1. Your first step in preparing to take a Bar Exam is to determine which State Bar you will take. In order to assess the differences between each State Bar the following web site should be helpful.  

National Conference of Bar Examiners and ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar: http://www.abanet.org/legaled/baradmissions/bar.html

"In order to obtain a license to practice law, almost all law school graduates must apply for bar admission through a state board of bar examiners. Most often this board is an agency of the highest state court in the jurisdiction, but occasionally the board is connected more closely to the state's bar association. The criteria for eligibility to take the bar examination or to otherwise qualify for bar admission are set by each state, not by the ABA or the Council for the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

Here you will find helpful information under links entitled, "Basic Overview," "Publications," "MBE, MEE, MPT," "Other Links," "Bar Statistics," "FAQs," "Bar Admission Committee," and "Bar Examiners Contact Info with Links."
 
Or you can check out the following title that is available from the Circulation Desk:

Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements.
[Chicago, IL]: American Bar Association, Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar; National Conference of Bar Examiners, 1984.
Location: Law Library Reserve KF302.Z95
LIB HAS: 2007 Edition.

 
2. Probably the most important way to prepare for a Bar Exam is to take, under timed conditions, past Bar Exams.

 A. Oklahoma Bar Examination (essay portion only):

We have on Reserve (behind the Circulation Desk) all of the essays from past Oklahoma Bar Exams from 1990 to February 2008 (the most recent Bar Exam)
Location: Law Library Reserve
LIB. HAS 1986 pt.1 ; 1988 ; 1990 pt. 1 & 2 - To Date.
Latest Received: February 2008

Also available online are the July 2001 through February 2008 Bar Exams in .pdf format (to the left) http://www.law.utulsa.edu/library/research/pathfinders/bar/

B. Bar Exams in other States:

Many sample essay questions can be found at the following web site:

FindLaw for Students: The Bar:
http://stu.findlaw.com/thebar/

Bar Results and Exam Information:
http://stu.findlaw.com/thebar/results/index.html

Has links to State Bar Associations or State Courts, and in many cases includes examples of the essay portion of that particular State Bar Exam (see Texas for a good example of past bar exams available online http://www.ble.state.tx.us/past_exams/main_pastexams.htm).

 
3. We also have available on Reserve (behind the Circulation Desk) or behind the Reference Desk, the following study aides: (Pay attention to the date of the material that you are consulting. Older, out-of-date material may have limited value.)

BAR/BRI digest.
Washington, D.C. : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Legal & Professional Publications, 1981- 2002
Location: Law Library Ready Ref K2 .A63
LIB. HAS Current Year Only
Latest Received: 2008

Has a comprehensive list of areas tested on each state's bar exam, plus it also includes a page of information on the Patent Bar Exam.

 

WestBar Examiner.
Washington, D.C.: West Bar Review, c1995.
Location: Law Library Reserve KF303 .S773 2006

Contains a page on each state with the Bar Exam Information, Bar Exam Format (includes areas that are tested in that state), and information regarding the MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam) as well as information concerning Reciprocity.

 

A better way to study for the multistate bar / John J. Talamo.
San Jose : Kinko's Express Yourself Press, c2000
Location: Law Library Reserve KF303 .T35 2000 (two copies).

In the author's own words:

"This book is based on the theory that most people who fail the Bar Exam do so because they don't properly prepare for the Multistate portion. This is not surprising since there are few, if any, multiple-choice tests given in law school. The IRAC method for writing essays worked in law school and works on the Bar Exam. There is no method for multiple-choice questions and little time after graduation to perfect one." This book purports to assist students in preparing to take the multiple-choice Multistate Bar Exam." (See below.)

 

Scoring high on bar exam essays / Mary Campbell Gallagher.
New York Arco Distributed by Prentice Hall c2006.
Location: Law Library Reserve KF303 .G35 2006.

The sub-title for this guide states that it inlcudes "In-depth strategies and essay writing practice that bar review courses don't offer!" It also inlcudes "80 full-length sample essays" and "expert writing systems."

 

You can pass any bar exam / Edna Wells Handy.
New York : Practising Law Institute, c1997.
Location: Law Library Reserve KF303 .H25 1997 (two copies)

Featuring proven strategies to: Overcome negative thinking, Make the most of study time, Choose the best bar review, Organize effective essays, Prevent the cycle of failure, Samples of Bar Exam questions and answers. Includes a selected bibliography.

