Strong MBE = AUTO bar pass

[Desert Fox]

Or at least almost definitely a bar pass. Note, this is only true for states that don't have a minimum score for written parts, and only true for states with a 50% MBE. 40% or lower, MBE is still huge but it's harder to pass by just MBE.

Lets take Illinois for example. You need 264 points to pass and you can get them from MBE or written (which is scaled to match MBE scoring ranges). Here is what the percentiles looked like last july https://www.ilbaradmissions.org/Percent ... lentCharts

If you get a 150 on the MBE (all scores I'm talking about ITT are scaled, raw doesn't matter), then you only need a 114 (264 - 150) on the written. A 150 MBE isn't that hard, it's the 60th percentile and it only covers 6 subjects. For clean cut, standardized test taking naturals like TLSers this should be more than doable.

So how bad is a 114 written? Look at the chart I linked. It's LOWER than bottom 1%.

If you pull off a 160, 82%, you can get a 104 on written. I'm not sure they even give written scores that low.

[BlendedUnicorn]

insert testimonial here

[bigballerbrand]

To date, I've done 1400 adaptibar questions with a 82.3% average. Over the last month (~800 questions), I've had a 85.5% average. How good are my chances at passing the Cal Bar this month?

[MKC]

insert testimonial here

[not very fatduck]

:[]

[FinallyPassedTheBar]

Or at least almost definitely a bar pass. Note, this is only true for states that don't have a minimum score for written parts, and only true for states with a 50% MBE. 40% or lower, MBE is still huge but it's harder to pass by just MBE.

Lets take Illinois for example. You need 264 points to pass and you can get them from MBE or written (which is scaled to match MBE scoring ranges). Here is what the percentiles looked like last july https://www.ilbaradmissions.org/Percent ... lentCharts

If you get a 150 on the MBE (all scores I'm talking about ITT are scaled, raw doesn't matter), then you only need a 114 (264 - 150) on the written. A 150 MBE isn't that hard, it's the 60th percentile and it only covers 6 subjects. For clean cut, standardized test taking naturals like TLSers this should be more than doable.

So how bad is a 114 written? Look at the chart I linked. It's LOWER than bottom 1%.

If you pull off a 160, 82%, you can get a 104 on written. I'm not sure they even give written scores that low.

I believe this to be true...even for California, now that the MBE is worth 50% in CA.

[FinallyPassedTheBar]

To date, I've done 1400 adaptibar questions with a 82.3% average. Over the last month (~800 questions), I've had a 85.5% average. How good are my chances at passing the Cal Bar this month?

That's a very good percentage...you have higher percentages than I did, and I passed last Summer in CA.

I think it is time to focus on individual subjects and sub topics. Look for your lowest percentages there, and focus on bring those up.

[bigballerbrand]

To date, I've done 1400 adaptibar questions with a 82.3% average. Over the last month (~800 questions), I've had a 85.5% average. How good are my chances at passing the Cal Bar this month?

That's a very good percentage...you have higher percentages than I did, and I passed last Summer in CA.

I think it is time to focus on individual subjects and sub topics. Look for your lowest percentages there, and focus on bring those up.

Sounds about right. Contracts (third party rights + remedies specifically) is my weakest topic.

Between my strength at MBE and the amount of work I've put into essays + PT, I feel really good about my chances in two weeks.

[Desert Fox]

What is the cut score in California.

[KernKraft]

According to the one-timers calculator, in California, where the cut score is 144, you need a RAW 168/175 on the MBE to auto pass the bar. That means a 183ish scaled on the MBE and 40 on every written part. More doable is probably a 55 on every written part (which means you got a couple of issues right) and a raw 138/175 (scaled 153ish).

Fun fact: you can actually get a 0 on the essays. Yay.

...graders assign raw scores to essay and performance test answers in five-point increments on a scale of 40 to 100. In order to earn a grade of 40, the applicant must at least identify the subject of the question and attempt to apply the law to the facts of the question. If these criteria are not met, the answer is assigned a zero.

[ymmv]

insert testimonial here

#NotOneEssay bar study CREW

[bigballerbrand]

According to the one-timers calculator, in California, where the cut score is 144, you need a RAW 168/200 on the MBE to auto pass the bar. That means a 183ish scaled on the MBE and 40 on every written part. More doable is probably a 55 on every written part (which means you got a couple of issues right) and a raw 138/200 (scaled 153ish).

