California has a new bar exam! The California Supreme Court, on Tuesday October 22, 2024, overturned their previous denial and has given the approval for California to switch to a new bar exam that can be taken remotely and in-person. The State Bar of California has been working on the new test for over a year, and on the second try, the California Supreme Court approved the Kaplan bar exam. The California Supreme Court also approved the State Bar of California’s request to give a score boost to anyone who takes a beta test next month. Aspiring lawyers who do well on the beta test could receive up to a 40-point boost on the experimental test.
Back in September, the California Supreme Court had denied the California State Bar’s proposal for switching to a new bar test by Kaplan because the state bar didn’t follow the proper administrative procedures. The California new bar exam is finally back on track after more than a year of work between Kaplan and the State Bar of California.
As part of the deal, Kaplan has agreed to stop providing test prep in California. Although some law deans are skeptical that the exam would be ready in time, it will proceed with the November experimental test, which will be used to evaluate possible questions on the real test. The California State Bar can apply after the November test to get scores boosted for a planned July beta test.
The impetus for the new bar exam is money. The State Bar of California thinks that it could save as much as $4 million dollars a year because the new test can be given remotely in small test centers instead of the currently required large and expensive locations.Attorney Credits
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