Bar Exam Time Management: How to Pace the MBE, MEE, and MPT

Plenty of candidates who know enough law to pass the bar exam fail because they run out of time. The exam is long, the pace is fast, and the penalty for poor time management is severe: every question you do not reach is a guaranteed zero.

Time management is a skill. Like any skill, it improves with practice. Here is how the math works for each component and how to train yourself to stay on pace.

MBE Timing

The MBE consists of 200 questions split into two sessions:

• Morning session: 100 questions in 3 hours
• Afternoon session: 100 questions in 3 hours

That gives you 1.8 minutes per question, or 108 seconds. This is not a lot of time, but it is enough if you are disciplined.

How to pace the MBE

The checkpoint method: Divide each session into blocks of 25 questions. You should complete each block in approximately 45 minutes. Check the clock after every 25 questions.

• Questions 1-25: done by 0:45
• Questions 26-50: done by 1:30
• Questions 51-75: done by 2:15
• Questions 76-100: done by 3:00

If you are ahead of schedule, you are fine. If you are behind after the first 25, you need to pick up the pace immediately, not at question 75.

Do not get stuck. If a question is confusing you after 2 minutes, pick your best answer, flag it, and move on. A lucky guess on a hard question is worth the same as a confident answer on an easy one. Spending 5 minutes on one question means you are rushing three others.

Read the call of the question first. Before reading the fact pattern, read the question stem. This tells you what issue to look for in the facts, which saves time on long fact patterns.

Eliminate and choose. On questions where you are unsure, eliminate the two worst answer choices first. Choosing between two plausible options is easier and faster than evaluating four.

MBE time traps

• Long fact patterns. Some questions have fact patterns that are 200+ words. Do not let the length slow you down. Read actively, looking for the issue the call of the question identifies.
• "Which of the following" questions. These require you to evaluate all four choices individually. They take longer. Budget an extra 15-20 seconds for these.
• Second-guessing. If you change an answer, make sure you have a reason. Studies consistently show that first instincts are more often correct than changes made out of anxiety.

MEE Timing

The MEE consists of 6 essay questions in 3 hours. That is 30 minutes per essay.

How to use 30 minutes

• Minutes 1-5: Read and outline. Read the question, identify the issues, and sketch a brief outline of your answer. Do not start writing until you know what points you are going to make.
• Minutes 5-25: Write. Follow your outline. Address each issue with a rule statement, application to the facts, and conclusion. Do not spend more than 5-7 minutes on any single issue unless it is clearly the main issue of the question.
• Minutes 25-30: Review. Scan for obvious errors, missing issues, and incomplete analysis. Add a sentence or two to any issue you shortchanged.

MEE time traps

• Writing too much on the first issue. The first issue you spot is often the most obvious one. Do not spend 20 minutes on it and leave 10 minutes for the remaining issues. The graders are looking for issue coverage, not a treatise on one point.
• Perfectionism. A complete answer that covers all issues with basic analysis scores better than a beautifully written answer that only addresses half the issues. Breadth beats depth on the MEE.
• Not moving on. When 30 minutes is up, stop. Move to the next essay. An incomplete answer on question 4 is better than no answer on question 6.

MPT Timing

The MPT consists of 2 tasks in 3 hours. That is 90 minutes per task.

How to use 90 minutes

• Minutes 1-10: Read the task memo. The task memo tells you exactly what you are being asked to produce (a memo, a brief, a letter, a contract provision). Read it carefully. Highlight the specific questions you need to answer.
• Minutes 10-30: Read the library. The library contains the legal authorities you need. Read each case or statute, noting the rules and how they apply to your facts.
• Minutes 30-45: Read the file. The file contains the facts. Read it with the legal rules from the library in mind. Note which facts are relevant to which rules.
• Minutes 45-50: Outline. Organize your answer according to the task memo's instructions.
• Minutes 50-85: Write. Follow the format the task memo specifies. Use the authorities from the library and the facts from the file.
• Minutes 85-90: Review. Check that you addressed everything the task memo asked for.

MPT time traps

• Reading the file before the library. The file is meaningless without the legal framework from the library. Read the library first so you know what facts matter.
• Summarizing instead of applying. The MPT tests application, not summary. Do not restate the law and then restate the facts. Weave them together.
• Ignoring the format. If the task memo asks for a persuasive brief, write persuasively. If it asks for an objective memo, write objectively. The format is part of the score.

General Tips

Practice under timed conditions. If you have never done a 100-question MBE session in 3 hours, do it at least twice before exam day. The time pressure is a separate challenge from the substantive difficulty. You need to experience it before the real exam.

Bring a watch. Not all testing centers have visible clocks. A silent analog watch is allowed in most jurisdictions. Do not rely on the proctor to give accurate time calls.

Eat and hydrate during breaks. Low blood sugar in the afternoon session of the MBE is a real performance killer. Bring snacks you know will not upset your stomach. Eat during the lunch break even if you are not hungry.

The bar exam rewards the prepared and penalizes the slow. Know your pacing benchmarks, practice them, and stick to them on exam day.