Northern Illinois University College of Law

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Bar Exam Resources

NIU College of Law Supplemental Bar Skills Review

The NIU College of Law offers a Bar Skills Review course to its alumni who will be taking the Illinois Bar Examination in July. The nine-session course offers students the opportunity to hone their essay exam-writing skills and to practice for the Multistate Practice Test. 


MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam) Resources

2009 MPRE Information Booklet -- available in PDF from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site (includes sample questions).

MPRE Sample Exam - available from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site (requires registration).

PLI MPRE Lectures* - available from the Practicing Law Institute's site (requires registration).
*Click on the link for "MPRE Lectures" located above the instruction on the PLI web page. 

PLI MPRE Practice Exams* - available from the Practicing Law Institute's site (requires registration).
*Click on the link for "Practice Exams" located above the instructions on this PLI web page.

PLI MPRE CD-ROMs - on reserve.

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MBE (Multistate Bar Examination) Resources

MBE 2009 Information Booklet (also contains sample questions)

1975 - 1992 Annual Compilation of Bar Examination Questions -- in the General Stacks at KF 303 I48.

Multistate Bar Examination Questions 1992 - 581 released questions from the MBE. It includes answer key.  Reserve KF 303 N38 1992.

Sample MBE - 200-item test administered in February of 1991. It includes answer key.  Reserve KF 303 S25 1995 & Reserve KF 303 S251 2004. 

Sample MBE II - 200-item test administered in July of 1991.  It includes answer key.  Reserve KF 303 S252 2004.

Sample MBE III - 200-item test administered in July of 1998.  It includes answer key.  Reserve KF 303 S253 2002

Stephen P. Klein, Summary of Research on the Multistate Bar Examination (1993). KF 303.K53 1993

John T. Talemo, Mastering the MBE (2002).  KF 303 T35 2002

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MEE (Multistate Essay Exam) Resources

2009 Information Booklet (also contains sample questions)

MEE Exam Questions & Analysis

  • Sample Questions - from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site, questions from the February 2008 MEE
  • 2000 - 1 copy on Reserve and 2000 MEEs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site 
  • 1999 - 1 copy on Reserve and 1999 MEEs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site
  • 1998 - 1 copy on Reserve and 1998 MEEs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site 
  • 1997 - 1 copy on Reserve and 1997 MEEs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site
  • 1996 - 1 copy on Reserve,1 copy in the General Stacks at KF 303 M442, and 1996 MEEs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site
  • 1995 - 1 copy on Reserve, and 1995 MEEs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site
  • 1993 - 1996 - on Reserve.

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MPT (Multistate Performance Test) Resources

2009 Information Booklet

Exam Questions & Point Sheets

  • 2002 July and February MPTs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site
  • 2001 on reserve and July and February 2001 PTs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site
  • 2000 on reserve and July and February 2000 PTs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site
  • 1999 on reserve and July and February 1999 PTs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site
  • 1998 on reserve and July and February 1998 PTs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site
  • 1997 on reserve and July and February 1997 PTs available in PDF format from the National Board of Bar Examiner's site

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Illinois Essay Bar Exam Questions

  • 1995 - Feb. 2000 on Reserve
  • 1985 - Feb. 1995 available in microfiche as part of Hein's Compilation of State Bar Examinations in drawer 7 at KF 303 H45.

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Other State Bar Exam Questions

Dates vary according to state. Available in microfiche as Hein's Compilation of State Bar Examinations in drawer 7 at KF 303 H45.

ABA and NCBE, Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements. KF 302.Z9C65. Also available online at the ABA site .

BAR/BRI Digest - National bar examination information. KF 303.B37

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General Bar Exam Resources

ABA and NCBE, A Model for Dialogue. Available online at the ABA site.

Suzanne Darrow-Kleinhaus, The Bar Exam in a Nutshell (2nd ed. 2009).  Reserve KF 303 D37 2009

J.P. Davis, How to Pass the Bar Exam (1989). KF 303.D38 1989

Edna Wells Handy, You Can Pass Any Bar Exam (1997). KF 303.H25 1997

Frank G. Houdek, Admission to the Bar: An Annotated Bibliography of Law Review Articles, 1966 - 1976 (1976). KF 302 A1 A3

National Conference of Bar Examiners, NCBE Directory (1989). Reference KF 303.N43

Linda F. Wightman, LSAC National Longitudinal Bar Passage Study (1998) KF 302 W53 1998.

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Official Bar Exam Links:

National Board of Bar Examiners

Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar

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Bar Exam Study Hints

A Guide to the Bar Examination for People of Color - Practical exam taking advice.

Howard University Law School's No Bar to My Dream: I Will Pass the Bar Exam - Howard University Law School site where alumni offer advice on passing the bar exam.

Legal Learning for Bar Candidates - Study hints from Carolyn Nygren. Carolyn Nygren is the author of Starting Off Right in Law School and has taught many legal skills orientation classes.

Passing the Bar - Tips from Professor Vernellia Randall at the University of Dayton School of Law.

Villanova University School of Law's Bar Preparation Information - Includes preparation tips and exam exercises.

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