So you just finished your simulated MBE

Pause and take a deep breath. Maybe go for a walk or treat yourself to some fro-yo. Remember that the bar is a marathon, and today’s exam was a step in the right direction. 

Let’s now look at the cold, hard truth. By the end of this month, on the actual MBE, you should be answering around 140 of 200 questions correctly and scoring around 70%. Remember that there is no “passing MBE score” because your essay scores will also count as well, but, mathematically, you need to be scoring between 65 and 70% to pass. 

If you didn’t do well on the simulated MBE, there is still hope! I’m not just going to sit back and tell you everything is going to be ok because you will need to do some significant work to  improve your score (and your confidence), but I will give you the tools to help!

First, check your mindset. The simulated MBE is a practice test. It is a dress rehearsal and an opportunity to learn. Use this to gauge where you’re currently at, and a tool to figure out how to prioritize the rest of your time to improve. . 

Next, sit down and “track” your results. Where are you doing well, and where are your weaknesses? This is called directed practice and it’s how people become experts.  I realize that seems obvious, but it’s so tempting to look at a less than ideal score, throw up your hands and go “I need to review my outlines without a sense of direction or purpose.  

When you track, look at big topics AS WELL AS subtopics. Maybe your tracking of contracts questions shows you that you’ve got a grasp on contract formation but you don’t always get contracts damages right. Well, now you know you need to work on contracts damages! This will help you focus your studies.

Also, when tracking, think about why you got a question wrong. Did you really not know the law? Maybe, but at this point it’s more likely that you DO know the elements of battery and something else is going on. Did you read too quickly and miss a fact? Did you not think a particular fact was important? Did you misunderstand the call of the question? Did you narrow it down to 50/50, and you’re not sure why one is better than the other? Find your weaknesses, and figure out how to fix those.

Next you’ll want to look at the answer choices. Are there distractors you keep falling for? Are you missing the importance of an “if” versus a “because”? If so, take note, and remind yourself of those patterns. 

Finally, make the most of the exam and figure out what can you learn from each and every question. Practice tests test your knowledge and provide a valuable learning opportunity. You can learn from each wrong question; it can be something general, like a reminder to slow down and read carefully, or it can be a specific nuance of the law or strange exception. Either way, look at them as a learning opportunity, and your score will start to improve. 

Remember: with careful and intentional review of your exam results you will be able to improve your score!