Pass the Essays, Pass the Bar

The written portion of the California Bar Exam accounts for 50% of your grade.
Our services focus exclusively on the essays, providing insider feedback, tips, and insight from our team of former California Bar Exam graders.

Countdown to the next California Bar Exam

The next California Bar Examination is scheduled for July 25-26, 2023.
Get more information about the exam here.
Our Services
Why Choose BarGraders
Information & Resources
About the Bar

How It Works

1. Formulate

Formulate responses to practice essay questions under timed conditions

2. Review

Receive and review insider grading and feedback within 72 hours

3. Track

Track scores, feedback, & IRAC performance to gauge progress

Our Services

Developed by former bar exam graders.

BarGraders Packages were specifically developed by former California Bar Exam graders to help you pass the essays. We've combined our most popular and effective services into packages designed to meet the varying needs of our testers.

Cram Session

This special program is just what you need to focus your studies for the next bar exam. Includes a Failed Exam Review with a former California bar exam grader, our Online Seminar Series, and 10 Practice Essays.

Time is of the essence, start today!

First-Timer: Essay-Plus Program

The First-Timer Essay-Study Program combines 20 Practice Essays with all 13 modules of our Online Seminar Series. Our seminar series will help you master BarGraders' 5-step technique for writing passing Bar answers, and will teach you about commonly tested issues and common cross-over subjects. Put this new strategy into practice with 20 Practice Essays.

Repeater: Essay-Plus Program

The Essay-Plus Program combines 30 Practice Essays with a Failed Exam Review where a former California bar exam grader will review and analyze your answers from a failed bar exam. Our former bar graders will help you understand your strengths and pinpoint weaknesses in your writing style and approaches. They will also help you formulate a strategy to make the next bar exam your last. Put this new strategy into practice with 30 essays.

Repeater: Essay-Ultimate Program

The Essay-Ultimate Program combines 40 Practice Essays with all 13 modules of our Online Seminar Series and a Failed Exam Review. This package provides our three flagship services at an incredible value.

Cram Session $595.00
First-Timer Essay-Study Program $895.00
Repeater Essay-Plus Program $1095.00
Repeater Essay-Ultimate Program $1295.00

More than just a raw score.

Practice Essays are the core of the BarGraders service specifically designed to help you prepare for the challenges of exam day.

Patent-Pending Technology

Using our patent-pending technology, formulate and submit essay responses under simulated exam conditions.

Simulated Testing Environment

BarGraders provides a 1 hour timed environment for each practice exam to help you prepare for the challenges of exam day.

72-Hour Turnaround Time

Within 72 hours, receive a model response, scores, feedback, and an IRAC performance breakdown from one of our former California bar exam graders.

Insider Feedback & Performance-Tracking

Understand and apply insider feedback and track your performance on a subject-by-subject basis.

30 Practice Essays $995.00
20 Practice Essays $795.00
10 Practice Essays $450.00
1 Practice Essay $50.00

Learn from insiders.

Learn a subject-by-subject approach to writing passing California Bar Exam Essays from the insiders — former California bar exam graders. Each module walks you through the company's 5-step technique designed to help you write passing Bar answers. This technique is then applied to an actual question so you can see it in action. Each module also reviews commonly tested issues, as well as common cross-over subjects.

Available Modules

  • Introduction & Essay Approach Overview
  • Business Associations
  • Civil Procedure
  • Community Property
  • Consitutional Law
  • Contracts
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Evidence
  • Professional Responsibility
  • Real Property
  • Torts
  • Wills & Trusts

Complete Online Seminar Series $250.00

Gain invaluable insight from former Bar Exam graders.

Work directly with a former California bar exam grader to understand your failed bar exam. Find out what went wrong and what you can do to correct it and move forward. These 1-on-1 sessions are typically conducted via Skype or a phone call to minimize disruptions to your study schedule.

This review will take an in-depth look at your essay answers and may include:

  • Identifying why you receiving a failed score
  • Evaluating your IRAC techniques
  • How to write for the bar exam, not for law school
  • Study techniques for repeaters, including time management
  • Failed Exam Review sessions typically last 45 minutes
Failed Exam Review $300.00

Meet 1-to-1 with former California Bar Exam graders.

Schedule an in-depth study session with a former California Bar Exam grader. These 1-on-1 sessions are tailored to meet your individual needs and are typically conducted by Skype or over the phone.

Focus areas may include:

  • Solidifying your IRAC techniques
  • Study techniques, including time management
  • How to write for the bar exam, not for law school
  • Collaborating on a game plan going forward
One-on-One Hourly Tutoring $85.00

Our Graders

All of our graders are former California Bar Exam graders. At BarGraders, you benefit directly from our experience and knowledge. Our team has decades of experience grading the bar exam and has graded thousands of bar exam essays.

