Hello everyone!

It is Results Day!  Congratulations to those who passed tonight.  For those who are eligible to take the Cal Bar in February 2024, my heart is with you.  I failed twice before I passed, and I remember Results Day from July 1998 like it was yesterday.  And that’s nearly 25 years to the day.  Part of me died that day.  But I found a way to pass, and I can help you do the same.

If you didn’t pass tonight, mourn the result.  It’s a big event, and many of you didn’t think you would fail.  But if that’s the case, let’s talk.  Mourn your result.  Dust yourself off.  Put yourself together.  And let’s generate some points.

Some days are going to be easier than others.  As I learned when my Dad died in mid-July (he was 91), the sun will come up tomorrow.  Promise.  And some days are going to be easier than others.  But if you want some help getting past this hurdle and moving on with the rest of your life, I can help.  I have heard some amazing stories of people who passed tonight.  And I will hear more.  I look forward to helping you joining the pantheon of the passing.

YOU CAN DO THIS.

Let’s talk soon.  Spaces are filling up.  If you want to talk, please reach out now.

The link will take you to the July 2023 percentile table:

https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/admissions/Examinations/Percentile-Table.pdf

Interestingly, 50% scored below 1394.  The pass line is 1390.  That means very, very few people passed on re-read.

Hello everyone.

The overall pass rate was 51.5%.  Not bad at all.  Just under a 1% decline from last July’s 52.4%.

When I calculated “The Bottom Line” – what it takes to narrowly pass on the first read with identical scores across the Board, here’s what I came up with:

60% across the board (with the July 2013 MBE Conversion Table, the last one available, for MBE scores) = 1375.3122.

61% across the board = 1398.9546.

From that perspective, a very normal, typical Cal Bar Exam.  Although I found it interesting that the California mean MBE was about 16 points under the national mean.  Anyhow, press release is below.

I have space remaining in my tutoring program.  If you’re interested, now is the time.  Spaces are filling up.

The State Bar of California reported today that 51.5 percent of applicants passed the July 2023 General Bar Examination (GBX). As a result, the 3,888 people who passed the July exam will be eligible for admission to the State Bar as soon as all admissions requirements are satisfied.

“The State Bar sends out a heartfelt congratulations to all who passed the General Bar Exam and Attorneys’ Exam,” said Leah Wilson, State Bar Executive Director. “We are excited that these individuals successfully completed this critical step in the licensure process. We hope they take great pride in this accomplishment. We look forward to welcoming them as new licensees to the profession soon and wish them continued success as they embark on their legal careers.”

California’s General Bar Exam pass rate of 51.5 percent represented a slight drop from last year’s July pass rate of 52.4 percent. Preliminary statistical analyses show that of the 7,555 applicants who completed the GBX, 67.3 percent were first-time takers. The pass rate for these 5,083 first-time applicants was 64.8 percent. The pass rate for the 2,472 applicants repeating the exam was 24.1 percent.

Here are preliminary pass rate statistics in greater detail:

Attorneys’ Examination results 

The statistics above do not include attorneys who took the one-day Attorneys’ Examination. The Attorneys’ Exam, which consists of the essay and performance test sections of the GBX, is open to lawyers who have been admitted to the practice of law in another U.S. jurisdiction and have been an active licensee in good standing for at least the four years immediately preceding the exam. Of the 356 lawyers who completed the Attorneys’ Exam, 170 (47.8 percent) passed.

Background information about the California Bar Exam

The two-day General Bar Examination is given twice a year, in February and July. The exam consists of three sections: a 200-item multiple-choice section, also known as the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), five essay questions, and a performance test designed to assess an applicant’s ability to apply general legal knowledge to practical tasks. The mean scaled MBE score in California was 1389 compared with the national average of 1405.

Successful applicants who have satisfied other requirements for admission―those who have received a positive moral character determination, passed the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, and are not on the California Department of Child Support Services’ list of those in arrears for family or child support―may take the Attorney’s Oath.