Fun fact: you can actually get a 0 on the essays. Yay.

...graders assign raw scores to essay and performance test answers in five-point increments on a scale of 40 to 100. In order to earn a grade of 40, the applicant must at least identify the subject of the question and attempt to apply the law to the facts of the question. If these criteria are not met, the answer is assigned a zero.

For what it's worth, I think the input for the MBE score on the One-Timers calculator is actually the raw score out of 175, not 200. He could be wrong, but Joe Seperac reverse-engineered and gave me his guess-timate of my raw MBE score out of 175. When I input that into the calculator (along with my written scores), the calculated score is basically my actual score from July (give or take 2-3 points).

[onlyoncemore]

I don't even have the balls to dream of auto-pass. But you go, you insane beasts who can! And damn, tell me your secrets.

[KernKraft]

For what it's worth, I think the input for the MBE score on the One-Timers calculator is actually the raw score out of 175, not 200. He could be wrong, but Joe Seperac reverse-engineered and gave me his guess-timate of my raw MBE score out of 175. When I input that into the calculator (along with my written scores), the calculated score is basically my actual score from July (give or take 2-3 points).

Does it mean that we need less than what I estimated using One-Timers or more? It's late and my brain is fried. If you can explain the math for me I would appreciate it.

Anyway, I used Joe Seperac too and his estimate was around 12-13 points less than One-Timers... So confused at this point.

[bigballerbrand]

For what it's worth, I think the input for the MBE score on the One-Timers calculator is actually the raw score out of 175, not 200. He could be wrong, but Joe Seperac reverse-engineered and gave me his guess-timate of my raw MBE score out of 175. When I input that into the calculator (along with my written scores), the calculated score is basically my actual score from July (give or take 2-3 points).

Does it mean that we need less than what I estimated using One-Timers or more? It's late and my brain is fried. If you can explain the math for me I would appreciate it.

Anyway, I used Joe Seperac too and his estimate was around 12-13 points less than One-Timers... So confused at this point.

Lol.

Okay, so he told me his guess of my score was 130/175 (or 74.3%). So on the calculator, I'd put in 130 (even though the calculator input box says out of 200) and NOT 149 (which is 74.3% of 200). To match up with my actual bar exam score, I only had to add 3 to the raw MBE input (so 133). Hope that makes sense?

In other words, you might have been over-estimating the number you've been inputting for the MBE score on the calculator since it's (appears to be) out of 175 instead of 200.

[KernKraft]

Lol.

Okay, so he told me his guess of my score was 130/175 (or 74.3%). So on the calculator, I'd put in 130 (even though the calculator input box says out of 200) and NOT 149 (which is 74.3% of 200). To match up with my actual bar exam score, I only had to add 3 to the raw MBE input (so 133). Hope that makes sense?

In other words, you might have been over-estimating the number you've been inputting for the MBE score on the calculator since it's (appears to be) out of 175 instead of 200.

Sorry for the brain fart. Anyway, yeah that’s what I was actually doing without even thinking about it. I was always putting the number of questions you should get right (out of 175).

However, my Seperac estimate is very different from yours. Weird. What was your MBE scaled score? Around 145?

[barkschool]

Besides scheduled stuff in barbri regarding written topics/ focus all mbe until at least two weeks outs. I think i started written stuff a week before the bar.

[bigballerbrand]

Lol.

Okay, so he told me his guess of my score was 130/175 (or 74.3%). So on the calculator, I'd put in 130 (even though the calculator input box says out of 200) and NOT 149 (which is 74.3% of 200). To match up with my actual bar exam score, I only had to add 3 to the raw MBE input (so 133). Hope that makes sense?

In other words, you might have been over-estimating the number you've been inputting for the MBE score on the calculator since it's (appears to be) out of 175 instead of 200.

Sorry for the brain fart. Anyway, yeah that’s what I was actually doing without even thinking about it. I was always putting the number of questions you should get right (out of 175).

However, my Seperac estimate is very different from yours. Weird. What was your MBE scaled score? Around 145?

Okay, good to hear we were on the same page basically haha. I threw away my score report once I got the information... but my MBE scaled score was like 152? 153?

[KernKraft]

Lol.

