Are you on the road to becoming an attorney in the state of Idaho? If you are, you are probably gearing up to take the notorious bar exam. Yes, the Idaho Bar Exam can be tough, but if you take the time to prepare thoroughly and use study techniques that have proven effective for others, you will have a pretty good shot at passing this rigorous test the first time around. If you have already taken your bar exam but did not score so well, making some changes in your study habits can help ensure that this time around you achieve the results that you want. Whatever your situation may be, this page will show you how to pass the Idaho Bar Exam, and offers basic info about the test as well as strategies for studying.

The Idaho Bar Exam is changing its format slightly in July of 2010, and the information provided below pertains to the new test format. If you have taken the exam in the past, up through February of 2010, you may notice a difference. Instead of taking 2 and a half days, the bar exam now takes only 2. Whereas there used to contain 4, 45-minute essay questions on Idaho law, it now contains only 1, 30-minute essay question on Idaho community property law.http://www.law.uidaho.edu/idahobarexam

The bar exam is offered in Idaho two times each year, in February and in July. In order to avoid paying a 50 dollar late fee, your application must be received by the deadline of October 1 for the February testing session and March 1 for the July exam. In order to sit for the test at all, your application must be submitted by December 1 for the February exam and May 1 for the July testing session.

The Idaho Bar Exam is made up of several sections: the Multistate Bar Examination (known as the MBE), the Multistate Essay Examination (or MEE for short) and the Multistate Performance Test (called MPT for short). Also included is one essay question regarding Idaho law, specifically community property.http://www.law.uidaho.edu/idahobarexam

1. 3 to 4 months before the exam, take care of the basics such as your application, required documents, and travel and lodging arrangements. http://academic.udayton.edu/legaled/barpass/General/advice01.htm
2. Outline a studying schedule for yourself at least 3 months before the bar exam, and keep it in an accessible place where you are likely to see it every day. It is important that you stick to this schedule, no matter how tempting it may be to stray from it.
3. Choose the times of day when you have the most energy to study, and avoid times when you are likely to be sleepy.
4. As you study, take notes methodically. Outline all chapters and subjects as you go along, and look up answers to any questions that you may have (do not be afraid to contact your law school professors).
5. The month before your bar exam should be dedicated to studying full time, for 8 hours every day 5 to 6 days of the week.
6. Enroll in a bar exam study course if you feel the need.

In addition to taking and passing the Idaho Bar Exam, you are also required to sit for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (the MPRE), and achieve a scaled score of 85 or higher. You must do this either before sitting for the Idaho Bar, or within 2 MPRE sessions afterwards. The MPRE is not offered by the Idaho State Bar, but rather through the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE, which is also responsible for creating the MBE and MEE). In order to take the MPRE, you will need to obtain an application packet from the NCBE. The test is offered three times each year at various locations.

The MPRE is short compared to the bar exam, as it only takes 2 hours and 5 minutes to complete. It consists of 200 multiple choice questions pertaining to moral conduct expected of all attorneys practicing in the United States.http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mpre/