Bar Exam Success Stories
If you want to pass the bar exam, study the passers. Build belief from seeing others win.
These are stories of transformation from REAL bar exam passers who have nothing to hide.
There’s no need to be discouraged. But rather than give you platitudes, I want to show you indisputable proof that you can do it too. Audit your limiting beliefs. Get un-stuck and un-frustrated by the bar exam with these inspirational stories.
They were in the same position as you. They had jobs. They had families. They decided to do what it took to MOVE ON with their lives.
Are you next?
Tap to scroll to stories from California / UBE States / Elsewhere
Jinnyi
Passed the 2020 February California Bar Exam (26.8% pass rate, the lowest on record)
“I honestly felt like Kaplan was making me dumber and I was just wasting my time. . . . I was able to find a more effective plan that ultimately DID indeed work for me.”
Sam
Passed the 2023 February California Bar Exam
“Statistically I shouldn’t have passed this exam (a repeater, taking the February exam, who didn’t attend a US law school), but I did. I did because I took control and did what worked for me.”
Juliana
Passed the 2023 July California Bar Exam while working full-time as a senior lawyer
“Seek advice on how to study but lastly decide based on your OWN needs and experience. Be prepared to incorporate new study techniques, but check in on yourself constantly to see what is working and what is not, and change whatever is not working, FAST.”
Laura
Passed the 2023 July California Bar Exam while working full-time as a senior lawyer
“Essentially, I think I was trying to minimize brain damage, though not passing turned out to be far more brain damage than going through the pain up front.”
Cara
Passed the 2023 July California Bar Exam with everything riding on her 3rd attempt
“C”
Big law partner who passed the 2023 July California Attorneys' Exam while juggling a busy practice and family life
“Now having done this twice in two different states, I would say the bar exam cares about nothing but the time you put into learning the material. Which is painful, but simple. Consistency is key!”
Anonymous Redditor
Passed the 2023 July California Bar Exam after being “negative, anxious, and depressed”
“As I progressed through the bar prep course, I realized I was only completing assignments to get the progress bar closer to the ‘100% complete’ mark. I felt like the pace was too quick and the passive learning of watching videos and reading outlines was not for me!”
Ceren
Passed the 2023 July California Bar Exam
“This meant that had I not given up, I probably would have passed the first time around! Huge life lesson – never give up on something just because you think you might not make it. Give it your absolute best shot, regardless of what your mind tries to tell you – and it will probably work!”
Jared
Passed the 2023 July California Bar Exam
“Trust your instincts and focus on your weaknesses, don’t worry about swimming up stream and deviating from the standard plan. You are the author of your success!”
John
Passed the 2023 July California Bar Exam
“I would say that you know how you, personally, best study, and if a certain method isn’t working and another method seems like it might be better, don’t be afraid to try it!”
Corina
Passed the 2023 February California Bar Exam (32.5% pass rate)
“If you are facing the bar exam beast, please understand yourself and remember the mind game is everything. Do what works for you. Seek advice but have the confidence to know when to ignore it. Above all, DON’T GIVE UP.”
Tanvi
Passed the 2023 February California Bar Exam (32.5% pass rate)
“I don’t think I passed this bar … just [being] realistic”
“I will probably take it again in July, and I will be using your methods and materials again”
“I was completely prepared to treat it like a practice exam, learn from my mistakes, etc.”
“S”
Passed the 2023 February California Bar Exam (32.5% pass rate) while accommodating her work schedule
“I don’t think I passed this bar … just [being] realistic”
“I will probably take it again in July, and I will be using your methods and materials again”
“I was completely prepared to treat it like a practice exam, learn from my mistakes, etc.”
Doreen
Passed the 2022 February California Bar Exam (33.9% pass rate) after preparing for 6 weeks
“I don’t think I passed this bar … just [being] realistic”
“I will probably take it again in July, and I will be using your methods and materials again”
“I was completely prepared to treat it like a practice exam, learn from my mistakes, etc.”
James
Passed the 2022 July California Bar Exam
“You really have to erase what you think you know about law and start from scratch.”
