Why We Shouldn’t Capitalize “BAR” in “Bar Exam”
It’s time we clear the air on something that’s been bugging me for a while. Let’s talk about the word “bar,” as in the “bar exam,” and why so many people insist on capitalizing it like it’s some kind of official acronym: “BAR.”
Let’s get one thing straight—“bar” isn’t an acronym. It doesn’t stand for anything. You don’t need to write it as “BAR” to signal its importance. In fact, I’d argue that capitalizing it does more harm than good. Let’s dive into why “bar” is lowercase by design and why we should embrace that.
Why People Capitalize “BAR”
To emphasize its significance: The bar exam is a monumental milestone in every lawyer’s career. Some might capitalize it to emphasize its weight or importance. They might feel that “BAR” captures the gravitas of the bar exam in a way that plain old “bar” doesn’t.
To create a sense of authority: Capitalizing “BAR” makes it look official, as though it’s a larger institution rather than just a test. Maybe the thought is that it reinforces the sense of accomplishment in passing “THE BAR.”
To intimidate others: Let’s be honest—writing it as “BAR” makes it seem bigger, tougher, and perhaps even scarier. It’s a little psychological trick, intentional or not, to make the whole ordeal seem like an enormous, looming challenge.
To mimic BARBRI: Another reason some people might capitalize “bar” is because of the popular bar prep company, BARBRI, which is stylized in all caps. But let’s clarify this a bit. BARBRI actually originated from a merger between two companies, each with its own acronym, hence the all-caps—Bay Area Review (BAR) and Bar Review Inc. (BRI). When the two companies merged, the new company retained its all-caps style to reflect the original acronyms. That’s why we see BARBRI in all caps today.
But here’s the thing: none of these reasons justify writing “bar” in caps. Let’s take them down one by one.
Why “bar” Should Be Lowercase
It’s not an acronym: Plain and simple, “bar” isn’t shorthand for something else. Yes, BABRRI is, but “bar” isn’t. “Bar” is derived from the medieval term for the physical barrier that divided those allowed to practice law from those who weren’t. It’s not the “Benevolent Association of Rejections” or the “Brutal Attorney’s Roadblock.” It’s just “bar.” Exams like the ACT (American College Testing), GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test), MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), and LSAT (Law School Admission Test) are in all caps because they’re acronyms.
Capitalization isn’t the same as significance: The “bar” in bar exam doesn’t need to be in all caps to remind us of its importance. We already recognize it as a pivotal milestone. Lowercasing “bar” doesn’t make it any less monumental, just as we don’t capitalize “exam,” though we know the weight of test day.
The all-caps connotation Is negative: By capitalizing it as “BAR,” we create a sense of dread and intimidation. It’s as if the “BAR” becomes an unbeatable giant standing in the way of your career. But the bar exam, while challenging, doesn’t need an inflated reputation. We should respect it for what it is—a test of knowledge and competence—not a monster to be feared.
Consistency and clarity in writing: In legal writing, precision matters. Misleading capitalizations can set the wrong precedent. The legal field already has its share of terms and phrases we need to explain—why add unnecessary confusion? We wouldn’t capitalize “lawyer” or “judge” to make them seem more important; “bar” should follow the same rule.
The Verdict
At the end of the day, we don’t need to shout about the “bar” exam by writing it in all caps. Let’s stick with what’s grammatically correct and embrace “bar” as it is.
Lowercase.
Balanced.
Realistic.
So, let’s set the record straight: it’s “bar, not “BAR.” And maybe, just maybe, by using the correct form, we’ll approach it with a little less intimidation and a lot more confidence.