A pass list from the exam will be published on the State Bar website on November 12, 2023, at 6:00 a.m. More detailed statistics about exam results will be available in four to six weeks on the State Bar website.

*Please note that these are preliminary statistics. Law schools will be required to confirm the students allocated to their law school and, as a result, these statistics may change.

Of note:  CA’s pass rate declined as it did for many jurisdictions.  The four states referenced below had declines between 3-7%, while California declined 1.4% from February 2022.

State Bar of California Releases Results of February 2023 Bar Exam

Today the State Bar announced that 1,224 (32.5 percent of applicants) passed the February 2023 California General Bar Exam, and 205 (56.9 percent of applicants) passed the Attorneys’ Exam. If those who passed satisfy all other requirements for admission, they will be eligible to be licensed by the State Bar to practice law in California.

“Today is a very exciting day for 1,429 General Bar Exam and Attorneys’ Exam applicants and their families, and a time to reflect on their personal journeys, challenges, and successes,” said Leah Wilson, State Bar Executive Director. “The State Bar of California congratulates them, and we look forward to welcoming them to California’s legal profession very soon.”

This year’s 32.5 percent pass rate on the General Bar Exam represents a slight decline, 1.4 percentage points, from the February 2022 pass rate of 33.9 percent. The pass rates for the February 2023 bar exam varied nationwide, with most states experiencing a decline, including:

• New York (40 percent compared to 45 percent in 2022)
• Florida (39 percent compared to 44 percent in 2022)
• Washington D.C. (45 percent compared to 42 percent in 2022)
• Pennsylvania (44 percent compared to 37 percent in 2022)

According to the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), the mean scaled score on the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) for February 2023 across the nation was 131.1, representing a decline of 1.5 points from the February 2022 score of 132.6.

In most U.S. jurisdictions, including California, the bar exam consists of three sections, one of which is the MBE. A decline in the national mean MBE score would likely indicate a decrease in the February 2023 pass rate, and in California’s case, as in previous years, it did. The February bar exam typically includes a higher proportion of repeat takers than a July administration. Repeat takers’ exam performance, including pass rates, is lower on average than that of first-time test takers. The proportion of repeating examinees on the California February 2023 administration was nearly 71 percent, which represents a 17 percent increase over the last two years.

Attendance at California’s February 2023 General Bar Exam was higher (3,765) than for the February 2022 exam (3,113).

February 2023 General Bar Exam preliminary statistics*

• Completed the General Bar Exam: 3,765 applicants
• First-time applicants: 1,100 (29.2 percent of total)
• Pass rate for first-time applicants: 45 percent overall
• Repeat applicants: 2,665 (70.8 percent of total)
• Pass rate for repeat applicants: 28 percent overall

Pass rate for the General Bar Exam (rounded to whole numbers) by law school type:

General information about the structure and content of the General Bar Exam.

The Attorneys’ Examination is open to those who have been admitted to the active practice of law and are in good standing for at least four years in another U.S. jurisdiction, as well as disciplined lawyers who are ordered to take the examination as a condition of reinstatement.

A pass list from the exam will be published on the State Bar website on May 7, 2023, at 6:00 a.m. More detailed statistics about exam results will be available in four to six weeks on the State Bar website.

Successful applicants who satisfy all requirements for admission may take the Attorney’s Oath individually or participate in admissions ceremonies held by their law school or others.  Applicants are eligible to practice law in California after taking the Attorney’s Oath and submitting their oath card to the State Bar. The State Bar has enabled digital signing and electronic processing of oath cards on a permanent basis.

*Please note that these are preliminary statistics. Law schools will be required to confirm the students allocated to their law school and as a result, these statistics may change. Approximately 4-5 weeks after the exam results are released, the general statistics, including data on pass rates by gender, race/ethnicity, and law school type, will be released.

