern for every bar exam administration.
Source: The Bar Examiner 2022
BARBRI has studied the MBE since it debuted in 1972. Our years of research have shown us that the best bar exam passing strategy starts by understanding the bar exam curve and tracking your percentile rank during your bar prep.
The great thing about the bar exam (we can always find a silver lining!) is this: To pass, you don’t have to be an expert on any of the subjects tested — and you don’t have to ace anything. Instead, the key to passing is knowing just enough about enough areas of the law to land on the passing side of the bar exam curve.
Most bar takers fall right in the middle of the curve, within a few points of each other. The MBE portion of the bar exam is significant to your overall score in almost all U.S. states, so getting just a few additional points can really tip you into the “passing zone.”
Get a deeper understanding of the bar exam curve, along with the importance of your MBE score.
It all comes down to a passing score, period
You have to remember that the bar exam is pass/fail. Yes, it covers a lot of legal material. And the key to passing is simply doing well enough, in enough of those areas that will be tested. For many students who accept nothing less than excellence on every topic, this way of thinking (pass/fail) isn’t intuitive and doesn’t feel right. They want to ace every section and can’t mentally move on if they have a 60% (“D” grade), for example. When it comes to the bar exam, that may be good enough to pass.
Preparing for the bar exam requires a shift from earlier study strategies and test-taking, where the goal was to achieve an “A” or a “B”. As a pass/fail exam, the bar simply asks that you do well enough, in enough of those areas that will be tested, to pass.
Learn how to study broad for the bar exam, not deep. You’ve got this!!