Plan your bar exam preparation and see when results are usually released. Choose your state, enter your exam date and a study hours target, and the calculator shows the days left, the hours per day to reach your target, and the typical results-release date for your jurisdiction and sitting.
Enter your exam date to build your plan.
Results dates vary by state and sitting and are estimates only. Confirm with your state board of bar examiners.
About this calculator
Most US jurisdictions now use the Uniform Bar Examination, which has three parts: the Multiple Choice section known as the MBE, with 200 questions; the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE); and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), a set of practical legal tasks. Full-time bar preparation in the weeks after law school is intense, and prep providers commonly point to 400 to 600 hours over roughly eight to ten weeks. This calculator turns your own target into a daily figure so you can see whether your timetable holds together before the exam.
Results-release dates differ widely by state. For the July sitting, many states release between September and November, while February-sitting results usually arrive in spring. This page estimates the typical date for the state and sitting you choose, but these dates move from year to year, so treat the result as a guide and confirm it with your state board of bar examiners or the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The main commercial courses are BARBRI, Themis and Kaplan. For exams other than the bar, the general exam prep calculator handles the study-hours sum on its own.
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Frequently asked questions
How many hours should I study for the bar exam?
Prep providers commonly point to 400 to 600 hours of full-time study over roughly eight to ten weeks, which is why most candidates treat the period after law school as a near full-time job. The exact number depends on the state, your law-school background and how comfortable you are with the tested subjects. Use this calculator to divide your target across the days you have, so the daily figure stays realistic.
When are bar exam results released?
It depends on the state and the sitting. For the July exam, many jurisdictions release results between September and November. February-sitting results usually arrive in spring, often around May. This calculator estimates the typical date for the state and sitting you select, but release dates shift each year, so always confirm the official date with your state board of bar examiners.
What is on the bar exam?
Most states use the Uniform Bar Examination, made up of three parts. The MBE is a 200-question multiple-choice section covering core subjects such as contracts, torts and constitutional law. The MEE is a set of written essays. The MPT is a practical exercise that tests lawyering skills with a closed set of materials. Some states add their own components or a separate test on state-specific law.
How long is bar exam preparation?
Full-time preparation typically runs about eight to ten weeks, which is why commercial courses are built around a two-month schedule starting soon after graduation. Candidates who work alongside studying spread the same hours over a longer period. The calculator helps either way, since it divides your total target hours across the actual days you have before the exam.
Which bar prep course is best?
The three best-known courses are BARBRI, Themis and Kaplan. BARBRI is the largest and most widely used. Themis is often chosen for its lower price and flexible online format, and Kaplan is a strong all-rounder. The right choice depends on your budget, whether you prefer in-person or online study, and how much structure you want. Many candidates also add a dedicated MBE question book to whichever course they pick.