According to the Cal Bar General Bar Exam Pass Rate Summary, the General Bar pass rate for the February 2023 Cal Bar Exam was 32.5%, which is the lowest for a February exam in three years.  Similarly, the Attorneys’ Exam pass rate was 56.9%, lowest in three years since February 2020.

February exam pass rates have dropped in 22 states before today’s announcement, and half of those have seen double-digit declines, according to Reuters on April 21.

From Reuters, on April 21.

Article asserts COVID played a factor.

(Reuters) – New York on Friday joined the growing list of states reporting a significant pass rate drop for the February 2023 bar exam.

The overall pass rate on its most recent attorney licensing exam fell to 40% from 45% last year, according to the New York Board of Law Examiners. That pass rate has now fallen 9 percentage points over the past two years. New York’s first-time pass rate also declined from 61% in 2022 to 56% this year.

It has been a rough bar exam season across the country. Of the 26 states that have announced results, only three—Pennsylvania, Montana, and Vermont—posted an increased overall pass rate. Illinois held steady with a pass rate of 43%.

But the overall pass rates dropped in the remaining 22 states, half of which saw double-digit declines. Like New York, both Texas and Florida saw their overall pass rate decline 5 percentage points. Just 39% of Florida’s February bar examinees passed, while 45% of test takers in Texas passed.

California is the only large bar exam jurisdiction that has not yet announced results. The State Bar of California has said it will release that information May 5.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners hinted at pass rate declines last month when it reported that the national average score on the Multistate Bar Exam—the 200 question multiple-choice portion of the attorney licensing test—decreased 1.5 points to 131.1 from the previous year.

It attributed that decline to an increase in repeat test takers and to the pandemic’s negative impact on learning, noting that the year-over-year average MBE score decline was even steeper for February’s first-time examinees. Many of those test takers were in their crucial first year of law school when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and forced classes online. The bulk of the subjects tested on the bar exam are taught in that first year.

February bar exam pass rates are typically lower than their July counterparts because it draws a higher percentage of people who have already taken the test at least once and failed. But this year’s results are looking particularly grim.

New Mexico saw the biggest decline thus far, with its overall pass rate dropping 26 percentage points from 70% last year to 44% this year. Nebraska’s pass rate fell 20 percentage points to 41%, while Kansas’ declined 17 percentage points to 51%.

Per the Cal Bar:

52.4% passed overall, just under July 2021’s 53% pass rate.

MBE score nationally was about the same as July 2021.

Hello everyone!

Results Day is today.  Hope all of you July 2022 Cal Bar test-takers receive good news tonight!

There are rumors of a reddit hack of the Cal Bar’s website and you can do a workaround and find your results now.  I have no idea if it’s true.  Historically, there are two ways you can trust to learn about your results:  1) check on the Bar’s website at 6 pm on Results Day, or 2) review your results letter, which should be posted tonight or tomorrow in your Applicant Portal.

Personally I wouldn’t trust anything other than those two sources.  In fact, when I passed, I refused to check on the Bar’s website because I heard of a few people who failed on the internet and passed in the mail.  So I couldn’t trust anything so I waited about 22 hours until the mail arrived!  That was not easy, but that’s what I did!

If you receive good news tonight, CONGRATULATIONS!  Celebrate responsibly, and no felonies!  Remember, the goal is to get sworn in, right?  Felonies don’t help with that, even if you commit one after you pass the Bar Exam.

If your name does not match a name on the database of names of people who passed, mourn your result for 30 minutes, and then contact me.  Good tutoring programs fill up quickly.  I usually fill up within a few days of publication of results and last season I filled up in four hours!  The first ability is availability.  Let’s talk, set up a plan, and then you can know that you’re not alone and that you’re doing something about it.

Good luck tonight, everyone!

The full Admittance Ticket Bulletin is attached.

