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Nearly all states administer the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), a multiple-choice test that serves up 200 questions testing 7 key areas of law. The MBE is administered in 2 testing sessions. Examinees answer 100 questions during a 3-hour morning session, break for lunch, and then return to face an additional 100 questions in the afternoon session.
Many bar review courses contain a full-length practice test, known as a simulated MBE. Should you take the simulated MBE when preparing for the bar exam? The answer is a resounding yes. Here are the top 5 reasons why.
Many bar review courses contain a full-length practice test, known as a simulated MBE. Should you take the simulated MBE when preparing for the bar exam? The answer is a resounding yes. Here are the top 5 reasons why.
1. Hone Your Approach
Using a set approach to MBE questions helps examinees avoid wrong answer options. Use the simulated MBE to hone your approach. Not sure how to attack MBE questions? Try these steps:
- Start with the question prompt. It’s counterintuitive, but reading the question from top to bottom isn’t the best plan of attack. Instead, try reading the question prompt first. You’ll immediately glean clues on what is being tested, and you can mentally pull up applicable rules before diving into the facts and answer options.
- Next, read the fact pattern. Use active reading strategies. Underlining or making margin notes will help you process the facts.
- Stop and analyze. MBE questions require application of law to fact. Take a moment to analyze how the rule applies before you dive into the answer options.
- Finally, review the answer options. Often, the right answer on the MBE might not feel like the perfect answer. Instead, you need to identify the best answer. One of the best ways to do this is to eliminate obviously wrong answer options. Consider the remaining options carefully and determine which is better.
2. Gain Confidence Across All 7 Subjects
On the real MBE, you’ll face questions testing 7 subjects—civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law and criminal procedure, evidence, real property, and torts. The simulated MBE helps you prepare for this reality. You’ll develop comfort working with mixed-subject sets.
3. Identify Your Weaknesses
The simulated MBE typically is scheduled around the halfway point of bar review. Several weeks of review remain before the real exam. Taking the simulated MBE provides valuable insights into your bar preparation efforts. You’ll be able to see which topics you have mastered and which need remediation before the exam. With your performance data, you can prioritize what to study and maximize your score on the real exam.
4. Practice Pacing
The MBE is a time-pressured exam. To stay on pace, you’ll need to complete each question in an average of 1.8 minutes. On the simulated MBE, you’ll get accustomed to the required pace and practice tracking your time. Because it’s not possible to track each 1.8-minute increment, try monitoring your progress using check-in points:
- At the 55-minute mark, be at least starting question 33.
- At the 1-hour-and-50-minute mark, be at least starting question 66.
- With 10–15 minutes left in the exam session, be at least starting question 99; you’ll have a few extra minutes to return to difficult questions.
5. Develop Stamina
Succeeding in the bar exam requires stamina. It’s not easy to keep your focus sharp during the long testing sessions. Taking the simulated MBE gives you a feel for the endurance required and helps you scale up your ability to focus.
Looking for a bar course with a simulated MBE? Quimbee Bar Review+ offers a full simulated MBE with licensed questions, plus 4 additional 100-question licensed diagnostics. Book a free, 30-minute tour of Quimbee Bar Review+ to learn more.
Looking for a bar course with a simulated MBE? Quimbee Bar Review+ offers a full simulated MBE with licensed questions, plus 4 additional 100-question licensed diagnostics. Book a free, 30-minute tour of Quimbee Bar Review+ to learn more.
Make your first attempt at the bar exam your last with Quimbee
- 91% bar exam pass rate*
- 100% money-back guarantee
- 1,600+ real questions from past bar exams
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