Preparing for the Bar Exam

Congratulations, you're preparing to take the bar exam!

As a graduate, you will typically apply for bar admission through a state board of bar examiners. Each state determines its own criteria regarding eligibility to sit for its bar exam. For  comprehensive information about a particular state's bar exam requirements, including character and fitness issues, application dates, fees and multi-state test requirements, refer to the various charts in the ABA's and National Conference of Bar Examiners Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements.

Maryland Bar Exam Information

The Maryland Bar Exam is offered twice a year—in February and in July.  The exam lasts two days. On the first day, ten state essay questions and one Multistate Performance Test (MPT) question are administered; on the second day, the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) is administered. 

The State Board of Law Examiners provides information regarding the bar admission process in Maryland. Admission to the bar requires that you complete by certain deadlines an application, which includes a certification of  college education and a completed character and fitness questionaire; and an original petition, which is a certification of law school graduation.

After graduation, a student must arrange to have a certified copy of his or her law school transcript submitted reflecting the date of graduation. The board must receive this transcript no later than Sept. 15 following a July examination, and no later than March 15 following a February examination. The Board offers this nine-step checklist for the applicant, which sets out the process from beginning to end when you take your oath of admission.