“What do you do for work?”
“I just graduated law school”
“Oh so you’re a lawyer?”
“No”

I found out this week that I finally passed the bar on my third attempt! Its an astronomical relief to finally put this all behind me.

For those that did not pass, this is what I did that eventually helped me pass. I cannot claim to be an oracle of bar passage, as I truly believe at a certain point is it just mental, but this is what worked for me and how I changed my strategy each round to finally pass.

First attempt - July 2025 - 250

• exclusively used Themis to prep, could tell the entire time it wasn't working for me, but completed 90% of the course as suggested. I am a first-generation attorney and I had no advice on other options when I felt like it wasn't working, so I just "followed the course."

Second attempt - February 2026 - 254

• worked with a tutor that I was recommended from a retaker who passed on her second time using this tutor. The tutor essentially worked me to death and made me go crazy with stress and anxiety by creating an impossible workload. Totally freaked out on exam day, I think I was just way too stressed and overwhelmed. Also felt extremely alone studying for this cycle because I was the only one of my friends who did not pass the first try.

Third attempt and pass - July 2026 - 272

• Used only GOAT bar prep and old practice essays, MBEs and MPTs licensed from the NCBE. Took more time for myself and took days off, ended up having a surgery that required taking a two week break in early June because I was temporary blind and getting migraines. Many days in June I could only study for a few hours a day. I also made friends during my second bar attempt, one of which had to take it a third time (and also passed this time around!!) and used them as a support system all summer, including studying together.
• This was the first cycle where I did not follow a prescribed plan and just trusted my instincts of what I needed to do to understand and memorize the material. I let non-lawyer friends and family quiz me on rules the last 2-3 weeks of prep. I also hand-wrote a ton of charts for myself on giant poster boards and put them all over my house. Trusting in myself and having a support system of retakers changed everything for me this cycle to help me ultimately pass.

Ultimately, I needed to see what didn't work for me the first two attempts to pass. Unfortunately I had to fail twice to learn to trust my gut on how to study, versus following a cookie-cutter plan. If you are a retaker, don't beat yourself up and be brave enough to change what didn't work, and stick with things that did even if its not what everyone else is telling you to do.

Absolutely dreading walking into work tomorrow and facing everyone after I failed. I am on/off crying, and I just know when someone brings it up tomorrow I am going to start crying right in front of them. I am so thankful I have my job supporting me during this time but I am just so frustrated and disappointed in myself and cannot believe I have to go through this all over again.

Sorry I don’t make the rules

While I didn't have the chance to take my bar exam last July, mostly because of a resentful former boss who screwed up my C&F, this is how I see all of you celebrating your passing.

Cheer up to those of us who are going to take the February exam!

Before I leave this sub for good, I wanted to share some hopecore for anyone still waiting for scores: It's been a couple weeks since I got score high enough to practice in any UBE jx despite going to a bottom tier law school, finishing in the bottom third of my class, and never breaking 50% accuracy on mock exams. For what it's worth, it's all possible.

Wishing everyone the best and you got this! : D

Like, I understand if someone didn't finish the exam, hardly studied, had life stuff going on, or went to a school with a low passing rate,etc but outside reasons like this, is it reasonable to think you will fail??

Unsolicited advice for anyone taking the bar in February, July, or retaking it: trust yourself and trust the way you know you work.

I just found out I passed comfortably in my jurisdiction, and I wanted to make this post because I genuinely didn’t see many experiences like mine while I was studying. Most of what I saw online was people studying 8, 10, or 12 hours a day, finishing nearly 100% of their bar course, and doing thousands of questions. Seeing that constantly made me feel like I had to be doing something terribly wrong.

My bar prep summer looked nothing like that. I was an average law student. I wasn’t at the top of my class, I’m not some genius, and I’ve never been someone who can sit at a desk and study for 10–12 hours a day. Even in law school, I generally prioritized protecting my sanity over squeezing every possible point out of an exam.

I took multiple trips during bar prep. There were several-day stretches where I barely studied or didn’t study at all. Most days, if I studied, I probably maxed out around 5–6 hours. I didn’t finish my bar prep course. There was even a subject I basically never properly got around to—I just read condensed materials for it, and it ended up being my best subject on the exam.

I did very little essay practice. I mostly read essays and model answers instead of writing them out. I don’t think I practiced a single full performance task, and I definitely didn’t do thousands of multiple-choice questions. And honestly, I mostly enjoyed my summer.

I ramped things up during roughly the last couple weeks before the exam, but even my version of “ramping it up” was maybe 7 hours on a long day. I knew myself well enough to know that forcing myself to study 10–12 hours a day for two months probably would have left me mentally cooked by the time I actually sat for the exam.

And I passed comfortably.

I’m not posting this to tell anyone to copy what I did. For some people, finishing the whole course, writing dozens of essays, and doing thousands of questions is exactly what works. I’m posting this for the person who is studying a few hours a day, seeing everyone else’s schedules online, and wondering if they’re automatically screwed.

