Kaplan Bar Review issued the following statement on the changes the National Conference of Bar Examiners made to the Multistate Bar Examination that were announced today, to be implemented in February 2017. The exam will change from having 190 scored questions and 10 unscored questions to having 175 scored questions and 25 unscored questions. The total number of questions overall will remain at 200.

“We know that MBE scores have declined to their lowest point in decades, as have bar passage rates on the whole. These changes are designed to norm the exam. The good news for students is that the changes don’t appear to impact the test’s content or difficulty level -- this is about scoring and skill. With fewer questions being scored, it means each one carries greater weight, so answering correctly becomes that much more important. Since the changes aren’t about content, it means that test-taking skills -- critical reasoning and analysis -- will play a greater role in the new exam. That’s where effective bar prep becomes a distinct advantage. We also think it’s important to note that with a reduced number of scored questions, there is a natural dilution of questions per subject and topic. Property law specifically for February is being expanded in scope of coverage, yet there will be fewer scored questions. This means the chances of seeing what test takers have memorized and mastered goes down, but the importance of being a good test taker goes up.” -- Christopher Fromm, executive director of bar prep programs, Kaplan Bar Review.

To schedule an interview with a bar exam expert at Kaplan, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

About Kaplan Bar Review

Kaplan Bar Review (www.kaplanbarreview.com) provides full-service bar review programs in 51 jurisdictions (all 50 states and Washington, DC). Additionally, Kaplan Bar Review offers supplemental preparation for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE).