How hard is the bar exam?

How hard is the bar exam?
Bar exam results were recently released and you haven't heard the end of it if you have a friend or family member who passed or failed.  All this hype probably has you wondering: 'how hard is the bar exam'? or questioning 'Is the bar exam hard'?

Is the bar exam hard?
Most law students take an intense bar prep course in order to pass the bar exam.  The July 2015 bar exam passage rate was pretty low as the rate continues to decrease.

How hard is the bar exam?

Hardest Bar Exam

According to Above the Law, California has the hardest bar exam in the nation.

For the July 2015 bar exam, 60% of first-time test takers passed compared to the 61.4% that passed the July 2014 California bar exam.

Can you take the bar without going to law school?

Those who have not attended law school yet enjoy being challenged may be asking: 'Can you take the bar without going to law school?' 

As explained above, California offers one of the most difficult bar exams yet CA is one of only five states where a bar exam applicant who has not attended law school is allowed to take the bar after study under a judge or practicing attorney.  The other four states include: Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.