Preparing for the MEE: NCBE Analyses v. Actual Applicant Responses

A total of 48 jurisdictions administer the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) as part of their bar examinations. This includes the 41 jurisdictions that have already adopted the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE).

If you’re preparing for the MEE, it’s important to review the analyses that the National Conference of Bar Examiners release for each test. (The NCBE has posted analyses from 2014 to 2019 on its website and makes others available for purchase through its online store. Some state boards of law examiners also make the same analyses publicly available on their own websites, for free.)

The NCBE’s analyses are illustrative of the discussions that might appear in excellent answers to the questions. These analyses are provided to those jurisdictions administering the MEE to assist their graders in grading the examination. As a result, they are good study and review tools for examinees, particularly in helping them identify narrow issues, understand the rules tested, and develop alternative explanations and counterarguments.

However, because the NCBE’s analyses address all the legal and factual issues the drafters intended to raise in the questions and provide alternative arguments based on facts or differing prevailing laws, these analyses are not necessarily model responses or answers that applicants can realistically draft in 30 minutes under test conditions. No worries, though—incorporating just a portion of the information contained in the NCBE’s analyses often leads to very high scores.

For a better perspective on what a strong response looks like—one that is written by an actual applicant under timed, testing conditions—you should take a look at the applicant responses that some state boards of law examiners have posted on their websites.

Several states release actual applicant answers that typically received scores superior to the average score awarded for the relevant essay. For the most part, these applicant answers have been reprinted without change, except for minor editing.

While these essays should not be viewed as “model” answers and, thus, should not be used as a means for learning the law tested on the examination, they are generally posted by the jurisdiction to illustrate the general length and quality of responses that earned above-average scores on the relevant essay.

These free resources offer a wealth of practical insights:

✅ Understanding Expectations: Reviewing these responses can help you understand what the examiners are looking for in terms of depth of analysis, legal reasoning, and organization.

✅ Practical Examples: Actual responses provide real-life examples of successful examinees. These are particularly useful as they represent what has been proven to be successful (and expected) in the actual exam setting.

✅ Benchmarking: By studying these answers, you can compare your own responses to gauge your progress and identify areas that need improvement.

✅ Familiarization with Question Types: Exposure to a variety of questions prepares you for a wider range of potential topics.

✅ Time Management: Practicing with real exam questions and answers can help you learn how to manage your time effectively during the exam.

✅ Identifying Common Pitfalls: By analyzing where others have succeeded and, importantly, where some may have faltered, you can learn to avoid common mistakes.

Reviewing past bar exam essay questions and released responses should be a key strategy in your bar exam preparation. This approach can significantly enhance your understanding, application of law, and overall readiness for the exam.

Here are the four states that post applicant responses to MEE questions, along with the state’s first administration of the UBE.

Minnesota (UBE First Administration Date: February 2014)

New Jersey (UBE First Administration Date: February 2017)

New York (UBE First Administration Date: July 2016)

Ohio (UBE First Administration Date: February 2021)

Texas (UBE First Administration Date: February 2021)

(This post is an updated version of my April 17, 2019, post.)