How long did you study for the Montana Bar Exam and what worked?

by Mike_T 451 views3 replies
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Mike_TOP
May 27, 2026

I just got my UBE score back from the February administration and I'm 14 points short of Montana's 266 passing score. I'm devastated, honestly. I graduated from law school last May, spent two months doing Barbri, and still came up short. Now I'm gearing up for July and trying to figure out what I actually did wrong the first time.

I've been looking into supplemental resources and found a few MT BAR practice test sets online that seem more targeted than the generic multistate stuff. Has anyone found that Montana-specific essay practice made a meaningful difference? The MEE accounts for so much of the score and I feel like my essay timing was completely off — I was rushing through analysis just to finish.

If you've passed on a second attempt, I'd love to hear your study guide approach and any exam tips that actually moved the needle. How many hours a week were you putting in, and did you hire a tutor or go it alone?

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Ravi S.
May 28, 2026
Hang in there. 14 points is totally closeable in one retake cycle — I've seen people close bigger gaps than that. Focus your first three weeks entirely on your weakest MEE subjects before you touch MBE again. Targeted beats comprehensive every time on a retake.
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Jordan L.
May 28, 2026
Second attempt here — passed July 2024 with a 271. What changed for me was honestly just essay structure. I stopped trying to write perfect prose and started writing fast IRAC. Like, mechanical IRAC. Also did timed practice sets every single day for six weeks, not just reading through answers. The MT BAR practice test materials from NCBE's released questions were gold. Don't skip those. Aim for 10 essays per week minimum.
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priya.test
May 28, 2026
I'm in the same boat, sitting for July after failing February by 9 points. What study guide are you using for the MBE portion? I feel like my MBE was actually decent but my written scores tanked me. I've been told Montana graders are pretty strict on analysis depth — they want you to actually apply the rule to the facts, not just state it. Did your Barbri materials cover Montana-specific community property rules? That tripped me up.

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