What happens if I don’t pass the baby bar exam?

Topic 10: What happens if I don’t pass the baby bar exam?

A lot of people don’t pass the baby bar on their first try, but that’s okay. If you failed, know that you are not alone, and we are here to help. In this post, we discuss what happens if you don’t pass the baby bar and what you can do to ensure success the next time!

What happens if I don’t pass the baby bar exam?

Read our detailed bar exam post on what happens if you failed the baby bar exam here.

Applicants are given three opportunities to pass the baby bar to get credit for law studies (though it can be taken as many times as you need!). If you don’t pass the first time, you are eligible to take the exam again. You can try to pass on either of the next two administrations of the baby bar. The State Bar of California administers the baby bar in June and October each year.

An applicant cannot get any credit for law study until they pass the baby bar. If you do not pass in the first three administrations, then you will only receive credit for the first year of your law school study.

Passing the baby bar is something that all law students need to take seriously. It has a relatively low passage rate, with just 23.5% of all test takers passing the June 2019 administration. Check out The State Bar of California passage statistics here and learn more about the baby bar passage rates here.

How can you make sure you pass the next time around?

To ensure you pass next time, examine your score report to learn what you did wrong. Reviewing your performance is important, even if painful.

After you receive your score report, you can submit a request for reconsideration with the Committee of Bar Examiners. While the grounds for reconsideration are relatively narrow, the Committee of Bar Examiners will reconsider an exam when there is evidence of 1) an arithmetical error in the calculation of the total written score, or 2) a clerical error. It is therefore of the utmost importance that you look at your score report to make sure your result was calculated correctly!

Additionally, you have the opportunity to inspect the multiple-choice portion of the exam at the Office of Admissions nearest the location at which you took the exam. This can be a great way to see what mistakes you made—and how not to make them again. Full details on requesting an inspection can be found here. 

Lastly, you should review your essay answers and see what you did well as well as where you can improve. It is also a good idea to have a trusted advisor or tutor to review your essay answers and give you advice.

Learn more about our tips on how to pass the baby bar, including how to thoroughly review your work, here.

We offer Baby Bar Exam One-Sheets, essay grading services, and tutoring services for those who need help passing the baby bar exam!

Overall, failing the baby bar should not be a cause of despair. JD Advising is here to help!

Go to the next topic, Just for fun—baby bar questions that Kim Kardashian enjoyed!

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