3 Essential MPT Tips (Bar Exam Tip Series)

by Daniel O'Connell June 3, 2021

The MPT is a section of the bar exam that I frequently see students needlessly stressing about. And this mindset drives me crazy, because the MPT is a GIFT. You don't need to know any outside law... the points are all right there for you. So here are three essential tips to help you change your mindset and help maximize your points on the MPT section.

Understand What’s being Tested

And when I say understand what’s being tested, what I really mean is that you need to understand that the MPT is not ACTUALLY testing your knowledge of the law. That’s what the MEEs are for.

Instead, the MPT is purely testing your ability to ANALYZE and SYNTHESIZE a set of facts and law.

In practice, what this boils down to is a test of your ability to organize information.

If you’re stressed about the MPT, or are having struggles with it so far, it’s important that you try to put your mind at ease with the knowledge that there are NO curveballs on the MPT. It’s a relatively straight forward section, and once you figure out the best way organize everything within the allotted time, you’ll be able to apply that across just about any MPT. So change your mindset going in, and you’re already on the path to improving your score.

2. Embrace the Time Crunch

Listen, I’m not gonna lie to you. Even under optimal circumstances, the MPT is going to be a time crunch. But that’s fine. You have to move past the idea that no matter how well you’re prepared, you’re ALWAYS going to be in a race against the clock, just by virtue of how the MPT is composed.

Once you accept that this time crunch is inescapable, you can then move on to how to set yourself up to make the most efficient use of your time.

3. Outline, Outline, Outline

I know that different people have different opinions on this, but for me, the fastest and most efficient way to maximize your points on the MPT is to spend half your allotted time (45 minutes), reading through the materials and, this is the CRITICAL PART, OUTLINING AS YOU GO.

I’ll cover this more in a second video, but you need to really get GOOD at outlining MPTs. That’s not to suggest you skip over the hard part of learning how to write them, just that, by virtue of WHAT is being tested on the MPT, if you can learn how to outline them well, they basically become a PLUG and PLAY situation, where you’re simply plugging in rules into a template you’ve already set up for yourself.

I’ll follow up this Article with a more in-depth piece on how exactly to outline your MPTs, but for now, just remember to read the case library first and allow the rules and facts outlined there to guide how you are going to organize your essay.

Good luck and I hope this helps!

-Doc