KAPLAN BAR REVIEW

Every student is different, but when studying for the bar exam, we recommend taking a complete bar review course and closely following your study plan. Most people spend 10–12 weeks studying for the bar, and treat bar prep as a full-time job. This means putting in about 40 hours per week of focused study time. Your prep should include a mix of learning the relevant material, practicing with multiple-choice and essay questions, and reinforcing the content you’ve already learned.

We recommend approximately 10–12 weeks of preparing for the bar exam. We’ve found that spending less than 9 weeks on bar prep can impact test readiness. On the other end, extending prep for too long can lead to burnout and negatively affect your retention of the content. However, if you know that you’ll need a flexible schedule or more time to study, you should get started early. If you use Kaplan as your bar review course, you’ll have full access to your course 90 days prior to your exam. If you think you’ll need extra time, be sure to start early.

The bar exam is a difficult exam. You are required to memorize and retain a very large amount of material for test day. The exam also requires endurance, as it takes at least 2 full days to complete. The MCQs can be challenging, and the written portion requires organization and excellent time-management skills. In most states, between 60–80% of first-time takers pass the bar exam. Applicants who put in the time and complete the work assigned in their bar exam review courses are much more likely to pass the exam.

You can, but we don’t recommend it—and not just because we’re a bar prep provider. Even with a course, bar prep is a time-consuming and stressful undertaking. A commercial bar prep program will identify all testable material, distill that material for you, and provide the information you need to know for test day. Self-study will also make it more difficult to complete the necessary practice for a successful test day.

The makeup of the bar exam varies by state, but in all states, the exam consists of both a multiple-choice component and a written component. The written component is made up of essay questions, and in most states, also includes one or more performance tests. Additionally, all jurisdictions (except for Louisiana) administer the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE®). The MBE® is comprised of 200 multiple-choice questions.

Yes, the Kaplan Bar Review Course and Bar Review Plus Course are approved for VA reimbursement.

Individuals eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD or Chapter 30), Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR or chapter 1606), or Survivors’ & Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA or Chapter 35) may be eligible to pursue training in Kaplan Bar prep courses.

If you have not yet applied for education benefits, you will need to submit an Application for VA Education Benefits (VA Form 22-1990). You may apply for benefits at www.va.gov/education.

For more details, please see the VA Licensing and Certification Test Reimbursement Fact Sheet.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.