YEAR-BY-YEAR:
PREPARING FOR THE EXAM

YEAR-BY-YEAR:
PREPARING FOR THE EXAM

The Supreme Court of Ohio Admissions Office provides a list of important dates and deadlines for the bar exam.

First year

• Your first year courses not only serve as the foundation for your law school learning but are all double-tested on the bar exam (essay and MBE).  Learn them well.
• Plan to attend a substance-abuse lecture prior to graduation: 
  *  The Law School offers substance-abuse lectures once during the fall semesters (usually in September) and once during the spring semesters (usually in January).
• When registering for second-year classes, be sure take classes that are bar tested subjects.  Make note of when those classes are offered so you can plan your schedule accordingly.  (Note:  If you plan to take the bar exam in a state other than Ohio the subjects tested may be different than those designated as bar track.  Find out and plan accordingly.)

Second year

• Attend a substance abuse lecture (if you did not attend one your first year).
• Take Constitutional Law, Evidence, and Professional Responsibility.
• Take classes in bar tested-subjects (Ex: BBA, Corporations, Wills, ACJ).
• Complete and submit your Application to Register as a Candidate for Admission by the November 15th deadline.  The Application has several components, so start early and allow for plenty of time to complete it.  You must do or submit all of the following:
  1. register to take the August MPRE by the end of June.
  2. completed Registration Application;
  3. certificate executed by the law school dean certifying when you first began the study of law;
  4. completed original and one copy of the Applicant’s Character Questionnaire, typed and properly executed;
  5. your fingerprints taken by a sheriff, deputy sheriff, municipal police officer, or state highway patrol officer on the form used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
  6. three original (separately executed) Authorization and Release forms;
  7. if you answer “yes” to certain questions on the Applicant Character Questionnaire: original Authorizations to Release Mental Health and/or Substance Abuse Records;
  8. certified copy of your college transcript evidencing that you earned a bachelor’s degree prior to admission to law school;
  9. non-refundable registration fee of $75, by certified check or money order to the Supreme Court of Ohio;
  10. non-refundable fee of $225, by certified check or money order to the NCBE.

Third/fourth year

• Take the November MPRE if you did not take it after second year (register before end of September).
• Take classes in bar-tested subjects (ex: Secured Transactions, Commercial Paper, Wills, ACJ, Remedies).
• Before registering for spring classes, talk to Assistant Dean for Academic Success Nancy Reeves about enrolling in Advanced Legal Applications or Essential Legal Concepts.
• Final deadline for Character & Fitness Application- January 15th (for Feb takers: August 15th).  ***Additional $200 in fees for failing to meet the November 15th second year deadline.
• Complete and submit your application to take the Bar Exam by the April 1st (for Feb takers: November 1st) deadline. The Application includes the following:

1. An original and one copy of your Supplemental Character Questionnaire;
2. Applicant Affidavit;
3. Law School Character Certificate (completed by the Law School);
4. Bar examination fee of $330 by certified check or money order to the Supreme Court of Ohio;
   ***Additional $100 in fees for failing to meet the April 1st deadline.
5. MPT fee of $28 by certified check or money order to the Supreme Court of Ohio.

• Submit your Substance Abuse Instruction Certificate (certifying that you received at least one hour of instruction) at least 30 days before the bar exam.
• Make sure you have completed your Character & Fitness interview no later than three weeks before the bar exam. Call the Bar Admissions Office (614-387-9340) if you have not had your interview.

Post-graduation

If you plan on using your laptop on the Ohio bar examination:

• Register with Exam Soft during the registration period (early June - early July).
• Pay an non-refundable fee of $121.