You likely know that becoming a lawyer requires passing the bar exam—but in California, some law students also need to pass a test known as the “baby bar.” This exam is officially called the First-Year Law Students’ Examination (FYLSE or FYLSX). As the name implies, it is completed after the student’s first year of law school.
The baby bar garnered national attention whenKim Kardashian passed the exam in late 2021. Learn more about what the baby bar is and whether you need to pass the exam to become a lawyer in California.
Who Needs to Take the California FYLSE?
Not all California law students need to take the baby bar. According to theState Bar of California, it is only required if one of the following applies to you:
You’re pursuing your degree at an unaccredited registered law school in California.
You’re completing alaw office study programinstead of attending law school.
You’re attending a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) or Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California (CBE), but you have fewer than two years of undergraduate experience.
Law schools in California have different accrediting bodies, including the ABA and CBE. In general, you are only required to take and pass the FYLSE if you are attending an unaccredited registered law school.
Are you unsure about your school’s accreditation? Thisresource from the State Bar of Californiaprovides a complete list of law schools in the state, categorized by accreditation status. Since Purdue Global Law School isaccredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners, our students do not need to complete the FYLSE.
What Is the Format of the FYLSE?
The First-Year Law Students’ Examination is offered twice a year, in June and October. Currently, it is being administered remotely.
The exam takes place over a single day and includes an essay portion and a multiple-choice portion. You will have four hours to complete four essay questions and three hours to complete 100 multiple-choice questions.
Subjects covered in the exam include contracts, criminal law, and torts. The exam focuses on general law and not California-specific laws. You can reviewpast FYLSE questionson the State Bar of California website.
Each essay is scored between 40 and 100, meaning that 400 possible points can be earned from the essay portion. The multiple-choice portion of the exam is worth 400 points as well. A score of 560 out of 800 is needed to pass the baby bar exam, which equates to 70%.
How Difficult Is the FYLSE?
The FYLSE is considered a challenging exam. In June 2022, only 19.6% of all applicants passed the exam, according todata released by the State Bar of California. First-time applicants had a pass rate of 23.8%, while repeat applicants had a pass rate of 15.7%.
If you fail the FYLSE, you can still attend law school, but you will not receive credit for your courses until you retake and pass the exam. To claim credit for all of your completed law school courses to date, you need to pass the FYLSE within your first three eligible testing dates. If you pass the FYLSE after this time period, you’ll only receive credit for your first year of study.
Earn Your Law Degree with Purdue Global Law School
If you’re interested in becoming a lawyer in California, Purdue Global Law School’sonline Juris Doctor programmay be right for you. The program takes four years to complete and is offered 100% online, so you can balance school with other responsibilities. The curriculum is designed toprepare students for the California Bar Exam.
Purdue Global Law School’s JD program is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. Since our institution is state-accredited, students are not required to take the FYLSE.
For more information,reach out to Purdue Global Law School today.
See Notes and Conditions below for important information.
About The Author
Purdue Global Law School
Established in 1998, Purdue Global Law School (formerly Concord Law School) is Purdue University's fully online law school for working adults.
FAQs
The baby bar exam is administered online or at Prometric test centers twice a year, once in June and again in October. Examinees have 8 hours to complete 4 essays and 100 multiple-choice questions. Detailed knowledge of California Law is not required.
What is the baby bar exam in California? ›
The baby bar exam is administered online or at Prometric test centers twice a year, once in June and again in October. Examinees have 8 hours to complete 4 essays and 100 multiple-choice questions. Detailed knowledge of California Law is not required.
What is the first year law students examination in California? ›
The baby bar exam is a half-day test administered twice a year. Its official name is the First-Year Law Student's Examination (FYLSX). The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions covering areas of law, including contracts, criminal, and tort.
What's the difference between the baby bar and the bar? ›
The baby bar is similar to the actual bar exam in that it includes both essay and multiple-choice questions. However, instead of testing all areas of law, it tests three areas of law: Contracts, Criminal Law, and Torts. The test focuses on general principles of law (rather than California law).
Are you a lawyer if you pass the baby bar? ›
According to the State Bar of California, the baby bar is required for those who study at a State Bar-unaccredited registered law school, those without two years of college work, or through a law office study program with lawyers or judges. Passing the baby bar does not mean you are a lawyer.
Why do people take the baby bar exam? ›
Even for students attending accredited law schools, taking the baby bar can have several benefits. It provides you with an opportunity to assess your knowledge and understanding of basic legal principles and identify areas where additional focus is needed early on in your studies.
How hard is it to pass the baby bar exam? ›
The Baby Bar is notorious for its low passage rates and often only 20% of examinees pass. What does this mean? To give yourself the best chance of passing the Baby Bar you have to be all-in with your studying. Below are five tips to help you maximize your study time.
How many times can you take the California baby bar exam? ›
Applicants are given three opportunities to pass the baby bar to get credit for law studies (though it can be taken as many times as you need!). If you don't pass the first time, you are eligible to take the exam again. You can try to pass on either of the next two administrations of the baby bar.
Is California bar harder than New York? ›
California is widely considered to have the hardest bar exam, due to its low pass rate and the difficulty of the content and constraints of the exam.
What score do you need on the baby bar? ›
A score of 560 out of 800 is needed to pass the baby bar exam. Note that there is not a minimum score required on the essay or multiple-choice portion.
The celebrity's legal career is reportedly 'on pause' due to her other commitments. For several years now, Above the Law has been tracking Kim Kardashian's journey to becoming a lawyer through an apprenticeship.
Is the baby bar like the LSAT? ›
The baby bar is a one-day test that covers contracts, criminal law, and torts. Students should also know the first two articles of the Uniform Commercial Code. The exam includes both multiple-choice questions and essay questions. The exam does not test California-specific law.
Has Kim K passed the bar? ›
Even after previously failed attempts she studied harder and eventually the reality star passed! Kim Kardashian has not passed the California general bar exam yet. However, she did pass the baby bar exam in December 2021, which is a first-year law student's examination.
Can you take the bar without going to law school in California? ›
In California, qualified applicants can take the bar exam without going to law school. Most law schools require a college degree, but some may only ask for equivalent course work, and some law schools focus on your legal interest and life experiences and not on your grades or LSAT scores.
What kind of questions are on the baby bar exam? ›
The First-Year Law Students' Examination (also known as the “baby bar”) is a half-day test given twice a year. The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions and covers three subjects: Contracts, Criminal Law, and Torts. More than 500 applicants take the exam each year.
What happens if you fail the bar exam three times? ›
There is no limit to the number of times you can take the bar exam in the state of California. While it may come as a relief to many students who are planning to take the bar exam in California that there are no limits, California's bar exam is known for being one of the hardest exams in the U.S.
What score do you need to pass baby bar? ›
The multiple-choice portion of the exam is worth 400 points as well. A score of 560 out of 800 is needed to pass the baby bar exam, which equates to 70%.
What happens if you fail the baby bar exam? ›
The State Bar of California administers the baby bar in June and October each year. An applicant cannot get any credit for law study until they pass the baby bar. If you do not pass in the first three administrations, then you will only receive credit for the first year of your law school study.
What is the California bar exam for? ›
The California Bar Exam is designed for individuals with legal analytical skills and a practical legal approach. You don't need a J.D. from the United States; the exam focuses on testing the practical approaches of a lawyer rather than rote memorization of case laws or legal provisions.
What are first year law students called? ›
1L, 2L, 3L: In undergrad, your year in school is usually referred to as freshman, sophom*ore, etc. In law school, we use 1L to refer to first year, 2L to second year, 3L to third year. Your law school might have a part time division, and in that case, some students might be referred to as 4Ls as well.
