What to Do If You Fail the Bar Exam: Your Next Steps and a Plan to Pass

Opening your bar exam results and seeing that you did not pass is one of the hardest moments in a young lawyer’s journey. If you failed the bar exam, give yourself permission to feel disappointed. It is real, and it is valid. But here is what matters just as much: a failing result is not the end of your legal career. Every year, thousands of capable, intelligent people do not pass on their first attempt, and the vast majority go on to become practicing attorneys. Knowing what to do if you fail the bar exam and building a smarter plan for your next attempt can turn this setback into the turning point of your career. Let’s walk through exactly what happens next and how to come back stronger after failing the bar exam

Here is what this guide covers:

What happens if you fail the bar exam
How common it is to fail the bar
How to read your score report and pinpoint your weak areas
Whether you can request a score review or appeal
Whether you can retake the bar exam, and how many times
How to build a smarter bar study plan for your next attempt
When a bar review course makes sense for repeat takers
Answers to the most common questions about failing the bar exam

Prep for Your Next Attempt

What Happens If You Fail the Bar Exam?

So what happens if you fail the bar exam? Practically speaking, fewer changes than you might fear. Most jurisdictions release bar exam results online through the state bar’s website, often with a numerical score and, depending on the state, a breakdown of how you performed.

In the vast majority of states, a failing result does not affect:

Your character and fitness determination
Your law degree or your status as a law school graduate
Your eligibility to register for the next administration of the exam

In most cases, you are free to sign up to take the exam again. The key is to read your jurisdiction’s rules closely, because deadlines, registration windows, and eligibility requirements vary widely from state to state.

How Common Is It to Fail the Bar Exam?

If it feels like you are the only one, you are not, and national bar exam pass rates make that clear. According to the American Bar Association (ABA), the aggregate first-time bar exam pass rate was about 84% in 2025, which means roughly one in six first-time takers did not pass.

Separately, ABA data show that about 92% of recent graduates from ABA-approved law schools pass the bar exam within 2 years of graduation. This figure is not directly comparable to the first-time pass rate because it focuses specifically on law school graduates and measures their results over a longer period. However, it shows that many graduates who do not pass on the first attempt are ultimately successful.

Pass rates also vary by jurisdiction and exam administration, and repeat takers historically pass at lower rates than first-time takers. The takeaway is encouraging: A single bar exam result is not a measure of your legal ability or your future success as an attorney.

I would also remove the line attributing lower repeat-taker pass rates to candidates not changing their study approach. It reads as speculative and could unintentionally sound judgmental unless Kaplan has a source directly supporting that explanation. You can address ineffective study strategies later in the article, where the discussion is more individualized and actionable.

Take Time to Process the Results

Before you do anything else, take a breath. Frustration, embarrassment, and anxiety are completely normal reactions, and pretending you don’t feel them rarely helps. At the same time, this is not the moment to make sweeping decisions about your career or to convince yourself that law is not for you. Give yourself a short, defined period, a few days to a week, to process the outcome without judgment. Then, when your head is clearer, you can shift your focus to the part you can control: building a better plan. Maintaining perspective now will make every decision that follows a stronger one.

Review Your Score Report and Identify Weak Areas

Your bar exam score report can be a valuable starting point as you prepare for a retake, so resist the urge to file it away unread. The type and level of detail provided vary by jurisdiction and exam format. Depending on where and when you tested, your report may include an overall score, component scores, or other information about your performance.

Review all the information available to you and look for patterns such as:

Lower performance on certain question types or subject areas
Incomplete or underdeveloped written responses or performance tasks
Difficulty applying legal concepts under timed conditions
Poor time management, including rushed or unfinished answers
Inconsistent or ineffective study habits

Your score report may not provide a complete explanation of what happened. Pair the results with an honest review of your preparation, practice performance, and test-day experience. The goal is not to relive the disappointment but to gather evidence. Understanding where you may have fallen short is the foundation of a study plan that targets the right areas.