Drew
Passed the 2021 February California Attorneys' Exam
“Essentially, I think I was trying to minimize brain damage, though not passing turned out to be far more brain damage than going through the pain up front.”
Lars
Passed the 2018 July California Bar Exam (40% pass rate)
“I came to the understanding I wanted to be able to have gone through . . . enough practice essays for every topic that there wouldn’t be anything that blindsided me.”
Stan
Passed the 2020 October California Bar Exam
(first online/remote administration)
“If you have the will, resources that work for you, and discipline, you can pass. You just have to be ready for it.”
Samantha
Passed the 2018 July California Bar Exam (40% pass rate)
“I studied less this time than I did the other two times, but I studied smarter.”
Tom
Passed the 2018 July California Bar Exam after MANY attempts
“Every moment that I was using, I’m asking myself: Am I doing something that’s helping me prepare?”
Notice that many of these passers DIDN'T have the most time.
It wasn't about spending the most time... but studying more EFFICIENTLY and EFFECTIVELY.
Ready to do the same?
UBE Stories
Navi
Passed the 2022 July New York Bar Exam with a score of 295
Attempts: New York Exam 1 time
Weakness: Weak subjects shifted throughout bar prep, had to learn Family Law or Secured Transactions (heavy topic!) in 3 days
Unique challenge: 8-week schedule, only completed 30% of Themis workload, had to relearn how to take closed-book exams
“Consistency over intensity.”
“I love myself and my life too much to have to do this again. One and done. For me, love was the greatest motivator. Love for myself.”
Mercedes
Passed the 2023 July Colorado Bar Exam as a busy mom with a 3-year-old
Attempts: Colorado Bar Exam 1 time
Weakness: MEE and MPT
Unique challenge: Time management, prior intern/clerking experience interfering with writing what bar examiners want
“I do not think that the bar prep companies programs are bad or useless. I just think that one has to look at the price and what you get out of it and then think whether it makes sense for you.”
Salma
Passed the 2023 July New York Bar Exam
Attempts: New York Bar Exam 1x
Weakness: Balanced
Unique challenge: Foreign-trained attorney (going through a lot of nervousness)
“If you are going to waste 8 hours staring blank into your screen or notes, take that time and do something more useful. Study for 4-5 hours, but make sure that it’s the kind of studying that will benefit you.”
Nocona
“Partner/Mom/Grandma/Kindergarten teacher” who passed the 2022 Oklahoma Bar Exam (UBE) with a score of 270
Attempts: Oklahoma Bar Exam 5 times (2x after adopting the UBE)
Weakness: MEE, MPTs
Unique challenge: Family woman with a job, insecurities, reframing past bar exam experiences
“Your weekly emails reminded me how much I love learning and helped me reframe my past bar exam experiences.”
Joe
Passed the 2018 July Kansas Bar Exam
Attempts: Kansas Bar Exam 1 time
Weakness: MEE
Unique challenge: Essay topics that were new to him, started preparation with 7 weeks to go
“I really saw myself picking up a lot more issues that way and scoring a lot higher. After that, I think that’s when I finally, finally started to feel like there’s a chance I was gonna pull it off.”
Other Stories
Samantha
Passed the 2018 July Georgia Bar Exam
Attempts: Georgia Bar Exam 1 time
Weakness: MBE
Unique challenge: Mom duties, worked full time, 30% chance of passing
“I don’t learn by watching lectures all day. I didn’t learn like that in law school, at any point in my life did I learn like that. So why would I do that for the most important test in my life?”
Want to join their ranks?
If you’re serious about passing the bar exam, I've shown you PROOF that it's possible for anyone, with hard work and smart work.
It’s not all doom and gloom. This isn’t unrealistic. It’s easy to let pass rates take the blame, but plenty of people do pass.
And you can be one of them—if you make it a priority.
Don’t shy away from success.
“If you want success, figure out the price, then pay it.”—Scott Adams
I'm offering these tools so that you can become another success story instead of another statistic: