The Bar Exam is coming and you are already creating too many scenarios in your head. What would you do when it’s over? Should you take a break or start a new job right away? What if you fail? Do you need to take a Bar Prep course again? Can you show your face in public again? Take a big breath, it’s normal to feel pressured and stressed ahead of the big day. In any event your mind should be focused on preparing for the bar exam.
Before being negative think about passing the Bar Exam. What should you fail after all? Take a look at the passing rates. Each state has varying passing rates for the bar exam, ranging from about 33.9% in California to as high as 71% in Oklahoma and 63% in New York. Yes, there is a trend of lower passing rate for the 2021 Bar Exam with under 80% of law graduates who took the bar exam for the first time passing in 2021. But nothing to be worried about here. Passing rate can be influenced by a multitude of factors such as fewer candidates, the test being in-person again (as opposed to remote bar exams during COVID), etc. In sums, the statistic are not necessarily useful.
Before being negative think about passing the Bar Exam. What should you fail after all? Take a look at the passing rates. Each state has varying passing rates for the bar exam, ranging from about 33.9% in California to as high as 71% in Oklahoma and 63% in New York. Yes, there is a trend of lower passing rate for the 2021 Bar Exam with under 80% of law graduates who took the bar exam for the first time passing in 2021. But nothing to be worried about here. Passing rate can be influenced by a multitude of factors such as fewer candidates, the test being in-person again (as opposed to remote bar exams during COVID), etc. In sums, the statistic are not necessarily useful.
Is there a limit on how many times you can take the bar exam?
Understanding which states allow limited attempts at the bar exam is important. Being informed on the limits for your state or jurisdiction can dictate your studying strategy if you are on your last attempt.
It turns out that most states allow unlimited attempts to pass the bar exam. There are 21 states limiting bar exam attempts with in average between 2-6 attempts. Some of those states would allow additional attempts outside their limit with special permissions, however. Some other states have absolute limits that bar applicants from retaking the exam in that state.
How many times can you take the New York Bar Exam?
The truth is that you can take the New York Bar Exam as often as needed if you do not pass. New York has no limit or restriction on the number of times you may take the bar exam. Of course this should not mean that you want to take it forever but at least it take some pressure off of you if you are afraid you may fail the bar exam.
What States have limit on how often you can take the Bar exam?
States with Discretionary Limits on the Number of Times You Can Take the Bar Exam
- Arizona [3]
- District of Columbia [4]
- Idaho [6]
- Iowa [2]
- Maryland [3]
- Montana [3]
- South Carolina [3]
- South Dakota* [3]
- Texas [5]
- Utah [6]
- Virginia [5]
- West Virginia [4]
- Wyoming [4]
- Puerto Rico [6]
- Virgin Islands [3]
States with Absolute Limits on the Number of Times You Can Take the Bar Exam
- Kansas [4]
- Kentucky [5]
- New Hampshire [4]
- North Dakota [6]
- Rhode Island [5]
- Vermont [4]
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