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Reviewed by:
Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University
Reviewed: 6/10/24
If you’ve already joined a California law school or are interested in joining one, you may have come across the baby bar exam. Read on to find out more about this exam and what’s on it!
Certain aspiring Californian lawyers must write the baby bar exam in order to successfully practice law. If you’re wondering what the baby bar exam is and if you have to write it, this guide will tell you everything you need to know!
The baby bar exam is a half-day test administered twice a year. The official name is the First-Year Law Student’s Examination (FYLSX). The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions covering areas of law, including contracts, criminal, and tort. Students attending unaccredited law schools in California must complete this exam after their first year of law school.
It’s nicknamed the baby bar because it’s taken before the actual bar exam, which is a much more extensive exam.
Understanding the Baby Bar exam’s challenges is key to success, especially for first-year law students at unaccredited schools in California. Get in touch with tutors to receive tailored guidance for tackling its unique essay and multiple-choice sections.
The baby bar exam is administered in June and October and is structured similarly to the full bar exam, featuring 100 multiple-choice questions. The exam no longer features essay questions; it focuses on just three areas of law:
Unlike the full bar exam, the baby bar tests general principles of law rather than state-specific law (such as California law). The full exam lasts one day and test-takers can choose either a morning or afternoon session.
Don’t let the innocuous name of this exam fool you! While it’s called the baby bar, it’s actually quite difficult. In fact, it’s often considered harder than the bar exam and has a relatively low pass rate of 21%.
To understand how to study for the baby bar exam, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with the specific content and format of these subjects. Additionally, you should utilize reputable study materials and resources tailored to the baby bar exam's requirements. So, let’s get into the three major legal subjects on the baby bar.
The exam tests criminal law relating to assault, battery, theft, embezzlement, kidnapping, homicide, and several other crimes.
The baby bar will test students' understanding of the oral and written bindings of contracts, breaches of contracts, and defenses parties may propose when contracts are broken.
Torts are civil lawsuits where one party attempts to sue another for various reasons. Students should be familiar with the wide range of torts that are seen within courts and how these are handled.
The State Bar of California mentions that detailed knowledge of California law is not required to pass the exam. Answers to all questions should be based on legal theories and principles of general law that are applicable to specific cases.
Here are the key requirements and details regarding the baby bar:
The baby bar isn't required for all law students. It's specifically mandatory for:
These students must take the First-Year Law Students' Exam after finishing their first year.
Students are typically exempt from the baby bar if they have progressed to their second year at an ABA or California-accredited law school or have completed at least 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of undergraduate coursework.
The purpose of the baby bar exam is to confirm that law is the right path for students who have chosen to pursue it through an unaccredited law school. It also helps assess if these students are fit to sit at the bar and potentially practice law.
This exam is often also used to test these unaccredited schools’ legal education to see if it provides students with the correct knowledge to adequately practice law.
If you’re considering taking the baby bar exam, here are some important dates and deadlines you should follow.
*The dates will be available after the June and July exam administration plans are finalized
Source: The State Bar of California
Taking the baby bar exam in California involves several costs:
In total, the base cost for taking the baby bar exam is at least $850, but additional fees (e.g., laptop, moral character application) can increase the overall expense significantly.
For any remaining questions about what the baby bar exam is, read on to find your answers!
No, you don’t become a lawyer after passing the baby bar exam. Passing the baby bar allows first-year law students to receive credit for the education they have completed and allows them to continue completing their JD.
The biggest difference is the baby bar is only administered in California and is required to be taken by first-year law students in unaccredited law programs.
The bar exam is required in each state and must be completed by every law student in order for them to practice law. The majority of students must complete their JD before writing the bar exam.
If you pass the baby bar exam, you will receive credit for your first year of law school and each year you complete after.
You need a score of 560 out of 800 to pass the baby bar exam. This equates to a passing score of 70%.
California is the only state that requires the baby bar.
You must pass the baby bar within three tries. Otherwise, you will not receive credit for the legal studies you complete beyond your first year.
Along with the LSAT, MPRE, and bar exam, the baby bar is yet another check to add to the list of requirements aspiring lawyers must complete to begin practicing law.
However, if you have to write the baby bar, you don’t have to face this hurdle alone. As an exam with such a low passing rate, it’s a good idea to enlist the help of 99th percentile Juris bar tutors! These experienced experts can increase your chances of passing by three times!
Good luck!
Reviewed by:
Former Head of Northeastern University's Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University
