From the unsuccessful applicants memo:
The essay and PT answers of those applicants who are unsuccessful on the California Bar Exam are
accessible through your Applicant Portal. You may save or print a copy for your records. The files will
be removed from the Applicant Portal on May 31, 2024.
From the Cal Bar’s web site:
The State Bar announced today that 1,337 applicants (33.9 percent) passed the February 2024 General Bar Exam, and 197 applicants (52.7 percent) 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.
“Congratulations to the 1,534 applicants who passed the February California Bar Exam,” said Leah Wilson, State Bar Executive Director. “We recognize their hard work and share in their excitement and celebration and wish them the very best in their future legal careers.”
Ms. Wilson also addressed concerns about the Cow Palace testing site: “We can report that a full and independent psychometric analysis of the potential impacts of the Daly City exam site on applicant performance outcomes was conducted, and no such impact was found,” she said. “The State Bar is dedicated to ensuring the testing environment meets the highest standards and will incorporate the feedback received from test takers to improve future administrations. The July exam will not use the Cow Palace as a testing location.”
The 33.9 percentage pass rate for the February 2024 General Bar Exam represents a slight increase from the February 2023 pass rate of 32.5 percent. The pass rates for the February 2024 bar exam nationwide followed a similar path, with most experiencing a slight increase, including:
According to the National Conference of Bar Examiners, the California mean scaled score on the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) for February 2024 was 1327, compared to the national average mean scaled score of 1318.
In most U.S. jurisdictions, including California, the bar exam consists of three sections, one of which is the MBE. An increase in the national mean MBE score would likely indicate an increase in the February 2024 pass rate, and in California’s and other states’ results, it did.
The State Bar commissioned an independent psychometric analysis to assess whether reported concerns about temperature, restroom facilities, and other site-related concerns with the Cow Palace testing center, impacted applicant scores. According to the independent analysis, score adjustments were not warranted or recommended: “Differences among groups of applicants who tested at different sites…does not support a hypothesis that the performance of applicants was meaningfully different at Cow Palace, locations within Cow Palace, or applicants who did not test at Cow Palace. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence that applicants were disadvantaged by the environmental conditions at the facility.”
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 2024 administration was 69.7 percent, which represents a slight drop from nearly 71 percent in 2023.
Attendance at California’s February 2024 General Bar Exam was 3,944, nearly 5 percent higher than for the February 2023 exam, and 26.7 percent higher than the February 2022 exam.
February 2024 General Bar Exam preliminary statistics*
Pass rate for the General Bar Exam by law school:
| School Type | First-Timers | Repeaters |
|---|---|---|
| California ABA | 55.1% | 41.6% |
| Out-of-State ABA | 49.0% | 34.1% |
| California Accredited (not ABA) | 34.9% | 18.4% |
| Unaccredited: Fixed-Facility | 100.0% | 17.4% |
| Unaccredited: Correspondence | 28.6% | 13.3% |
| Unaccredited Distance-Learning | 26.3% | 12.2% |
| All Applicants | 44.8% | 29.2% |
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 5, 2024, 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. The general statistics, including data on pass rates by gender, race/ethnicity, and law school type, will be released in four to six weeks.
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The State Bar of California’s mission is to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system.
Hello everyone!
Results Day is today. Hope the February 2024 Cal Bar test-takers receive good news tonight!
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 within a few days! 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!
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:
| School Type | First-Timers | Repeaters |
| ABA Accredited – California | 76.3% | 36.7% |
| ABA Accredited – Out-of-State | 69.9% | 27.0% |
| CBE Accredited | 33.2% | 15.7% |
| Unaccredited – Correspondence | 40.0% | 18.8% |
| Unaccredited – Distance Learning | 17.4% | 13.3% |
| Unaccredited – Fixed-Facility | 14.3% | 4.8% |
| Others | 25.0% | 20.6% |
| All Applicants | 64.8% | 24.1% |
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.
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:
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*
Pass rate for the General Bar Exam (rounded to whole numbers) by law school type:
|
School Type |
First-Timers |
Repeaters |
| California ABA |
49% |
37% |
| Out-of-State ABA |
47% |
34% |
| California Accredited (not ABA) |
31% |
18% |
| Unaccredited: Fixed-Facility |
33% |
11% |
| Unaccredited: Correspondence |
25% |
8% |
| Unaccredited Distance-Learning |
21% |
10% |
| All Applicants |
45% |
28% |
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.
Today the State Bar announced that 3,753 (52.4 percent of applicants) passed the July 2022 California General Bar 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.
“For thousands of applicants of the General Bar Exam and Attorneys’ Exam, today is a milestone to be celebrated,” said Leah Wilson, State Bar Executive Director. “It is an acknowledgment of the dedication and hard work it took to get here and a major step toward the start of their legal careers in California. We congratulate each of them on this stellar achievement.”
The July 2022 pass rate on the General Bar Exam was slightly lower than the July 2021 pass rate of 53 percent.
Performance on the July 2022 bar exam varied nationally, with some states seeing a higher pass rate, and others experiencing a decline. Here are a few highlights:
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The National Conference of Bar Examiners announced that the national average score on the July 2022 Multistate Bar Examination of 140.3 represented a fraction of a point reduction from the July 2021 score (140.4). This suggests that the July 2022 result should track closely to 2021’s pass rates and, in California’s case, it does.
Attendance at California’s July 2022 General Bar Exam was lower (7,164) than during the remotely administered July 2021 exam (7,536) and the October 2020 remotely administered exam (8,723) and lower compared to average attendance for in person exams in prior years, when 8,000 typically took the exam.
July 2022 General Bar Exam preliminary statistics*
Pass rate for the General Bar Exam (rounded to whole numbers) by law school type:
| School Type | First-Timers | Repeaters |
| California ABA | 73% | 26% |
| Out-of-State ABA | 69% | 23% |
| California Accredited (not ABA) | 30% | 12% |
| Unaccredited: Fixed-Facility | 11% | 5% |
| Unaccredited: Correspondence | 25% | 8% |
| Unaccredited Distance-Learning | 12% | 9% |
| All Applicants | 62% | 17% |
General information about the structure and content of the General Bar Exam.
The Attorneys’ Exam may be taken by those 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, as well as disciplined lawyers who are ordered to take the examination as a condition of reinstatement. Of the 379 attorneys who completed the Attorneys’ Exam, 186 (49.1 percent) passed.
A pass list from the exam will be published on the State Bar website on November 13, 2022, 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 continues to encourage digital signing and electronic processing of oath cards.
The State Bar became aware on November 9 that a few exam takers reported being able to access certain fields of data in the Applicant Portal indicative of their own results prior to receiving their official notification from the State Bar. The State Bar takes these types of reports seriously and has commenced an investigation that will explore these reports, including among other things, whether any IT security, ethical, or legal violations occurred.
*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.