Of particular relevance is what’s allowed in the exam room without an accommodations petition.  Consider:

Only the following items are allowed in the exam areas without prior approval. All items are subject to inspection at the test centers:

1. Government‐issued ID

2. The admittance ticket with no writing on it

3. Silent analog watches

4. Prescription medications (does not include cough drops)

5. Cash (must not have extraneous writing on it)

6. Credit/debit cards that might be needed for the lunch breaks

7. Keys

8. Face masks without valves (with no patterns or extraneous writing on them)

9. Protective gloves (latex or rubber only)

10. Nondigital pens (standard blue or black ink), nonmechanical pencils (with eraser incorporated; no separate erasers), pen‐style highlighters (must not be used on answers), rulers and paper clips

11. Nondigital timers and nondigital clocks measuring 4”x 4” or smaller.

12. Eyeglasses (no cases or sunglasses)

13. Foam earplugs (cannot be wireless and must not be connected to any mechanism or device)

14. Menstrual products

15. Inhalers

16. Diabetes‐related items and equipment (does not include food or drinks)

17. Eyedrops in single‐use vials

18. One back support (without a cover)

19. One orthopedic cushion (without a cover)

20. One standard‐size pillow (without a case)

21. One bookstand

22. One footrest

23. Splints, braces, casts, crutches, wheelchair

24. Hearing aids

25. TENS units

26. Disability‐related items that have been approved through the testing accommodations petition process

27. Separate keyboard, mouse (wired or wireless), laptop riser/stand no higher than 4 inches and a solid color mouse pad with no writing on it. During the MBE sessions, the items listed above are allowed in the exam room, except pens, rulers, paperclips, highlighters, back supports, orthopedic cushions, pillows, bookstands or footrests, and laptops or laptop accessories. If you need any of these items due to a disability, you must request them through the timely filing of a Testing Accommodations Petition.

Applicants who will be handwriting their exam answers, or who are required to handwrite in the event of a laptop/software malfunction, must bring their own standard blue or black ink ballpoint pens. Applicants must also bring their own pencils for the MBE portion of the exam (several sharpened pencils are recommended).

Mechanical pencils are not permitted. Pencil sharpeners and separate erasers will not be allowed into the exam room.

Please note that applicants cannot bring wallets, tissues, lip balm, cough drops/throat lozenges, gum, candy, or other food or drinks in the exam room. Water and tissues will be available nearby at the test centers.

February 2023 exam admittance ticket bulletin

Here is the Laptop Bulletin for the February 2023 exam:

Laptops for the February Bar Exam

The February 2023 Bar Exam will be administered in person and can be taken on a laptop. Desktop computers are not allowed. It’s important to read and follow the State Bar’s instructions.

Laptops must meet the specifications outlined below. Applicants requiring special equipment due to medical reasons must request a testing accommodation.

Before the exam

Here are the steps to prepare your laptop before the exam:

1. Make sure your laptop meets the minimum requirements for ExamSoft.
2. Once you are issued an admittance ticket, install Examplify software and register with ExamSoft.
3. Download and take the one mandatory/required mock exam. The exam will be available beginning January 24, 2023. 
4. Upload the mock exam answer file by February 17, 2023. Once you do this, the exam files will download automatically. Failure to upload the mock exam answer file will mean you will not have the exam files for the bar exam.

Laptop system requirements

The maximum size allowed for a laptop computer screen is 17.3 inches. The specific system requirements can be found on ExamSoft’s website.

Note: Desktop computers are not allowed for security reasons. Exam software provider ExamSoft currently does not support tablets with detachable keyboards, such as iPads, or newly released laptops with Intel 12 generation processors. For optimal computer performance, the State Bar recommends using a laptop that exceeds the minimum requirements for memory and hard drive space.

Internet connectivity

Immediately following the exam, you will need Internet access to upload your answer files.

