Performance test (bar exam)

The performance test or "PT" is a section of the bar exam that is intended to mimic a real-life legal task that future lawyers may face. Of the three parts of most states' bar exams -- MBE, essay, and PT -- the PT is probably the most reflective of how well a candidate will perform outside of an academic setting.

A performance test may include tasks such as writing a legal memorandum, drafting an affidavit, or drafting a settlement offer letter to opposing counsel.

Performance testing as part of a technical specification is covered on a different page.

California PT

Probably the most difficult PT is that of the California bar exam. The three-day California bar exam, which has the lowest pass rate in the country, includes two performance test sections, one the first day and one the last day. Each PT lasts three hours.

Multistate Performance Test

This is a test drafted by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), modeled after the California test and intended as a supplement to NCBE's Multistate Essay Examination. NCBE currently offers three different performance tests, each 90 minutes long (as opposed to 3 hours in California). As of July 2007, 33 jurisdictions use the MPT.

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