Determine Whether a Score Review or Appeal Is Available

Some candidates wonder whether they can challenge their results. The answer depends entirely on your jurisdiction. A number of states offer some form of bar exam score verification or regrading, and a few allow a formal appeal, but the procedures, deadlines, and costs differ significantly from one state to the next. It is worth knowing one thing going in: score changes are relatively uncommon, and verification usually confirms the original result rather than overturning it. Before you invest time and money in an appeal, review your state’s exact procedures and weigh whether your energy might be better spent preparing for the next exam.

Can You Retake the Bar Exam?

Yes. In nearly every jurisdiction, you can retake the bar exam, and most states administer it twice a year, typically in February and July. A common question is how many times you can take the bar exam. In the majority of states, the answer is as many times as you need. However, a handful of jurisdictions do limit the number of attempts or require additional steps after several tries.

To register for a bar exam retake, you will typically need to:

Re-register with your state bar admissions authority
Pay the exam fees again
Meet your state’s filing deadlines and other requirements
Confirm which version of the exam you will sit for, since several jurisdictions are transitioning to the NextGen bar exam

Since policies change, always verify the current requirements directly with your state bar before you register.

How to Create a Better Study Plan for Your Next Attempt

Here is the truth that turns a retake into a pass: doing the same thing again is unlikely to produce a different result. A successful bar exam retake starts with a study plan built around what went wrong the first time, not a repeat of the same routine. Map out a realistic, structured schedule that accounts for work, family, and other obligations rather than an idealized one you cannot sustain. Build in accountability, whether that is a study partner, a tutor, or a course with a set syllabus, and protect your consistency. Steady, focused effort over several weeks beats last-minute cramming every time.

Analyze What Didn’t Work

Start by naming the specific weak points in your last round of prep. Common ones include:

A study schedule that slipped or was not realistic
Too few practice questions
Over-reliance on passive memorization
Inconsistent daily study habits
Burnout from trying to do too much, too late

Once you can see the pattern clearly, you can design around it.

Increase Practice Under Bar Exam Conditions

Knowing the law and performing on exam day are two different skills. Close the gap with realistic, timed practice:

Timed practice questions
Full written assignments under exam time limits
Full-length practice exams to build test-day stamina
Pacing drills to sharpen your time management

The more your prep mirrors exam conditions, the more your pacing and confidence will improve when it counts.

Focus on Highly Tested Topics

Use your score report to decide where your study time goes:

Start with the weak areas your score report revealed
Move next to the most tested bar exam topics
Balance memorizing rules with practicing how to apply them
Let your practice performance keep guiding your priorities

Should You Enroll in a Bar Review Course After Failing?

For many repeat bar exam takers, the honest answer is yes. If you studied largely on your own the first time, struggled to stay consistent, or could not pinpoint your weak areas, a structured bar review course can supply exactly what was missing.

The best bar exam prep courses give repeat takers:

A clear, structured study plan
Diagnostics that show you where you stand
Detailed feedback on your writing assignments
The accountability that keeps you moving week after week

Kaplan was built with this kind of targeted preparation in mind. Its diagnostic-driven study plans, thousands of exam-like practice questions, instant essay grading, and performance analytics help you see your weak spots clearly and work on them deliberately, and one-on-one tutoring is available when you want expert guidance tailored to your situation.

Get Ready to Pass

What to Do While Waiting to Retake the Bar Exam

The months between exams do not have to be idle. Put the waiting period to work:

Keep your legal knowledge sharp with a steady, lighter review
Find a mentor who can offer guidance and perspective
Pursue law-related work or a clerkship that keeps you close to the field
Manage your finances and career expectations realistically
Communicate openly with your employer about your plans

Treating the waiting period as productive time, rather than a holding pattern, keeps your momentum and your confidence intact.

