Why is it so difficult to pass the California Bar Exam?
So much noise surrounds the difficulty of the California Bar Exam and the plummeting pass rates, yet there is very little definitive commentary on why that is and how to overcome seemingly impossible odds. Really, the California Bar Exam is not that difficult. It tests many of the same subjects administered in other States and obviously the MBE is no different than anywhere else. Perhaps the focus should be on those who DO pass the California Bar Exam. With well over 300,000 licensed attorneys in California, we should probably examine how those individuals were successful on the California Bar Exam.
The lawyers in the “I passed the California Bar Exam” category are not all from top law schools. Quite the contrary. The majority of licensed California attorneys come from second tier ABA schools, California accredited schools, and some from non-accredited schools. So, what is the magic formula? Does everyone need a private tutor? And if so, do those bar exam tutors have the requisite knowledge to ensure California Bar Exam success? Maybe, Yes. After speaking to thousands of unsuccessful bar exam candidates, there seems to be one common theme: Practice and feedback are the keys to success. Without a keen understanding of how this exam is tested, applicants are in the dark about what the California Bar Examiners are expecting. A private bar exam tutor can help an applicant identify how an examiner would like to see a particular response. We have said consistently for decades that a substantive mastery of the black letter law is insufficient to achieve a passing score on the California Bar Exam. How you present your answers in a specific format is equally important. A private California Bar Exam tutor can tell you what you are doing correctly and incorrectly so that you do not waste countless hours studying and practicing the “wrong” way.
So, if you are asking yourself if a private California Bar Exam tutor is necessary, the overwhelming response is yes.
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