Install Examplify software

To ensure the security of the exam process, applicants are required to use Examplify software to take the February 2023 Bar Exam. The application provides a simple word processing program and is designed to be familiar to users of Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. It blocks access to non-Examplify files on an applicant’s laptop computer during the exam.

Starting on January 24, after you have received your admittance ticket and registration information from ExamSoft, you can register with ExamSoft and download and install Examplify onto the laptop computer you will be using for the exam.

Installing ExamSoft

1. If you have previously used SofTest or Examplify, you must completely uninstall any prior version used before downloading and installing the version of Examplify used for the February 2023 bar exam.
2. Go to examsoft.com/calbaron the ExamSoft website.
3. Locate the Exam Takers box in the upper left-hand portion of the page.
4. Log in using your NCBE Number which, if you cannot remember it, can be looked up here.  The password will be randomly generated and emailed to you.
5. Download Examplify.
6. Install Examplify and register your copy, after which one mock exam will become available for download. (See mock exam instructions below.)
7. Check ExamSoft confirmation emails to ensure the institution displayed is “State Bar of California.”

Do not copy the ExamSoft program from one laptop computer to another. For example, do not download the software to a desktop computer and try to manually move it to your laptop. If you move the software and exam files to another computer, an error message displays when you attempt to begin the exam. If such an error message appears, you will be unable to use your laptop to take the exam and you will be required to handwrite your answers. You may NOT download and install Examplify to more than one laptop computer.

TIP: If you have an email spam blocker, please add barsupport@examsoft.com, support@examsoft.com, and noreply@examsoft.com to your contact or safe list so that you can receive critical emails from ExamSoft before, during, and after the exam.

Take the mock exam

The mock exam process is required. Taking the one mandatory/required mock exam confirms that your laptop computer is compatible with Examplify and provides you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with procedures for opening, using, and uploading answer files prior to the day of the exam. By typing a paragraph in each window, it also allows you to ensure that there are no typing/keyboard issues with your laptop.

See the instructional videos and guides on taking the mock exams.

After you have downloaded and completed the mandatory mock exam and uploaded the related exam answer files, the files for the actual exam will download automatically. Exam files will not contain exam questions; those are handed out in paper booklets on exam day.

Five additional copies of the mock exam are available if needed to help familiarize you with the Examplify application. Internet connectivity is required for downloading additional copies of the exam file and uploading exam answer files. NO internet connectivity is required while taking the mock exams. Download additional copies of the mock exam at Examplify’s website.

Complete laptop registration

You will receive email confirmations after you have downloaded the mock exam, after you upload your mock exam answer file, and after the system has automatically downloaded your exam files. This completes the laptop registration process.

Until you receive these email confirmations, you are NOT registered.

Once you have completed the laptop registration process, do not make changes to the configuration of your laptop.

If you do not receive the confirmation emails, you have not successfully completed the registration process for the February 2023 Bar Exam. You may check your registration status and view your download/upload history online. Log in using the Exam Takers box, click the Exam History button to review your record, and confirm that you have downloaded the exam and mock exam files and have uploaded the mock exam answer files. You should have two exam files for the essay questions and Performance Test sessions of the February 2023 Bar Exam.

No extra time will be provided to ensure that your laptop is ready for use before the exam session begins. A second laptop to serve as backup is not permitted.

You must complete the registration process no later than February 17, 2023. It is recommended, however, that you complete the process as soon as possible after you receive your admittance ticket so that ExamSoft will have the opportunity to assist you in resolving any problems you may encounter prior to the exam. If your laptop or Examplify is not operational when the exam begins or at any time thereafter, you will have to handwrite your exam answers.

Laptop computer problems after registration
If after completing the registration process with ExamSoft you experience problems with your laptop that would prohibit you from using it for the exam, (i.e., it becomes inoperable), you may ask to have another laptop registered and to download additional exam files through the “Re-Download Examplify” link after you log in with your NCBE Number and password. Read more about the re-download process from ExamSoft. Authorization will not be granted for the purpose of having a backup laptop.