Lawyers Who Failed the Bar Exam Before Passing

You are in remarkably good company. Some of the most accomplished figures in American law and public life did not pass on their first try, including:

John F. Kennedy Jr. failed the New York bar exam twice before passing on his third attempt, then went on to work as an assistant district attorney.
Michelle Obama, a Harvard Law graduate, did not pass the Illinois bar exam on her first attempt before building a career in law and public service.
Hillary Clinton did not pass the District of Columbia bar exam, though she passed in Arkansas and built a successful legal career.
Kamala Harris did not pass the California bar exam on her first try, then passed on a later attempt and went on to a distinguished career in public office.

The lesson across every one of these success stories is the same: a failed bar exam did not define their careers, and it does not have to define yours. Persistence, paired with a smarter approach, is what carried them through.

How Kaplan Bar Review Can Help You Pass Your Next Bar Exam

Failing the bar exam stings, but it is a setback, not a verdict on your future as a lawyer. The candidates who pass on a later attempt are rarely the ones who simply study harder. They are the ones who diagnosed what went wrong, then rebuilt their prep around it. That is exactly what Kaplan Bar Review is designed to do.

Knowing what to do if you fail the bar exam comes down to replacing guesswork with a plan built on evidence. Kaplan Bar Review gives repeat takers the tools to do that:

Performance analytics that break down your results by question, subject, and overall performance, so you can see your weak areas instead of guessing at them.
4,000+ exam-like practice questions, plus previously released practice questions from the NCBE, so your practice reflects the real exam.
Unlimited instant grading of writing assignments, which matters enormously if written answers cost you points the first time.
An AI-powered tutor that delivers immediate, precise feedback on your essays and your reasoning, available whenever you study.
4 full-length practice exams to rebuild the stamina and pacing that test day demands.
An adaptable calendar with on-demand lessons and live interactive seminars, so your bar exam retake plan fits around work and family.
Up to 6 months of course access, giving you room to start early and study at a sustainable pace.

Extra Support for Repeat Bar Exam Takers

If your last attempt showed you need more than materials alone, Kaplan offers targeted support you can add on:

One-on-one tutoring connects you with an instructor who is a practicing attorney and can focus your sessions on the exact skills holding your score back.
Bar Review Plus adds a full semester of online access with weekly modules and flashcards if you want a longer runway.
The NextGen Bar Review course prepares you for the new exam format, built from the ground up to mirror it, if your jurisdiction is making the transition.

Not sure which options fit your situation? Kaplan offers a free consultation with a bar exam expert who can review where you stand and recommend a path forward, with no obligation.

You have already done the hardest part, which is finishing law school and sitting for the exam. Now it is a matter of preparing differently. Explore Kaplan Bar Review or schedule your free consultation to build the plan that gets you across the finish line.

See Bar Review Courses

Frequently Asked Questions About Failing the Bar Exam

Can You Become a Lawyer If You Fail the Bar Exam?

Yes. Failing the bar exam does not disqualify you from becoming a lawyer. In nearly every jurisdiction, you can retake the exam, and once you pass and meet your state’s other admission requirements, you can be admitted to practice.

How Many Times Can You Take the Bar Exam?

It depends on your state. Many jurisdictions allow unlimited attempts, while others cap the number of tries or require additional steps after several attempts. Check your state bar’s current rules for the exact policy.

Is It Common to Fail the Bar Exam?

More common than most people realize. With a first-time bar exam pass rate around 84% nationally, roughly one in six first-time takers does not pass, and repeat takers make up a meaningful portion of those who eventually earn admission.

How Soon Can You Retake the Bar Exam?

Most states offer the bar exam twice a year, in February and July, so the soonest you can retake it is usually the next administration. Registration deadlines often fall months in advance, so plan early.

Do Law Firms Fire Associates Who Fail the Bar Exam?

Policies vary widely by employer. Many firms allow associates a second attempt and continue their employment in the meantime, while others have stricter requirements. The best approach is to communicate proactively and honestly with your employer about your plan to retake the exam.

Does Failing the Bar Exam Affect Character and Fitness?

In most jurisdictions, no. A failing score is a performance result, not a character or fitness issue, and it generally has no bearing on your fitness determination. As always, confirm the specifics with your state bar.