More doesn’t automatically mean better
In preparing for the Multistate portion of the bar exam, many students think the best strategy is to tackle the largest quantity of multiple-choice practice questions as if it’s a race to reach some magic number. The truth is, there is no magic target number of practice questions you should complete. Running through “thousands” of MBE practice questions does not automatically mean you’ll score higher on the MBE. Instead of focusing on more, faster, you should focus on grappling with each individual question with which you interact.
Rather than take on a large volume of MBE practice questions at one time, work them in smaller groups. Consider working 18 questions in a 30-minute session. Why 18? To finish the MBE’s 200 questions on time, you must complete at least 17 per half hour – you have just under two minutes for each question. You want to practice a little faster than what will be needed on the exam. This will get you into the rhythm of answering a question quickly, ideally in about a minute-and-a-half.
Then, make the most of each question
Another reason to work smaller groups of practice questions is so that you use each question as a real-time learning opportunity. If you answer a question incorrectly, understand why at that moment of study. If you answered one correctly, take a moment to ask yourself if you really know why that answer was correct.
If you missed one or don’t know why you got it correct, stop, take time to review the explanatory answer and delve deep into your BARBRI outlines to master points of law that are causing you trouble.
BARBRI provides 24/7 online access to hundreds of MBE practice questions so you have plenty of learning opportunities. Just remember to work a smaller group within a shorter timeframe and then take time to grapple with each one to truly learn.
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