We understand grading and can give you precise feedback to help you pass the essays. As former California Bar Exam graders, we have gone through the rigorous screening and selection processes administered by the Committee of Bar Examiners, including apprentice and calibration training. We have graded and reviewed thousands of exams, passed thousands of applicants, and failed thousands more. We are intimately familiar with what it takes to write passing essay answers and are eager to pass this knowledge along to you.

What We Do

Review and provide realistic grading and feedback on your Practice Essays

Work with you 1-on-1 to review essays from your prior exam, develop study strategies, and address your individual needs

Identify weaknesses in your approach and writing style

Provide constructive and meaningful feedback on how to improve your approach and IRAC techniques

Give you insider tips to help improve your scores

Start our program anytime. Work at your own pace and time frame.

Why Choose BarGraders?

Insider Feedback

Don't settle for a simple pass or fail. Receive constructive and realistic feedback from a California bar exam grader. Use this insider's knowledge to help you refine and improve your essay writing skills.

72-Hour Turnaround

Submit your essay response and receive scores and feedback within 72 hours. For those requiring faster turnaround times, our Essay Success Packages offer a 24-hour expedited grading option.

Web-Based Practice

Traveling between bar review courses is stressful and cumbersome. Instead, practice from anywhere and at a time that works with your schedule. Just login, take an exam, and get insider feedback.

 

Performance Tracking

BarGraders provides informative charts and graphs that will help you track your overall performance as well as your IRAC strengths and weaknesses on a subject-by-subject basis.

Realistic Simulation

We provide a one-hour timed environment per exam question to help you prepare for the challenges of exam day where you'll answer 3 questions in 3 hours. It's the perfect environment to practice typing essays.

 

Testimonials

Law Firm Solution

BarGraders Law Firm Solution is specifically designed for firms with multiple associates taking the California bar exam. Firm-wide subscriptions allow multiple accounts, ensuring any associate in your firm can get essay exam help when they need it. Contact us today to learn more.

The California Bar Exam is among the most difficult in the country with recent passage rates as low as 27.3%.
Only 31.4% of California bar exam takers passed in February 2019, the second lowest pass rate in 35 years.
On average, 2 out of every 10 exam takers from the top law schools in the country fail the California bar exam.
In California, essays account for 39% of the overall grade compared to 35% for the MBE and 26% for the Performance Exam.
The majority of other bar exam preparation programs do not adequately prepare their students to write passing essays.
Investing in associates or lateral hires that ultimately fail the bar exam, costs your firm money.

Location Flexibility

BarGraders Practice Exams are taken online, allowing your associates to prepare from any location, at any time.

Graded by Experts

Former California bar exam graders review, grade, and provide feedback for each exam submitted within 72 hours

Firm-wide Tracking

Hiring committees can monitor performance, productivity, and progress for each associate.

Performance Tracker

Associates can chart their progress and identify strengths and weaknesses by subject or by skill set.

Information & Resources

Essay Trainer

View a complementary schedule outlining study strategies and goals

Practice Essay Demo

Watch the BarGraders Practice Essay Demo and evaluate before you buy

Sample Graded Essay

View a graded practice essay and see our graders in action

Helpful Links

CA Bar Exam Admissions

MBE Registration

About BarGraders

BarGraders has helped students from most of the law schools in the nation pass the California Bar Exam.

Our value proposition is simple: former CA bar exam graders are in the position to give students an insider's approach to taking the essays. We believe this is a competitive edge that has helped students from law schools nationwide use our services to pass the CA Bar Exam.
If you want to pass the California bar exam, you simply cannot afford to score poorly on the essays. BarGraders is a supplemental bar review course for the Essays. It offers a comprehensive program that helps you gain the competitive edge by developing and refining your essay writing skills for the bar exam. Our program is different because it allows you to benefit directly from our experience and knowledge as former California bar exam graders.

The written portion of the California Bar Exam accounts for 50% of your score. Pass the essays, pass the bar.

Despite diligent studying and knowledge of black letter law, writing passing bar exam essays is the biggest obstacle most examinees face.

BarGraders services are designed to help you refine your approach to the essays, improve organizational skills, develop IRAC strategies, and teach time management methods for the bar exam.
With BarGraders, students are able to identify which elements of IRAC that require more focus and attention, as well as subjects that may need a bit more study time and subjects where they are strong, ultimately allowing students to optimize their study time on weaker skills and subjects.

