Same Concepts, Different Questions: Why Reviewing Old MEEs Matters

Bar exam takers often focus on memorizing outlines, drilling multiple-choice questions, and passively reviewing rule statements.

But if you're not also writing and reviewing as many past MEE questions and answers as possible, you're missing a crucial piece of bar prep—actively practicing how to spot issues and apply the law in a written format under time pressure.

Reviewing these questions trains you to recognize patterns, reinforce your understanding of frequently tested areas, and build the writing fluency you'll need under timed conditions. It also exposes you to previously tested legal principles—some of which reappear in future exams—allowing you to see how those principles are commonly framed and applied in essay format.

Here’s a clear example that proves the point.

Let’s look at two Constitutional Law questions from the Multistate Essay Exam—one from October 2020, the other from February 2025.

At first glance, the fact patterns seem different. A question on the October 2020 administration (one of the rescheduled COVID bar exams) involves restrictions on electronic message boards. The February 2025 question deals with sign-waving on a pedestrian median. But when you look at the calls of the question, it becomes clear that the examiners are testing the same underlying legal knowledge in remarkably similar ways. This repetition highlights why it's so important to review and practice with past MEE questions—because you're not just preparing for a random question, you're preparing for the kind of question the bar exam likes to ask over and over again.

October 2020 MEE – Calls of the Question

Under the free speech guarantee of the First Amendment of the Constitution as applied to the states by the Fourteenth Amendment: 1. Is the ordinance a content-based regulation of speech or a content-neutral regulation of speech Explain. 2. Assuming that the ordinance is content-based, is it constitutional? Explain. 3. Assuming that the ordinance is content-neutral, is it constitutional? Explain.

February 2025 MEE – Calls of the Question

1. What type of First Amendment forum is the pedestrian median strip? Explain. 2. Is the Town ordinance a content-based or content-neutral regulation of speech? Explain. 3. Assuming that the Town ordinance is content-based, would applying it to the man violate his First Amendment rights? Explain. 4. Assuming that the Town ordinance is content-neutral, would applying it to the man violate his First Amendment rights? Explain.

The similarities aren’t just interesting—they’re instructive. They show why writing and reviewing past MEE questions is essential—not just for exposure to doctrine, but for developing real exam-day advantages.

1. Improves Timing and Efficiency

The more essays you write and review, the better and faster you become at spotting issues. You'll begin to anticipate what’s coming based on familiar patterns. Better yet, you’ll already have thought about how to draft key rule blocks. That saves precious minutes on exam day—and a few minutes matter on 30-minute essays.

2. Sharpens Issue Spotting

Repetition trains your brain. If you've seen how a particular subject has been tested 10 times before, you're far more likely to recognize it when it shows up again—even if the fact pattern looks different. Familiarity with prior essays helps you cut through the noise and zero in on what matters.

3. Builds Confidence

Knowing what’s likely to appear gives you an edge—and it boosts your confidence. If you’ve practiced enough past MEEs, you’ll feel a sense of readiness when a similar structure or question type shows up. Confidence helps you stay focused, avoid panic, and stick to your plan.

These aren’t just soft skills—they’re performance skills. And they’re all developed through disciplined practice with past questions.

Since 2008, approximately 280 MEE essay questions have been administered. While you won’t write them all out—nor do you have access to every single one—you should aim to read and review as many as possible before exam day.

Aim to write out at least 3 to 4 essays each week and seek feedback. For the others, actively review the fact patterns, identify the issues, consider outlining your responses, and study the sample answers and grader analyses. This blend of writing practice and strategic review ensures broad exposure to previously tested principles and repeated doctrinal concepts, helping you maximize both efficiency and comprehension as you approach the exam.

Final Thoughts: Study Patterns, Not Just Content

Bar examiners often change the facts but sometimes test the same core legal concepts. That’s not laziness on the part of the examiners—it’s a deliberate strategy. Beyond assessing your doctrinal knowledge, these questions are designed to evaluate your legal reasoning, organization, clarity, and ability to analyze facts—skills that multiple-choice questions can’t fully capture.

So, what's your best strategy? Study as many previous MEE essays as possible, paying attention to the calls of the question and tracking which legal concepts—and skill sets—are frequently and consistently being tested.

The more familiar you are with what the bar consistently tests, the more prepared you’ll be to apply both your knowledge and analytical writing skills with confidence.

(For access to past questions and representative good student responses, start with jurisdictions that regularly release helpful materials. The New York Board of Law Examiners, Ohio's Office of Bar Admissions, and Maryland State Board of Law Examiners offer publicly available past essay questions, analyses, and in some cases, high-scoring sample answers. These resources are invaluable for seeing how successful examinees structure responses, apply law to fact, and organize their writing under exam conditions. Use them to guide your writing practice and self-assessment as you prepare. The National Conference of Bar Examiners also provides for free complete question sets from 2015 to 2019.)

Related Post: Examiners Re-using Bar Exam Essay Questions (Dec. 5, 2017)