Raw score versus scaled score
Scaling is also why practice-test percentages from a course do not translate to your real score. Courses use different question difficulty, and only NCBE's scaling applies on exam day.
How the written parts are scored
MEE and MPT answers are graded by people in the jurisdiction, using grading guidance NCBE supplies. NCBE then scales the written scores using the MBE, which is why the written score is not simply your raw grader points.
Graders are looking for issues spotted, rules stated, facts applied and a conclusion. A reasonable analysis that misses one issue can still earn substantial credit, which is why finishing every essay beats perfecting one.
Weighting and the 400-point total
The UBE total is out of 400. The MBE is worth 200 points, the MEE 120 and the MPT 80. Among the UBE jurisdictions we track, passing scores run from 260 to 270 on that scale, and some jurisdictions have changed theirs, so always read your jurisdiction's current number in our jurisdiction pages.
Because points add, a stronger MBE can cover part of a weaker essay day. It is a cushion, not a plan. Do not skip a component on the theory that you will make it up.
Can one section compensate for another?
In UBE jurisdictions, yes, since you pass or fail on the total. In jurisdictions with separate minimums per part, no. A few require you to pass each portion. Some non-UBE states also score by section. The exam rules of your admitting authority control.
NextGen scoring
NextGen scores run from 500 to 750. NCBE says it is a new scale and a new exam, so a legacy 270 and a NextGen number are not directly comparable. Jurisdictions set their own NextGen passing scores, and score portability rules between legacy and NextGen are jurisdiction-specific.
Common questions
What is a passing UBE score?+
There is no single number. Each UBE jurisdiction sets its own passing score on the 400-point scale, and some change it. Read your own jurisdiction's current figure.
Does NextGen use the same scale as the UBE?+
No. NextGen uses a 500 to 750 scale. NCBE treats it as a new exam, and scores between the two forms are not directly comparable.
Do wrong answers hurt my MBE score?+
No. Only correct answers count toward the 175 scored questions, and nothing is subtracted for a miss, so you should answer every question even when you are guessing.
What to do next
- 1
Look up your jurisdiction's passing score and whether parts must be passed separately.
- 2
Set weekly targets on the MBE, since it carries the most weight.
- 3
Practice finishing every written answer, not perfecting one.