The recent data suggest a return to pre-Covid levels with respect to both the mean score and the examinee count pertaining to the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). The observed trends since the last February imply that, although there will likely be an increase in pass rates compared to the previous year, the effects of the pandemic are still apparent on examinees who attended law school during the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. These comments were conveyed by NCBE Director of Assessment and Research, Rosemary Reshetar, as per Law.com.
The mean scaled score of the February 2024 MBE was recorded as 131.8. Although this demonstrates an increase compared to the February 2023 mean of 131.1, it’s important to note that the 2024 national mean score was lower than the February 2022 mean of 132.6, and further still than the 2021 national mean score of 134. Over the span of the past three years, there has been a 2.2 point score decline. Notably, the February 2024 MBE saw 19,496 examinees, marking the highest number for a February exam since 2020.
Despite the observed increase in pass rates, it is clear that the repercussions of the pandemic years are still influencing test takers’ scores. For a deeper insight, the full article can be read on Above the Law.