Okay, so he told me his guess of my score was 130/175 (or 74.3%). So on the calculator, I'd put in 130 (even though the calculator input box says out of 200) and NOT 149 (which is 74.3% of 200). To match up with my actual bar exam score, I only had to add 3 to the raw MBE input (so 133). Hope that makes sense?

In other words, you might have been over-estimating the number you've been inputting for the MBE score on the calculator since it's (appears to be) out of 175 instead of 200.

Sorry for the brain fart. Anyway, yeah that’s what I was actually doing without even thinking about it. I was always putting the number of questions you should get right (out of 175).

However, my Seperac estimate is very different from yours. Weird. What was your MBE scaled score? Around 145?

Okay, good to hear we were on the same page basically haha. I threw away my score report once I got the information... but my MBE scaled score was like 152? 153?

Seperac estimated my raw at 103/175 (yuk) but I got a scaled score of 132, which seems a little off because it means that scaling gave me an extra 29 points. In the chart (below) of raw-scaled conversion that the NCBEX released for the July 2011 exam, the raw-scaled is around 15-20 extra points in that range.



Wow I hate scaling, it makes everything so complicated. Why did they even stop giving out the real raw scores?!

[thelawdude]

So, newb here. I'm still trying to figure out how scoring works for the bar, but when I read the California Bar Exam Grading policy, I thought that the MBE and Essays were both independently worth 50% of the total score. This is the pertinent section of the grading policy, which I am referring to:

"An applicant’s total score is the scale MBE score (on the 2000-point scale) multiplied by .50 plus the converted score on the written section multiplied by .50. Scaling ensures the two portions of the examination carry the relative weights assigned to them: written (50 percent) and MBE (50 percent)."

Thus, wouldn't it not matter what you score on the MBE once you meet the minimum threshold scaled score (e.g. 1440)?

To summarize, I thought you need to reach baseline scores for both the MBE and the essay in CA, since each part makes up 50% of the total score. I could be wrong. I'd love for someone to explain to me how it works. I'd also like to ask that you explain it as if you were talking to a small child.

[soj]

i think only your combined score matters.

the cal bar exam site says says your mbe section is scored out of 2000. your written section is given a raw score out of 700, which is then translated to a score out of 2000. the two scores, each out of 2000, are added then halved to come up with your final score, and that's the number that has to be 1440 or greater. you'll pass if you score 1500 on the mbe and 1400 on the written portion.

http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Exa ... a-Bar-Exam

[KernKraft]

To summarize, I thought you need to reach baseline scores for both the MBE and the essay in CA, since each part makes up 50% of the total score. I could be wrong. I'd love for someone to explain to me how it works. I'd also like to ask that you explain it as if you were talking to a small child.

From my understanting, you don't need to "individually pass" each section of the exam (or reach a baseline score for both MBE and written portion). For example, let's say you are a multiple choice freak and get the maximum score on the MBE of 2000/2000. That means that you can even get as low as a 880/2000 on the written portion to pass because (2000+880)/2=1440. Obviously this would work even if you score like crap on the MBE and you are awesome at writing.

Still, it doesn't make the CA bar easier. Otherwise rest assured they would have changed it.

[bigballerbrand]

To summarize, I thought you need to reach baseline scores for both the MBE and the essay in CA, since each part makes up 50% of the total score. I could be wrong. I'd love for someone to explain to me how it works. I'd also like to ask that you explain it as if you were talking to a small child.

From my understanting, you don't need to "individually pass" each section of the exam (or reach a baseline score for both MBE and written portion). For example, let's say you are a multiple choice freak and get the maximum score on the MBE of 2000/2000. That means that you can even get as low as a 880/2000 on the written portion to pass because (2000+880)/2=1440. Obviously this would work even if you score like crap on the MBE and you are awesome at writing.

This.

I got a 50 on my PT (my fault), but I was 15-20 points away from passing the Bar because of my strength on MBEs.

[thelawdude]

Thanks SOJ, Kern, and BBB. This is good news.

I'm more confident in my ability to do well on multiple choice than memorizing BLL, so I'm glad there's some room for error.

[Desert Fox]

The beauty of mbe auto pass is that most of the written stuff is mbe topics anyway. On my bar the only 2/9 essays were non mbe topics. And one of those was civ pro, which is how mbe right?