Our technology platform tracks your performance per subject for each element of the IRAC.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is BarGraders?
BarGraders is a comprehensive program designed by former California bar exam graders in conjunction with leading educators, which prepares you to take and beat the essays on the California bar exam. We are the only online solution that allows you to take and submit practice essay exams to former bar exam graders for grading and constructive feedback supported by patent-pending performance tracking technology.
What State Bar Exams does BarGraders cover?
California.
Is BarGraders a general bar review course?
No. BarGraders is a supplemental course focused primarily on the essays. We teach you how to apply the black letter law that you learned in your general review course to the essays with insider analysis, tips and grading from people who have actually graded bar exam essays. View a Sample Graded Essay.
Who are your graders?
Our bar graders are all former California bar exam graders. For more information, read about our bar exam graders.
I failed the Bar Exam, how can BarGraders help me?
If you are like most repeaters, you probably didn't fail because of your performance on the MBE, since you likely have a firm grasp of the black letter law. Rather, you probably failed because you performed poorly on the essays, which in states like California, are the bulk of your score. If this is you, re-taking a general bar review course may not be helpful. Rather, you need to focus on improving your essay writing skills while continuing to practice your MBEs. Here, at BarGraders, we provide a comprehensive system to prepare you to take and beat the essays through live workshops, practice essays and 1-on-1 sessions, all led by former California bar exam graders.
What's the best way to use BarGraders?
If you are serious about improving your essay writing, BarGraders has a program for you. Our programs combine Classes, Practice Essays and 1-on-Access to former bar exam graders. Begin with our classes where our bar graders teach you the principle and basics of the essay. Then put what you learned in to practice with our Practice Essays, which you can take from work, home, the library or wherever you can get online. We provide you simulated test conditions for typing your essays, and your answers are graded within 72 hours. If you need more help, work directly with our bar graders with our 1-on-Access.
Is BarGraders an MBE preparation course?
No. BarGraders focuses primarily on helping you prepare for and pass the essay portion of the bar exam. In many states, including California, the MBE score accounts for a small portion of the overall bar exam score. Yet, many examinees prepare harder for the MBE than the essays, which may attribute to the high failure rate in California. Don't forget the essays - practice, get meaningful feedback on your practice exams, and make sure you are on the right track to passing.
I'm already enrolled in a general bar review course, an MBE course, and I have a bar tutor. Why do I need BarGraders?
General bar review courses are good for learning black letter law. In fact, most of our examinees do enroll in such courses. With the pass rate hovering around 50% in July and 35% in February, being enrolled in a general bar review course may not be enough. In addition to learning black letter law, passing the bar exam requires you to practice taking essays and MBE questions. At BarGraders, we make sure that the time you put into your practice essays counts. Our former bar graders review and grade your essay answers, and give you meaningful feedback and tips for improvement. Moreover, you can chart your progress with our patent pending technology, which allows you to identify subjects and essay writing techniques where you may be weak so you can focus your studying accordingly. View a Sample Graded Essay.
How can I tell if BarGraders is helping?
Our patent pending performance tracking technology keeps a record of all your submitted answers, grader feedback, and grades. You can track and chart your progress by subject or IRAC performance. You will be able to quickly identify your weakest subject areas and IRAC techniques so that you can focus your study time on improving on those areas rather than working on areas where you test the strongest. Your account is password protected and accessible from anywhere you can get online.
Do you teach IRAC?
Yes. IRAC is the basis for the entire bar exam, and it is an essential building block for your essay writing. Our Classes are designed to help you understand and use IRAC in all of your writing. For those who don't need our workshops or are already familiar with IRAC, our bar graders review and analyze your practice exams to ensure that you are properly applying IRAC for the bar exam. They give you insider information and tips to help improve your IRAC approach and techniques. They help identify weaknesses in your bar exam writing techniques, and give you meaningful and constructive feedback that is geared to help improve your scores. By the time the bar exam comes around, you will have been trained by the insiders who know what it takes to write passing essay answers. View a Sample Graded Essay.
How are your graders different from a general bar review course?
While most general bar review courses use attorneys or former students to grade your essays, all of our graders are former California bar exam graders who have collectively graded tens of thousands of actual bar exam essays. Our bar graders have been trained and calibrated by the State Bar and have insight that cannot be matched by the general bar review courses. Don't rely on speculation, get an accurate gauge of your writing now.
How many questions are in your database?
Our database contains over 100 practice essays to help you prepare for the bar exam. Our database covers every subject tested on the California bar exam.
What if I run out of questions?
While we are always adding questions to our database, it is possible for a user to run out of new exam questions in a particular subject or overall. In the past, users in that situation have elected to reset their accounts to continue practicing on exams they've already seen.
Do my tests expire?
Your tests will expire one year after the date of purchase.
Do I need to install additional software/plug-ins to use BarGraders?
No. There are no additional software or plug-ins that need to be installed in order to submit practice exams to the BarGraders system. We do recommend using Firefox, Chrome, or Safari for optimal performance.
Do you provide for testing accommodations?
If you have an approved testing accommodation, we can extend the time you have on our platform to answer your practice essays. Please contact us so we can best assist you.
I prefer to write my essays by hand, can I still use BarGraders?
Unless you have an approved testing accommodation, our graders highly recommend that you make every effort to type your essays. No matter how "neat" your writing may be, it is much easier for the grader to read and evaluate your essay if it is typewritten. Please contact us if you would like to discuss further.
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