California Bar Score Calculator

California Bar Score Formula:

\[ \text{Total Scaled} = (\text{MBE Scaled} \times 0.5) + (\text{Written Scaled} \times 0.5) \]

Total Scaled Score:

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1. What is the California Bar Score?

The California Bar Exam score is a weighted combination of the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) and the written portion of the exam. A passing score is 144 or higher on a 200-point scale.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the California Bar formula:

\[ \text{Total Scaled} = (\text{MBE Scaled} \times 0.5) + (\text{Written Scaled} \times 0.5) \]

Where:

MBE Scaled — Scaled score from the Multistate Bar Examination (0-200)
Written Scaled — Scaled score from the written portion (0-200)

Explanation: The exam is equally weighted between the MBE and written components, with each contributing 50% to the final score.

3. Importance of Bar Exam Scoring

Details: Understanding your score helps evaluate exam performance and plan for retakes if necessary. California has one of the highest passing thresholds among U.S. jurisdictions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your scaled MBE and written scores (typically between 0-200). The calculator will compute your total scaled score and indicate whether it meets the passing threshold.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a scaled score?
A: Scaled scores adjust raw scores to account for differences in exam difficulty across administrations.

Q2: What's the passing score for California?
A: California requires a minimum total scaled score of 144 to pass the bar exam.

Q3: Can I pass if I do poorly on one section?
A: You must score at least 139 on the written portion and at least 139 on the MBE, regardless of your total score.

Q4: How are the written essays scored?
A: Each essay is scored from 40-100, with 65 being the average passing score per essay.

Q5: When will I get my results?
A: Results are typically released about three months after the exam date.