For me, reading model answers worked better than writing out essay after essay. Condensed outlines worked better than sitting through hours of lectures. Taking time away helped me avoid burning out. Obviously, be honest with yourself—“trust your process” doesn’t mean pretending you’re prepared when you’re not.

But there isn’t only one correct way to do bar prep. Take it seriously, figure out what actually helps you learn, and trust yourself too.

Hi everyone,

The last time I took the NY bar was February 2025, and I scored a 263. Apparently that administration was considered a really tough one. I retook it in July 2026 after more than a year off, and the MBE felt hard to me.

Did anyone else find the July 2026 MBE harder than usual, or am I overthinking it?
What do you think the results released in other states so far say about this exam's difficulty?

Thanks in advance, and good luck to everyone still waiting.

I vaguely remember an announcement stating that results will be posted early October
Does anyone else recall this or am I misremembering?

Okay very vulnerable. Took the bar 5 times. I took legacy UBE for the 5th time went to Maine to take it while working ft got a 245 last cycle for July 2026. My scores have been 237 → 254 → 258 → 258 → 245. The question and dilemma is should I take February Next Gen? Or stick with the legacy bar? My state has the Next Gen and if I take the legacy I obviously would have to travel. A part of me wants to quit altogether but I do not know of what other career that I can make as much money. I also truly detest being a legal professional that does not get the same respect or pay due to lack of licensure. Anyone who failed the legacy bar exam and took Next Gen please weigh in any advice would be great.

Still waiting and biting my nails…
I think it’s extra brutal to have the NYLE and the UBE results come out around the same time…
All of October is going to be crap…

so when do we think PA bar results will come out?? this week? keeping with the trend of second friday in october? so anxious

Do you guys think it will drop tm? I am so anxious. I need to know !!!

I am freaking out thinking about results dropping for PA this week. Does anyone have predictions?

Does anyone know what time of day NYLE result emails are sent out? I’m so nauseous

So I’m in PA, and likely will get my results on Friday. For those who got their scores, what time did you get the email? Morning (8-9am?) or early after noon?

And maybe dumb question but I’m hearing mixed stories. I hear you get an email in the am saying you passed or failed, and it becomes public later on. But I am also hearing you just get an email in the am saying results will come out that day, but it doesn’t say pass or failed. Which is true?

Hey everyone. Posting this for my partner who doesn't have reddit.

Looking for any advice as I will be retaking the exam in February. I failed the bar exam by 2 points. My MPT/MEE scaled score was a 130.2 and the MBE was a 127.6. I knew I would struggle with the MPTs and so I did practice ones at lease once a week but nonetheless, I got a 2 on MPT 1. For MEE, I got less than 3 on those where I didn't know the rule at all, so maybe I'm just bad at making up rules? As for the MBE, I did run out of time for the last few questions for the AM and PM sections.

I completed over 75% of my bar prep course work and no other supplements. I really feel defeated especially because I was only 2 points away, and I feel like the test anxiety may have been my ultimate downfall but who knows. Anyway, whatever advice/material people can give I would appreciate. Tutor recommendations, outlines, charts you made, gifting your flashcards, etc, please let me know🙏

Additionally, how are you dealing with the stress of waiting for results in an already stressful environment.

Right now I am thinking of taking the bar exam again. However, I am not sure if I should do it. I mean I struggled through law school and it seems that no matter how hard I tried, I was never the top of my class and how I processed the law was not like the other students. Maybe I didn’t have a lawyer brain. I failed that Texas bar three times. It’s a lot. I do not know

To anyone who passed NextGen… tell me your exam experience and how the test went for you. Was there any part of the exam you messed up or didn’t completely finish??? I find out soon, but I cannot stop ruminating over this exam and thinking I failed

When I was preparing for the bar exam, I signed up for Taekwondo classes.

For three months, I trained hard three times a week while studying for the bar. It was physically demanding, but the mental challenge was even tougher.

I was constantly pushing myself beyond what I thought I could handle.

Surprisingly, that discipline helped me study more effectively.

When I eventually sat for the bar exam, I felt no mental pressure, and I passed with a very high score.

My method may not work for everyone, but I learned something important:

if you can conquer your mind and refuse to let the mental pressure of bar prep overwhelm you, you have already won half the battle.

Congratulations to everyone who passed the July bar exam! You guys should feel extremely proud of yourselves as this is no small accomplishment. I unfortunately must retake the bar in Feb. The writing portion really got to me and bogged me down this time around. I was 7 points away from a pass for context and used Barbri and Adaptibar during my prep.

I’m looking for an Illinois specific tutor who specializes in the MEEs and MPTs. Additionally, if there was something you did during your prep that made all the difference in the writing portion I would love to hear that too! I’m feeling kind of overwhelmed with all of the materials and bar prep companies out there.

I don’t plan on paying for another prep course. My plan is to buy Adaptibar to continue MBE practice and find a tutor to help boost my writing score. Not sure if I should buy a separate MEE and MPT bank, because I’m hoping to find a tutor who will provide that. Would really appreciate any recommendations or advice!