UBE | Make This Your Last Time

January 24, 2025January 24, 2025 - 1 Comment

Grandmother Passes the Uniform Bar Exam with a 270

A self-professed “Partner/Mom/Grandma/Kindergarten teacher” told me she passed the UBE.

No big deal. I asked Nocona how she DID IT so I could pass her lessons onto you mortals.

Among other things, she told me that she passed the Oklahoma Bar Exam (UBE) using a combination of substantive resources and a mindset that gave her better control over her processes.

You might read all these stories and think, I can do this too (true).

Or you might wonder, why can’t it be me?

It CAN be you, homie. These were all people in the exact same position as you. Why torture yourself trying to reinvent the wheel?

January 10, 2025January 8, 2025 - No Comments

Passing the New York Bar Exam After 20 Years (15 Attempts)

“L” graduated from law school 20 years ago. He finally passed the New York Bar Exam with a 271, enough to waive into any UBE jurisdiction.

Wow!

💬 “I’ve been waiting years to write an email like this.”

You don’t need to be a legal rockstar. It’s possible to pass the bar exam even if you’re a C student.

💬 “I graduated with a C average and was told that statistically, passing the bar exam would be very difficult for me.”

💬 “I am happy, proud, and relieved.”

Here’s how L made it happen.

January 4, 2025January 22, 2025 - 11 Comments

Predictions for the Bar Exam (What to Focus On for Efficient Study)

Before every exam, a handful of people come out of the woodwork and shamelessly ask about subject predictions for the bar exam.

“Does anyone know the essay predictions?”
“What do you think will be tested?”
“I don’t think ____ will appear on the exam.”
“Anyone think ____ will be tested?”
“I know we’re not supposed to listen to predictions, but…”
“What are ____’s predictions?”
“Here are my MEE predictions!”

Whose speculations are you going to listen to?

If you’re like many bar takers, or if you’re a repeater, you say: “Haha of course I’m not going to rely on the predictions. I shall adequately study all the subjects. You should too!”

And then you panic and look at the predictions anyway.

Did you want me to tell you, “Aww poor baby, don’t worry. It’s normal and happens to the best of us 🥺”?

You SHOULD worry if you’re secretly tempted to rely on predictions… because this kind of thinking is entirely predictable and avoidable. Sweating about predictions is NOT a good place to be and requires intervention.

Also, remember when subjects actually leaked for the California exam in 2019 and people got mad over it? Do you want to know the subjects ahead of time or not? Make up your minds!

Maybe you’re too young to remember ancient history. I’ve been dealing with you people for too long.

Here’s why you should look toward essay/MEE predictions for entertainment value and morbid curiosity only:

(and 3 things you can focus on instead to take control over your studies)

December 27, 2024January 14, 2025 - No Comments

Passing the DC Bar Exam (UBE) in Under 100 Hours of Bar Prep

Aaisha passed the 2024 July DC Bar Exam with score of 280.

While working full time as a litigation associate.

After studying less than 100 hours.

(Finally, a UBE story. Pls send more…I’m tired of too many successful stories from California)

June 28, 2024June 28, 2024 - No Comments

Passing the DC Bar Exam on Second Try with a 269: “A Pass Is a Pass”

Rebecca passed the 2024 February DC Bar Exam (UBE) on her second try, with a 13-point improvement from a score of 256 to 269.

It wasn’t a “crazy” jump… but you don’t need a crazy score!

💬 “Didn’t pass my first time in July 23 (256, needed 266 for DC). Took February 24 and all I wanted was a 267, ended up with a 269! Sure, it’s one shy of the “every jx” score and it’s not a ~crazy~ jump or anything but I am literally over the moon. Also, who cares, a pass is a pass, and I can practice in the jxs that *I* want.”

I share big jumps too to show the possibility for anyone with a large score deficiency.

But Rebecca emphasizes that a pass is a pass.

You just need enough. (Remember that the bar exam doesn’t require 100% perfect accuracy.)

Someone who gets a 300 gets to be an attorney just the same as someone who gets a 270, 266, or whatever you need for your jurisdiction.

💬 “I surpassed my jurisdiction’s score by three points and my personal goal by two. Let’s be real, 269 isn’t the best but it is the funniest score I could get. I don’t need to practice in any 270 jxs any time soon, and also reciprocity/waiving in exists. It’s fine, everything is fine. I’m including this dumb rant because if any of your readers are like me, they might see the people boasting 290s, 300s, or other such impressive leaps in scores on repeats, which is genuinely great for those people, but in this weird, awful rat race we’re in, I legit found myself thinking at one point, damn I “only” got a 269 😪 which is bonkers. Friends, retakers, you just need to pass for your jurisdiction(s). Anyone who asks you about your passing score or who tries to make you feel less than for a p a s s i n g score is a knob.”

Now, that’s not to say that you should aim for the bare minimum.

To help you get past your threshold, I’ll share some specific strategies from Rebecca and what she did differently on her second attempt.