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The MPRE exam is one of the several tests law students are required to complete for bar admission. Read on to learn more about this exam to begin preparing for it!
As if writing the LSAT, getting into, and doing well in law school isn’t hard enough, aspiring lawyers must also complete various exams in order to become practicing lawyers. These exams are called the bar exams and are made up of various tests.
One of these tests is the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). Whether this is the first time you’re hearing about the MPRE exam, or you have questions about the test, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about what the MPRE is, how to study for it, and when it’s offered.
The MPRE is an exam required for admission to the bar. It tests students’ ethics and professional conduct. It isn’t meant to test individual ethics but those expected of lawyers in their many roles as judges, advocates, counselors, and mentors.
All US jurisdictions, apart from Wisconsin and Puerto Rico, require the MPRE exam. Connecticut and New Jersey allow law students to complete a course on professional responsibility instead of the MPRE.
Your most pressing question about the MPRE is probably how to study for it. Luckily, there are various resources available to help you ace this exam!
Many students opt to take a professional responsibility course in law school to help prepare them for this exam, as this course focuses on a lot of the same content that will be seen on the MPRE.
The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), the administrators of the MPRE, have created a comprehensive list of the major subject matter that will be tested on the exam. This list can be your basic starting guide on what you should focus your studies on, so you don’t waste valuable time studying unnecessary material.
Since the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct will mainly be tested, you should go over these rules in depth to prepare for the exam.
Like with anything else, practice makes perfect! An excellent way to study is to complete sample questions and exams, which can be purchased through NCBE.To begin dipping your toes in the water, you can also go over the free sample questions NCBE offers.
But the best method to excel on your MPRE is to work smarter, not harder! Juris can offer you the resources to maximize your chances of success while minimizing your stress.
You can get personalized support from MPRE tutors that have already completed and aced the exam. These tutors can give you the best insights and increase your chances of passing by three times!
The MPRE exam is two hours long and consists of 60 multiple choice questions. This gives students around two minutes to complete each question; however, some may take less or more time.
While there are 60 questions on the MPRE, only 50 are scored, and the remaining 10 are unscored pretest questions. However, you won’t be able to distinguish which questions are unscored, so you should treat them all like they’re being scored. Points are not deducted for incorrect answers.
MPRE scores are graded on a scale from 50 to 150. The required passing score depends on your jurisdiction.
Considering this range, you might be wondering how the MPRE is scored. Scores are calculated using a method known as equating. This process adjusts your raw scores by comparing the differences in difficulty in previous examinations.
Scores are released around five weeks after the date of examination and will be posted on your NCBE account.
In order to register for the MPRE exam, students can follow these steps:
Create an account with NCBE.
Apply for accommodations if required.
Log into your account, choose MPRE registration, fill in the required information, and request your authorization to test.
Within 24 hours, you should receive authorization to test in your email.
Within 48 hours of receiving your authorization to test, you must schedule an appointment to test and pay the test fee.
Much like the LSAT, the MPRE is offered a limited number of times each year. The following chart will detail the three exam dates, accommodation deadlines, and payment deadlines. Regardless of when you write your exam, the registration fee is $150.00.
Source: NCBE
Many students choose to write the August exam, so they don’t have to worry about studying while still in school.
Most students take the MPRE in March or August between their 2L and 3L years. This is because most students will have completed their Professional Responsibility course right before taking the MPRE!
It’s a good idea to take the MPRE as close as you can to when you finish your PR course. Don’t take it before you’ve taken PR!
The MPRE tests you on your knowledge related to the laws surrounding the professional conduct of lawyers and judges. You’ll need to know disciplinary rules of conduct according to the ABA as well as principles and rules regarding law discipline.
The NCBE provides a subject matter outline for the MPRE, which contains the following topics:
The most important thing to bring to the MPRE is your identification. You’ll need two forms of original, unexpired ID: government-issued primary and secondary ID. Make sure that the name on your ID matches the name you used to register.
Your primary ID must include a recent photo, your signature, and your first and last name. Primary ID forms include:
Your secondary ID needs to include your first and last name as well as either a signature or a recent photo. Secondary ID forms include:
You won’t be allowed any personal items in the testing room, except for certain permitted comfort aids, such as bandages, casts, EpiPens, eyeglasses, hearing aids, etc.
You can bring personal items with you, but they need to be stored outside of the testing room. You may choose to bring a sweater in case of cold temperatures, but you may be asked to roll up your sleeves.
While there is no scheduled break during the exam, you may also want to bring water or food for when you finish.
The MPRE is a difficult exam, but here are some tips to help you get through it!
In case you still have questions about the exam, here are the answers to frequently asked questions about the MPRE.
MPRE stands for Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination.
Many students take the MPRE exam during their second or third year of law school. Taking the summer examination is a good idea to ensure you have enough time and energy to focus on studying.
No, the bar exam is generally considered to be more difficult. Timewise alone, the MPRE is only two hours long, whereas the bar exam spans over two days. The bar exam also tests more subjects and consists of several exams.
Most students study for at least a month, dedicating 4-8 hours per week to studying.
Some students find the MPRE exam difficult, while others don’t, so it falls somewhere in the middle. It covers very specific information that can generally be studied within a few weeks but requires focus and good memorization skills.
You should dedicate enough time to studying, build a good schedule, complete practice questions, and enlist the help of trusted experts.
MPRE passing scores vary by jurisdiction, but you’ll usually need around a minimum scaled score of 75-80. That means you’d need to get about 30-35 answers correct out of 60 for a solid passing score.
You can take the MPRE at Pearson VUE testing centers across the country. However, there is no guarantee that you can take the exam in the same state in which you reside, as you’re assigned a testing center once you register.
You can, however, choose to report your score to any jurisdiction, no matter where you sit to take the exam.
Now that you’ve been prepped on everything you need to know about the MPRE exam, you should begin creating the perfect study plan with Juris to ensure you pass!
With Juris, you’ll have less stress, less hassle, and more empowerment to crack the MPRE and realize your dreams!
