When an individual earns a Juris Doctor Degree, or J.D.,  on their path to becoming a lawyer, they next major step is often the bar exam. The bar exam is used by states and other U.S. jurisdictions as part of the attorney licensing process, and preparing for it usually takes months of focused study. Common advice is to plan for 400 total study hours, though the right plan depends on the person, the exam format, and the amount of time available each week.

Because bar admission rules vary by jurisdiction, the first step is not just to start studying. It is to confirm which exam your jurisdiction will administer and when you are eligible to take it. From there, you can build a study schedule that matches the structure and content of your exam.

The bar exam is part of the attorney licensing process used by states and other U.S. jurisdictions to assess whether applicants are prepared for entry-level legal practice. NCBE explains that the exam is designed to measure the knowledge and skills needed for competent early-career lawyering, while each jurisdiction sets its own admission rules and passing score. Because bar admission is controlled by individual jurisdictions, the test format and eligibility rules can vary depending on where you plan to seek licensure.

Many jurisdictions use the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which is coordinated by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE); 41 U.S. jurisdictions have adopted the UBE. Beginning in July 2026, some jurisdictions will begin transitioning from the current UBE to the NextGen UBE, while others will continue using the legacy exam during the transition period. 

The legacy UBE includes three separate components: the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), and two Multistate Performance Test (MPT) tasks. The NextGen UBE uses a different format, administered over 9 hours across 1.5 days, and includes standalone multiple-choice questions, integrated question sets, and performance tasks. It is also designed to test a broader range of foundational lawyering skills in addition to legal doctrine. The University of Chicago Law School similarly explains that the NextGen UBE is intended to better reflect the skills used in modern legal practice, including both litigation and transactional work.

Before building a study calendar, confirm which exam your jurisdiction will administer. If your jurisdiction is still using the legacy UBE, your plan should account for the MBE, MEE, and MPT. If your jurisdiction is adopting the NextGen UBE, your preparation should instead reflect the new 1.5-day format and its mix of multiple-choice, integrated, and performance-based tasks.NCBE specifically advises examinees to check jurisdiction information directly because rules and timelines can change.

Next, set a realistic timeline. Many students begin with a target of about 400 study hours, but the right schedule depends on whether you are studying full-time or part-time, whether you are working, and how much doctrinal review you still need. A recent graduate studying full-time may devote roughly two months to bar prep, while a working applicant may need a longer runway to spread those hours out more sustainably.

Once you have your timeline, build a content calendar around the exam you are actually taking. In practical terms, that means:

 Subject areas covered in the MBE portion of the exam include seven subject areas:

The MEE has historically tested a broader pool of subjects, including:

*NCBE states that effective with the July 2026 bar exam, the following subjects will no longer be tested on the MEE: Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts and Estates, and Secured Transactions. NCBE also says that from July 2026 through February 2028, Family Law and Trusts and Estates will instead be tested regularly through the MPT. So if you are preparing for a legacy UBE administration during that transition period, your study plan should reflect the updated content scope rather than the older subject list.

For the legacy UBE, a clear study plan usually means dividing time among:

To memorize substantive law, Corn recommends using outlines and other materials from your studies to focus on knowing and being able to easily recall laws.

Once this has been mastered, you can move on to completing practice questions.

Your study plan should look different from a legacy UBE plan. NCBE says the NextGen UBE tests a focused set of doctrinal areas alongside foundational lawyering skills. For the early NextGen administrations, those doctrinal areas include:

NCBE also says the exam tests foundational skills such as:

That means a NextGen study plan should not be framed only around memorizing subject outlines. It should also include practice with integrated tasks that require reading, analysis, writing, and problem-solving in realistic legal settings. In other words, NextGen prep should combine doctrinal review with applied skills practice from the start, rather than treating performance-style work as something to add only at the end. 

No matter which version of the exam you are taking, an effective study plan should balance content review with active practice. The exact mix will differ between the legacy UBE and the NextGen UBE, but in both cases, students need more than passive reading. They need repeated practice applying rules, analyzing facts, and working under timed conditions.

Before you build your study plan, check your jurisdiction’s bar admissions page to confirm whether you will take the legacy UBE or the NextGen UBE. The rollout begins in July 2026, and not every jurisdiction is switching at the same time.

There are a number of study aids available to law students and recent graduates preparing for the bar exam. The following are a few examples of resources that can be used during the study process.

