The financially strained State Bar of California is seeking to attract participants for its new bar exam by offering a potential score boost on the actual test for those who perform well during trial runs.
On Friday, the state bar announced that it has requested the California Supreme Court to allow a score increase of up to 40 points on the real bar exam for individuals who excel in experimental tests scheduled for November and July. The total possible score on the exam is 2,000, and under this proposal, beta testers who do not perform well will not face penalties on the actual exam.
This initiative is part of the state bar’s expedited development of its own bar exam, which is set to launch in February after receiving approval in August. By replacing the test produced by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, the state bar anticipates saving up to $3.8 million annually, primarily by enabling remote administration and eliminating the costs associated with renting large testing venues.
Facing a projected $24 million deficit in 2025 and beyond, the state bar recently increased licensing fees for lawyers to help mitigate this financial shortfall. However, these funds cannot be allocated toward lawyer admissions, which is currently running a deficit.
Concerns have been raised by legal educators regarding the rapid timeline for implementing the new exam. Mitch Winick, dean of Monterey College of Law, expressed his support for California having its own bar exam but criticized the “rushed timetable,” warning it poses an “unnecessary risk of failure.” Winick was among 13 deans from California-accredited law schools who urged the state bar to reconsider its expedited plans in April.
Bar exam tutor Sean Silverman described the score boost proposal as “odd,” suggesting it could create an unfair advantage for beta testers compared to those who are not selected for trials. “I think the California Bar is in an economic hole and they are trying to shovel their way out of it,” he remarked. “But the way they are trying to do it is chaotic.”
Bridget Gramme, who oversees lawyer admissions for the state bar, defended the transition to a new test as being “deliberate and methodical.” She noted that officials have spent 15 months planning and gathering feedback on this change. “Our priority remains to deliver a high-quality, valid, reliable, and affordable bar exam,” Gramme stated.
Additionally, a spokesperson for the state bar revealed that officials are exploring funding options to compensate beta testers further, alongside the proposed score boost, but have yet to secure financial resources.
Meanwhile, the National Conference of Bar Examiners is also preparing its NextGen Bar Exam, set to debut in July 2026. The organization is compensating approximately 2,200 participants $1,500 each to take a two-day prototype exam in October. A spokesperson indicated that over 11,000 individuals applied for participation. So far, 25 jurisdictions have announced plans to adopt the NextGen test; however, California and Nevada are the only states opting out.
California’s upcoming trial will evaluate multiple-choice questions developed by Kaplan North America as well as both remote and test center delivery systems. The beta test is open to anyone planning to take the California bar exam in February or July, including third- and fourth-year law students and repeat examinees. The application period will close on October 13.