RECENT ACQUISITIONS:

The bar exam in a nutshell / by Suzanne Darrow-Kleinhaus.
St. Paul, MN : Thomson/West, c2003.
Location: Law Library Reserve KF303 .D377 2003

New Rudman's questions and answers on the--MBE, Multistate bar examination/Michael P. Rudman.
Syosset, N.Y. : National Learning Corp., c2002.
Location: Law Library Reserve KF388 .R825 2002
 

Strategies & tactics for the MBE : multistate bar exam./ Kimm Walton
Gaithersburg, MD : Emanuel, Aspen Law & Business, c2006.
Location: Law Library Reserve  KF303 .S773 2006
 

The Finz multistate method : part of the Strategies & tactics series / Steven R. Finz.
Gaithersburg, MD : Emanuel, Aspen Law & Business, c1997.
Location: Law Library Reserve KF303.F56 1997
 

The best test preparation and review course, patent bar exam : for registration to practice before the U.S. Patent Office / by staff of Research & Education Association.
Piscataway, NJ : Research & Education Association, c2000.
Location: Law Library Reserve KF303.B47 2000
 

MBE Survival Kit/ Jeff Adachi, Soloman Wollack
San Francisco : Survival Series Publishing 2000.
Location: Law Library Reserve

4. MPT (Multistate Performance Test): 

The National Conference of Bar Examiners inaugurated the MPT in 1997. It is now a component of the bar exams in the following states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and West Virginia.
 

Multistate Performance Test
Location: Law Library Reserve (KF 303 .M68) has the following exams available at the Circulation Desk:
July 1998
February & July 1999
February & July 2000

5. MBE (Multistate Bar Examination): 

The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) was first administered in February 1972. It is now administered twice a year, in February and July, in fifty jurisdictions. Only two states do not require the MBE: Louisiana and Washington. The MBE differs from the typical law school exam in that it is 6 hours long and comprised of 200 multiple-choice questions. The 200 questions are derived from six subject areas: Contracts/Sales, Torts, Constitutional Law, Real Property, Evidence, & Criminal Law/Procedure.

Multistate Bar Examination
Location: law Library Reserve (KF 303 .N34) has the following exams available at the Circulation Desk:
1972, 1974, 1980, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1998

6. Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam: 

The MPRE is a two hour and five minute test consisting of 50 multiple-choice questions administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The MPRE tests your knowledge and understanding of the ethical standards of the legal profession. While scaled scores range from 50 to 150, each jurisdiction determines its own passing score. For example, Oklahoma requires that students achieve a score of 75 on the MPRE. Only three states do not require the MPRE: Washington, Wisconsin, and Maryland.
 

Strategies & tactics for the MPRE : Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam / Kimm Alayne Walton.
Larchmont, NY : Emanuel, c1998.
Location: Law Library Reserve KF303 .W247 1998.

A quick, easy to use guide that tells you exactly what you need to know to pass the MPRE. Includes a special section: "How to pick the right answer...without even reading the question."

 

MPRE sample questions V.
[Chicago, IL] : NCRE, c1998.
Location: Law Library Reserve KF303 .N34 1998

"This publication consists of 150 questions, 131 previously published in MPRE Sample Questions IV and 19 first published in the 1999 MPRE Information Booklet. Most of them are identical to questions administered on actual Multistate Professional Responsibility Examinations. Other questions are based upon previously administered questions but were edited to conform to the subject matter outline that went into effect beginning with the March 1999 MPRE. A few questions are included that were not administered on the MPRE; they were written as samples of the kinds of questions that would be included under the new test specifications"--P. 2 of cover.

Includes answer key and sample answer sheet.

MPRE sample questions : Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination /
NCBE. Chicago, IL : National Conference of Bar Examiners, [1984]-
Location: Law Library Reserve (KF 303.Z9 N34) has the following exams available at the Circulation Desk:
1989, 1993, 1998, 2002.

 

7. MEE (Multistate Essay Exam): 

This section is part of every state's bar exam. The length and number of questions varies from each jurisdiction to the next.

MEE questions and analyses
NCBE. [Chicago, Ill.] : National Conference of Bar Examiners.

Location: Law Library Reserve (KF 303.M44)has the following exams available at the Circulation Desk:
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001.

