# How Hard Is It to Pass the Texas Bar Exam? | Attorney Brian White **Table of Contents***[*Expand*]* 1. What is the Pass Rate for the Texas Bar Exam? 2. Understanding the Format of the Texas Bar Exam 3. How to Improve Your Chances of Passing the Texas Bar Exam 4. Contact the Houston Personal Injury Lawyers at Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers For Help Graduating from law school is a tremendous accomplishment – one that requires years of hard work and dedication. Unfortunately, it is not the final step on your road to [becoming an attorney](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/faqs/what-is-the-difference-between-a-lawyer-and-an-attorney/). Before you can practice law in the state of [Texas](https://www.texas.gov/), you must overcome one last challenge: the Texas Bar Exam. ## **What is the Pass Rate for the Texas Bar Exam?** The Texas Bar Exam is graded on a scale of 1 to 1,000. Examinees are required to record a score of 675 or higher to pass the test and become attorneys. In February of 2020, a total of 996 law school graduates took the Texas Bar Exam. Only 457 of them passed. That is a 45.88 percent overall pass rate. Of course, the pass rate for the Texas Bar Exam tends to change quite a bit from one sitting to the next. Other recent iterations of this challenging test resulted in the following pass rates: - **July 2019:** 68.47 percent - **February 2019:** 53.52 percent - **July 2018:** 64.65 percent - **February 2018:** 45.22 percent - **July 2017:** 71.78 percent In most sittings of the Texas Bar Exam, first-time test-takers tend to outperform those who are repeating the exam. In February of 2020, the pass rate among first-time examinees was 56.78 percent. Meanwhile, repeaters recorded an overall pass rate of just 37.43 percent. In July of 2019, first-time test-takers recorded a pass rate of 77.03 percent, while repeaters passed 34.36 percent of the time. In the February 2019 iteration of the test, first-timers passed at a rate of 67.80 percent – which compares very favorably to the 43.23 percent pass rate recorded by repeaters. For a legal consultation call [(713) 500-5000](tel:+17135005000) ## **Understanding the Format of the Texas Bar Exam** The Texas Bar Exam is a detailed and complex assessment that takes two and a half days to complete. The exam is comprised of the following components: ### **Multistate Performance Test** The multistate performance test lasts for 90 minutes and accounts for 10 percent of the overall Texas Bar Exam score. It is designed to assess an examinee’s abilities to use their legal skills in real-world situations. It typically accomplishes this goal by asking them to perform a task such as writing a client letter or a brief. ### **Procedure and Evidence Test** The procedure and evidence test also lasts 90 minutes and accounts for 10 percent of the overall Texas Bar Exam score. In this test, examinees are required to answer 40 short-form questions.  20 of these questions are about Texas and Federal Criminal Procedure and Evidence. The remaining 20 questions cover Texas and Federal Civil Procedure and Evidence. ### **Multistate Bar Exam** The multistate bar exam takes place over six hours on the second day of the assessment – with a 90-minute lunch-break at the half-way point. It accounts for 40 percent of the overall Texas Bar Exam score. The multistate bar exam is comprised of 200 multiple-choice questions that are standardized across the nation. These questions cover the following topics: - Criminal Procedure - Civil Procedure - Contracts - Constitutional Law - Property Law - Evidence - Torts Of these 200 questions, 175 are counted toward the examinee’s score. The remaining 25 are unscored pretest questions. ### **Texas Essay Test** The Texas essay test takes place over six hours on the third day of the Bar Exam – with a 90-minute break at the half-way point. Like the multistate bar exam, it accounts for 40 percent of an examinee’s overall score. During this test, examinees are required to answer 12 essay-style questions. These questions are designed to test their knowledge of the following topics: - Business associations - Real property law - Family law - Uniform Commercial Code - Wills and estates - Trusts and guardianships - Bankruptcy - Tax law The list of subjects covered in this essay test can change regularly. All updates are published in the Texas Board of Law Examiners’ Rules Governing Admission to the Bar of Texas. ## **How to Improve Your Chances of Passing the Texas Bar Exam** Now that you know a little more about the format of the Texas Bar Exam, and how difficult it can be to achieve a passing grade, you may be wondering what steps you can take to boost your chances of recording a score of 675 or higher. Well, in the weeks and months before the test, you can increase your odds of success by: - Building a support system – ask friends or family members to help you study - Developing a weekly study schedule and sticking to it - Taking time off work – make studying your full-time job - Taking plenty of practice tests - Focusing on the most high-tested areas of law On the day of the exam, you can increase your chances of passing by: - Reading the questions carefully - Answering everything – even if you aren’t sure - Making your answers easy to read by using paragraphs and headers - Managing your time wisely – don’t spend too long on any one question Above all else, try to remember to breathe. Before long, you will have passed the test and will be moving on to your career as a family law, criminal defense, or personal injury lawyer. [Click to contact](/contact-us/) us today ## Contact the Houston Personal Injury Lawyers at Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers For Help Our offices Houston — Greenway/Upper Kirby 3120 Southwest Freeway, Suite 350 Houston, TX 77098 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 364-1466](tel:+17133641466) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%203120%20Southwest%20Freeway%2C%20Suite%20350%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077098) Houston — East Freeway 11811 East Freeway, Suite 630-06 Houston, TX 77029 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 609-1893](tel:+17136091893) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%2011811%20East%20Freeway%2C%20Suite%20630-06%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077029) Houston — South Loop 2600 South Loop West, Suite 293 Houston, TX 77054 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 281-4904](tel:+17132814904) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%202600%20South%20Loop%20West%2C%20Suite%20293%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077054) Houston — Katy Freeway 11511 Katy Fwy, Suite 515 Houston, TX 77079 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 909-7537](tel:+17139097537) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%2011511%20Katy%20Fwy%2C%20Suite%20515%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077079) Houston — Clear Lake 1300 Bay Area Blvd, Suite B268 Houston, TX 77058 By appointment only Call [(936) 508-2854](tel:+19365082854) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%201300%20Bay%20Area%20Blvd%2C%20Suite%20B268%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077058) The Woodlands 1776 Woodstead Ct, Ste. 203 The Woodlands, TX 77380 By appointment only Call [(281) 843-9777](tel:+12818439777) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%201776%20Woodstead%20Ct%2C%20Ste.%20203%2C%20The%20Woodlands%2C%20TX%2077380) Champion Forest (Cypress) 4606 FM 1960 Rd W, Ste. 444 Houston, TX 77069 By appointment only Call [(281) 843-9777](tel:+12818439777) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%204606%20FM%201960%20Rd%20W%2C%20Ste.%20444%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077069) --- ### About the Author Brian White ![About the Author Brian White](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/brian-white-houston-personal-injury-lawyer-300x300.jpg) [Brian White](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/about/community-involvement/) earned his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in Houston and is licensed to practice in Texas. He is a [Board-Certified](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/resources/brian-white-is-board-certified-in-personal-injury-trial-law/) Personal Injury Trial Lawyer. Dedicated to giving back, he actively supports local charities and [community initiatives](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/about/community-involvement/). [Client testimonials](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/about/testimonials/) highlight Brian’s compassion, open communication, and dedication to achieving the best outcomes for those he represents. [Avvo](https://www.avvo.com/attorneys/77098-tx-brian-white-74113.html) / [Justia](https://lawyers.justia.com/lawyer/brian-elliott-white-201630) / Linkedin / [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBrianWhiteLawFirm%2F/) / [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDdkDcGkbY2GFTzpeTWypFQ) / [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/attorneybrianwhite/?hl=en) / [Yelp](https://www.yelp.com/biz/brian-white-and-associates-houston) / Call or Text [(713) 500-5000](tel:+17135005000) or Complete a [Case Evaluation Form](/contact-us/) Personal Injury Blog Posts: [![Top 10 Houston Highways With Frequent Truck Accidents](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Top-10-Houston-Highways-With-Frequent-Truck-Accidents-300x182.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/top-10-houston-highways-with-frequent-truck-accidents/) [Top 10 Houston Highways With Frequent Truck Accidents](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/top-10-houston-highways-with-frequent-truck-accidents/) Houston is one of the busiest transportation hubs in the country, with major interstates, loop systems, and freight [![Houston Texas Lawyer](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/iStock-956243400-1-300x200.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/5-reasons-why-a-personal-injury-lawyer-will-not-take-your-case/) [5 Reasons Why a Personal Injury Lawyer Will Not Take Your Case](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/5-reasons-why-a-personal-injury-lawyer-will-not-take-your-case/) If you've been injured in an accident, you may believe you're entitled to money to cover the cost of physical, [![Understanding the Statute of Limitations and Your Personal Injury Case](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/themes/brian-white/assets/app/img/default-thumb.webp)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/understanding-the-statute-of-limitations-and-your-personal-injury-case/) [Understanding the Statute of Limitations and Your Personal Injury Case](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/understanding-the-statute-of-limitations-and-your-personal-injury-case/) Each state has a statute of limitations that apply in personal injury cases. The Limitations of [![Subrogation](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/themes/brian-white/assets/app/img/default-thumb.webp)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/subrogation/) [Subrogation](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/subrogation/) Subrogation occurs when a party assumes the legal rights of another party. For example, the right to recover --- Source: https://attorneybrianwhite.com/faqs/how-hard-is-it-to-pass-the-texas-bar-exam/