Review ExamSoft’s Bar Applicant FAQ or visit the ExamSoft Support Page if you have questions on the use of the software or if you encounter technical problems during the laptop registration process, as most problems can be easily resolved through ExamSoft’s published support guides and troubleshooting tips. Should you continue to have technical problems, however, please call ExamSoft Client Support at 1-888-816-3065. Technical support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Neither the Office of Admissions nor the Committee of Bar Examiners is available to answer technical, installation, or registration questions.

Exam day information

You must read the instructions that will accompany your Admittance Ticket advising you of the items allowed in the room in which you are taking the exam. All items not listed are prohibited unless you have received written authorization in advance.

It is expected that you will demonstrate integrity, honor, and ethical behavior during this exam, and all exams administered by the State Bar of California. If you do not take the time to familiarize yourself with your laptop or with the exam software’s word processing functions, you should consider handwriting your exam answers.

You must pay careful attention to and follow all instructions provided prior to the exam. Use great care when highlighting and deleting during the exam and when using other functions that may significantly change a document. No extra time or other administrative relief will be granted if an exam file is deleted or otherwise altered, or if you experience any other word processing problems.

You must bring your own power cord to the test center each day of the exam. Your power cord can be plugged into the electrical outlets provided at the test centers. Although an electrical outlet will be available to you, be sure to have a fully charged battery in case there is an electrical problem. You will not be allowed to tape power cords into the electrical outlet, nor will you be allowed to plug any item aside from your computer into the electrical outlet. CDs, DVDs, USBs and other information storage media are prohibited in the examination room. If such items are found in the exam room or in an applicant’s laptop computer, they will be confiscated and will not be returned. Possession of unauthorized items may also subject the applicant to a sanction for violation of exam rules.

On the day of the exam, you must be seated at the test center no later than 8:20 a.m., at which time instructions for getting your laptop computer ready to use will begin. You should plan to arrive at the test center at least 15 minutes prior to that time so that you can find your seat and get comfortable. General instructions regarding the administration of the exam will commence promptly at 8:30 a.m. Exam questions will be distributed in hard copy just before the beginning of each session.

If your laptop computer is not ready to begin at the designated time, for whatever reason, you must begin the exam by handwriting. NO extra time will be provided to ensure that a laptop computer is ready for use before the exam session begins. Technical assistance will not be available.

In the event of a software or hardware malfunction or other problem, or if a power failure or interruption occurs, before or during administration of the exam, you will be required to handwrite your answers to the exam.

You are not permitted to bring additional laptop computers, typewriters, word processors, or other devices into the standard laptop test centers to use as backups.

Uploading answer files
The exam file contains your answers to the five essay questions and the performance test question. Upload the exam files as soon as possible after the exam and no later than the deadline: February 23, 2023, at 12:00 p.m.

Verify the successful upload of your answer files by launching Examplify to see that you have uploaded all your answer files. Read more from ExamSoft.

Do NOT delete or uninstall Examplify or any Examplify Program Directory Files or Folders until results for the exam have been released.

As a courtesy, emails will be sent indicating if your answer files have not uploaded, however, it is your responsibility to ensure that your files are uploaded by the deadline. If there is a problem with the uploading of your answers, you  may be required to contact ExamSoft for assistance in retrieving the file remotely or to physically provide your laptop to ExamSoft or to the Office of Admissions so that efforts can be made to retrieve the encrypted backup copy of the exam answer(s) from your laptop’s hard drive.

Rented laptop computers
If you rented a laptop to use during the exam, you should not return it to the rental company until results for the February 2023 Bar Exam have been released.

Any attempt to disable or tamper with Examplify’s security features is prohibited. If it is discovered that tampering has been attempted, this information will be reported to the Committee of Bar Examiners for whatever action it may deem appropriate, which could include disqualification for admission to practice law in California.