8. Some Web Sites that might be helpful as you prepare for a BAR EXAM:

Oklahoma Bar Examiners
http://www.okbbe.com/

We want to provide you with as much information as possible on the bar
admission process in Oklahoma. On this web site, you will find:

-A list of frequently asked questions about seeking admission to the Oklahoma Bar.

-Specific information about registration as a law student.

-Outline of the Bar examination process.

-Information on admission without examination for persons who may be
qualified by virtue of their years of experience in the full-time practice of law.

-The Rules Governing Admission to the Practice of Law in the State of Oklahoma (promulgated by the Oklahoma Supreme Court).

Bar Exam Outlines and Study Materials:

FindLaw for Students: The Bar:
http://stu.findlaw.com/thebar/

A good list of links with a brief description of what students can expect to find at each link. Includes information, via a link, on the Patent Bar. The states that are included in the "Sample Bar Exams" section: Arkansas, Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota. and Texas.

Washburn University School of Law Bar Exam Preparation:
http://washburnlaw.edu/career/barexam/

Preparing for Your Bar Examination -- an Overview of the 50 States and U.S. Territories. Provides a list of addresses, phone numbers, and detailed information about your particular state bar examination.

DMOZ.ORG - Open Directory Project
http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search?search=Bar+Exam

A laundry list of web sites that focus on Bar Exam preparation.

9. Commercial Web Sites: 

TestGuru: Private Law Tutoring
http://testguru.com/

TestGuru offers intensive, 1-on-1 tutoring for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE). All students are taught individually by TestGuru's founder, Rich Klarman -- who scored a perfect 180 on the LSAT and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. TestGuru is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and has been helping prospective lawyers achieve huge score improvements since 1992. Sessions can be conducted face-to-face or via remote-learning technologies. Site also features FREE pdf articles on test strategies and substantive law.

Bar Bri/Oklahoma:
http://www.barbri.com/states/ok/index.htm

"Everything You Need to Pass the Bar"

"Our commitment is straightforward: To do everything we can to help you pass the bar exam - the first time. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, we have assembled the nation's finest faculty of law professors, all of whom are outstanding teachers and bar exam experts. Our highly regarded outlines offer the concise yet comprehensive substantive law coverage needed for maximum bar exam performance. And our testing workshops teach you how to efficiently and effectively attack all sections of your bar exam.
Finally, BAR/BRI provides you with our exclusive paced program, a daily guide to your bar exam preparation, specifically designed to keep you on track and assure you are at your peak performance during the bar exam. More than 750,000 bar exam takers have trusted BAR/BRI to help them pass the bar exam."

Pass the Bar.com:
http://www.passthebar.com

"Welcome to the Internet's oldest and richest bar examination site! This is where you will get more practical information about how to pass the bar exam - for free - than many bar review services charge thousands of dollars for. You can pass the bar examination, no matter where you went to school and no matter what your class rank was. Remember, the most common mistake is to study too much and not practice enough!"

Bar None Review:
http://www.barnonereview.com/

My Bar Prep:
http://www.mybarprep.com/home.htm?program.htm~mainFrame

"My Bar Preparation (MyBarPrep) was developed to make bar exam preparation efficient and effective. Our bar review program prepares you for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) by exposing you to the fine-line distinctions that you will have to make to achieve successful results on the bar exam."

Bar Exam Review - Master the Multistate:
http://www.netbarexams.com/tips.htm

PMBR Multistate Specialist:
http://www.pmbr.com/

"As you begin preparing for your upcoming bar examination, you may be unfamiliar with our PMBR Multistate review program. PMBR is a supplemental Multistate course that specializes in preparing students specifically for the Multistate Bar Examination (commonly referred to as the "MBE"). As such, PMBR is NOT in competition with BAR/BRI (or Pieper in New York) which is primarily designed to prepare students for the essay section, rather than the "MBE"."

Bar Exam Outlines and Study Materials:
http://baroutlines.com/

The Bar Exam is challenging and stressful, studying for it should not be. BarOutlines.com provides complete, up to date Bar Exam Outlines and study materials. Used independently or in conjunction with a Bar Exam Review course such as BarBri, spend your precious review time focusing on the core material tested on the exam, not struggling through thousands of pages of books and notes.

Featured Bar Review Products: CA, FL, NY, TX, NJ, MPRE, MBE