Bar Success Skills Sessions are offered each Fall and Spring semester. 

Goals:

Bar Success Skills Sessions builds on analytical, writing, and organizational skills that students use during their law school years with the goal of enhancing students' ability to prepare for the bar exam. Although most intensive preparation for the bar will occur in the eight to ten weeks before the bar exam, these sessions will give students a foundational jump-start by introducing them to:

• The format and components of the bar exam
• The scope of preparing for the 3 tests on the Legacy UBE, as well as the question types on the new NextGen UBE
• Test-specific strategies for the MPT, Essay Writing, MBE/MCQs and Integrated Question Sets
• Bar Success specific study and organizational skills 

This class is not intended to replace commercial bar preparation courses. They complement such courses well and will enhance critical reading, thinking, and writing skills to maximize the chances of success on the bar exam.

What you should know about Bar Success Skills Sessions:

1. It is free
2. It is not graded
3. It is not for credit

Why should you take the class?

• To get a head-start on preparing for the Bar Exam by becoming familiar with the expectations and scope of the exam.
• To learn HOW (skills) to answer questions on each of the 3 tests.

Is this different from the commercial prep courses like BarBri, Themis, Kaplan, etc.?

Yes, the commercial courses focus a lot more on the "what" (contents) of the subjects tested on the bar exam. The skills class emphasizes the "how".

It is well established that test-takers need to master both the how and the what to do well on the Bar Exam. Please respond here to indicate your interest in taking any of these classes and/or if you have questions.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) is transitioning its bar exam from the current Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), which will now be known as the Legacy UBE, to the NextGen UBE. The Legacy UBE will cease existence as of July 2028, and the NextGen UBE will be rolled out in jurisdictions over the next two years.

The Legacy UBE is composed of 3 distinct tests, developed and administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE):

• Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) - 200 multiple choice questions given over two 3-hour testing sessions (100 questions per session)
• Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) - 6 essay questions given in a single 3-hour testing session; and
• Multistate Performance Test (MPT) - 2 performance tasks given in a single 3-hour testing session. 

The NextGen UBE is composed of three 3-hour testing sessions, each of which will be comprised of:

• 40 Multiple Choice Questions
• 2 Integrated Question Sets
• 1 Performance Test

Visit the NCBE for the most updated information.

Study Resources for Bar Exams:

Past Essay Exams Questions by State

Many state bar examiners release essay and performance test questions used on prior Bar Exams. In addition, some states release sample answers to these exam questions. It may be helpful to review the past questions and sample answers as part of your Bar Exam preparation. Links to many state's released questions are listed below:

• • • Alaska - State specific questions and sample answers from Feb. 2003 - Feb. 2014.
    • Arkansas - MEE/MPT questions and sample answers from July 2015 - July 2021; State specific questions and sample answers from Feb. 2013 - Feb. 2015.
    • California  - State specific questions (no sample answers) from Feb. 2012 - July 2025.
    • Delaware - State specific questions (no sample answers) from 1997 - July 2025.
    • Florida - State specific questions and sample answers (Study guides) from 2004 - 2025.
    • Georgia - State specific questions and sample answers from Feb. 2000 - July 2025.
    •  Indiana - State specific questions and sample answers from Feb. 2004 - August 2020.
    • Louisiana
      • Essay questions - from previous five administrations under each topic heading
      • Sample Multiple Choice Questions w/ Answers
    •  Maryland - MEE/MPT questions and sample answers from July 2019 - July 2025.
      • • (State specific questions from prior to July 2019 can be found here)
    • Mississippi - State specific questions and sample answers from July 2011 - July 2022.
    • Nevada - State specific questions and sample answers from 2007 - 2025.
    • New Jersey - State specific questions and sample answers from Feb. 2004 - July 2017; MEE/MPT questions and sample answers from Feb. 2017 - Feb. 2024.
    • New York - MEE/MPT questions and sample answers from July 2016 - July 2025.
    • Oklahoma - Look under Essay Preparation. State specific questions and sample answers from July 2000 - July 2016.
    • Puerto Rico - Multiple choice questions with answers by subject area.
    • South Dakota - Click tab labeled Representative Passing Answer at top for July 2019 - July 2020 and July 2024 - July 2025 MPT/MEE and Indian Law Questions.
    • Texas - MEE/MPT questions and sample answers from Feb. 2021 - July 2025; State specific questions and sample answers from Feb. 2009 - Oct. 2020.
    • Vermont - State specific questions and sample answers from Feb. 2006 - July 2015.
    • Virginia Answer Guides - State specific questions and sample answers from 2002- 2024.

• National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) Study Aids 
• Visit or contact the Bar Success office (Office 3222 or email julie.baldwin@wisc.edu).

Description of the Test:

• According to the NCBE, the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) is a two-hour, 60 multiple-choice examination that is administered three times per year.
• It is required for admission to the bars of all but two US jurisdictions (Wisconsin and Puerto Rico).
  • Note: Connecticut and New Jersey accept successful completion of a law school course on professional responsibility in lieu of a passing score on the MPRE.
• Becasue MPRE requirements vary from one jurisdiction to another, candidates are advised to check with the bar admission agency in the jurisdiction to which they seek admission before registering for the MPRE.
• Passing scores are established by each jurisdiction. 

Please visit the NCBE website for the most updated information. 

See "Commercial Bar Prep Courses" above for FREE MPRE courses.

Other study Aids for MPRE:

• NCBE Study Aids
• Visit or contact the Bar Success office (Office 3222 or email julie.baldwin@wisc.edu).