National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)—Study Aids

NCBE offers official study aids for the legacy bar exam, the MPRE, and the NextGen UBE. For legacy examinees, those materials include practice resources tied to the MBE, MEE, and MPT. For NextGen examinees, NCBE now offers dedicated NextGen UBE study aids and directs students to its official examinees’ guide and preparation materials. Because these materials come from the test maker, they are especially useful for understanding current question formats and expectations. 

JD Advising Free Bar Exam Resource Center

JD Advising offers a broad set of free bar prep materials, including MBE and MEE study guides, MPT resources, study schedule help, MPRE materials, webinars, and a free 3L primer course. Its free tools are especially useful for students who want extra strategy support, subject-specific guidance, or early bar prep help before committing to a full paid course.

Kaplan—Free Bar Exam Practice

Kaplan offers preparatory courses for a variety of standardized exams, including the bar exam. Before committing to paying for an intensive course, individuals can utilize Kaplan’s free bar exam resources, including a bar exam question of the day and a free MPRE review course.

BARBRI—Free MPRE Review and Bar Prep Resources

BARBRI continues to offer a free MPRE review course, along with broader bar prep materials and supplemental resources for U.S. bar examinees. For students comparing providers, BARBRI can be a useful option for guided review, especially if you want a more structured course format. 

AdaptiBar

AdaptiBar is a paid bar prep supplement focused primarily on MBE practice. BARBRI describes it as using adaptive technology and real MBE questions licensed from NCBE, along with performance tracking and related study tools. It may be especially useful for students who want additional multiple-choice practice beyond a main bar review course.  

If your jurisdiction is moving to the NextGen UBE, add NCBE’s Official Examinees’ Guide to the NextGen UBE to your core resource list. NCBE’s guide explains the exam’s structure, question types, timing, and tested skills, and NCBE’s preparation page points students to official NextGen study aids and overview materials.

AI-powered bar prep tools can be useful for adaptive practice, explanations, and study planning, but they work best as supplements to official NCBE materials and a structured study plan rather than as a substitute for verified exam-format practice.

Jellyfish Prep

Jellyfish is a newer AI-powered platform centered on MBE prep; emphasizing adaptive quizzes, personalized study plans, progress tracking, and social study features. Because its focus is MBE practice, it is most directly relevant to students studying for the legacy UBE or another exam that still includes an MBE-style multiple-choice component.

Bear the Bar

Bear the Bar is an AI-native U.S. bar exam prep platform with MBE and MEE practice, adaptive training, and personalized study support. Recommended for students who want an AI-driven supplement layered on top of a broader bar prep plan rather than a sole resource.

Kaplan AI Study Tools

Kaplan now highlights AI-powered study tools within its bar prep ecosystem, including features designed to provide faster feedback and more personalized support. That makes it a useful option for students who want AI features inside a more traditional commercial prep structure.

The bar exam is widely considered challenging. According to NCBE’s 2024 statistics, jurisdictions reported 70,436 people taking the bar exam, with an overall pass rate of 61%. NCBE also reported a 68% overall pass rate for July 2024 and a 43% overall pass rate for February 2024. For first-time takers, the results are stronger than the overall numbers suggest. The ABA reported that first-time takers in 2024 achieved an aggregate pass rate of 82.79%.

A small number of jurisdictions offer apprenticeship-style alternatives to law school under specific rules. California has a Law Office Study Program, Vermont has a Law Office Study Program, Virginia has a Law Reader Program, and Washington has an APR 6 Law Clerk Program. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, and applicants should verify current eligibility rules directly with the jurisdiction’s admissions authority.

More information about eligibility can be found in NCBE/ABA Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements. 

Depending on the jurisdiction in which you plan to take your bar exam, the guidelines will vary. Some states require the completion of law school, while others require a particular number of credits. Students can find information on when they are eligible to take the bar exam in NCBE’s Comprehensive Guide to Bar Examination Requirements.

Each person has individualized needs. While many law school students may choose to study on their own with the guidance of resources and materials, others may opt to take a commercial course from an online learning provider such as Kaplan or Barbri or work one-on-one with a tutor. Bar exam preparation courses and tools vary in format, so students can identify which offerings align with their learning style. Students who are struggling to learn materials, as well as those who are taking the bar exam for the second time, may also choose to seek additional help through these services.  

It is important to identify study materials that are of high quality and align with the content and question style of the bar exam for which you are preparing. However, Corn cautioned against getting lost in the array of materials available. “Some students become preoccupied with the materials that they’re using, thinking that there is some magic bullet…It’s really about just putting in the time,” Corn said. 

The best bar exam resources depend on the version of the exam you will take, so start with official NCBE materials and then add commercial tools based on your study style and budget.

Please note that this article is for informational purposes only. This article was last updated in March 2026.