My results aren’t out yet, and honestly, I don’t know if I’m going to pass either. But I wanted to write this for anyone who might need to hear it.

I know how much this exam means to so many of us. For some, it’s about keeping a job. For others, it’s about starting a career, supporting their families, fulfilling a promise, or finally achieving something they’ve worked toward for years.

And life doesn’t just stop because we’re preparing for the bar. Some of us have gone through job changes, financial difficulties, family responsibilities, relocations, or unexpected life circumstances. We all walk into that exam room carrying things that nobody else can see.

I’m a foreign-trained candidate, and I’ve been self-studying because I simply can’t afford a commercial bar prep course. I’ve done what I could with the resources I had. Was it enough? I honestly don’t know. I want to be able to look back someday and feel proud of myself for having the courage to keep trying, even when the odds weren’t necessarily in my favor.

If I fail, I’ll be disappointed. I’ll probably cry. I’ll question everything I’ve done. But I don’t think I’m ready to give up on this dream just yet.

Something I’ve noticed from conversations with other candidates at my test venue is that we don’t always talk about how well we performed or whether we think we’ll pass. Sometimes, we just talk about the future. What comes next? Where do we go from here? What opportunities are still out there?
And I think that’s important.

Please don’t let this disappointment become a burden you carry into every opportunity that comes your way.

If you have a job interview, go to it. If there’s an opportunity worth pursuing, pursue it. If you need to change jobs, change direction, or take some time to figure things out, that’s okay too.

You still have knowledge, skills, experiences, and qualities that no exam result can take away from you. One disappointing result doesn’t erase everything you’ve accomplished to get here.
And if you didn’t pass, I hope you know that your effort wasn’t meaningless. You are not less intelligent, less capable, or less deserving of becoming an attorney because of one exam result.
Take your time. Cry if you need to. Take a break. Figure out what works for you financially, mentally, and professionally. There’s no shame in needing more time, and there’s no shame in choosing a different path either.

But if this is still something you want, please stick around. You’ve already made it this far.
I don’t know whether I’ll be celebrating or grieving when my results come out. Maybe I’ll be right there with some of you, figuring out how to start all over again.

Whatever happens, I hope we can all be a little kinder to ourselves.

And I’m not giving up on myself either.
Sending love to everyone waiting, celebrating, grieving, or trying to figure out what comes next.

O St. Joseph of Cupertino who by your prayer obtained from God to be asked at your examination, the only preposition you knew. Grant that I may like you succeed in passing the Bar Examination.

In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked.

O St. Joseph of Cupertino pray for me

O Holy Ghost enlighten me

Our Lady of Good Studies pray for me

Sacred Head of Jesus, Seat of divine wisdom, enlighten me.

Amen 🙏

Moved to the US in 2024 to pursue a Master of Laws. I'm a Spanish-speaker, and my English is not that good.

After graduating from my LL.M. in May 2025, I started the bar prep. It was the first time studying for these courses. The preparation was far from ideal: I was 50% focused on studying, and 50% focused on continuing to sending cold emails to try to get a job as a foreign attorney. I took the bar without having a job, and most importantly, having had an interview a week before that seemed to lead to an offer, but in turn led to a boilerplate rejection email, made things worse. Financial difficulties in between and getting robbed (including personal documentation) didn't help either.

During the exam, MPT went well, but during the MEE, I made up mostly everything. I didn't remember anything but vague concepts or ideas that, as an attorney with 4 years of prior experience in my home country, made sense to me. No clue about the multiple choice.

I ended up passing with the minimum score and, turns out, my multiple choice was terrible and what ended up saving me was the writen portion of the exam. Again, I made up a lot of rules on the MEE. I guess having prior experienced and implementing the writing structures helped a lot.

Ended up getting a job at a big law firm in NY and, after becoming admitted to practice, made it into an associate position.

So, if you feel you did terribly, you still have chances. I had the same feeling and I tend to be very realistic about everything. Keep your hopes up.

I CANT BELIEVE IM SAYING THIS I PASSED … now I want my score lmao

Is goat the only option, I’ve only done Themis and self study and 2 points shy. Is goat worth it so short study bursts and I’d add like uworld for MBE practice and old MEEs for practice

Everyone still waiting for results is in my thoughts and prayers bc being in this last stretch (currently waiting on NY results) is so bizarre. Feels like I have been pretty calm since the exam, but these last few days have just sent me into a crisis and got me rethinking whether I have been living with a false sense of calmness since July. Will never understand why they can't give us a specific release date, especially since at least one person in their office has to be monitoring/seeing our Reddit posts of despair. Anywhooooo good luck to all my soon-to-be attorneys and cannot wait to see you all on the flip side

Hi everyone!

I'm a Korean attorney, and I passed the July 2026 Illinois Bar Exam as first taker!

I'm hoping to find a beautiful and kind Filipino-American woman I met at the exam center in Chicago. She was born in the U.S. and is of Filipino descent.

During the exam, she kindly lent me a pencil with an eraser. Thanks to her, I was able to change my answers to six questions, which I believe really helped me pass!

We had agreed to meet outside the exam center afterward, but somehow we missed each other.

I've been wanting to thank her ever since.

If you're reading this, I just want you to know that I passed! ❤️ Your small act of kindness meant so much to me.

I really hope you passed too!

If this sounds familiar, please reach out. I'd love to reconnect and thank you properly! 😊

It has been 83 days since the exam. We are still completely in the dark about results.

The July 2016 exam took 83 days to release scores, meaning that by tomorrow, we will have officially surpassed this standing record.

The only outlier was in 2021, which took a full 110 days and released on November 15th. This was likely due to complications from remote testing.

I never post here but as results day gets closer, I’m actually super scared. What if I fail? I’m like not a good failer, Lord I’m begging you please 😭

I so nicely would like to ask that you all stop making NY Bar posts without clarifying it is not out yet. I’ve had 7 heart attacks today because of yall.

🥲🥲🥲

I went through the last 10 years of release days of the week for both Feb and July exams for Michigan

———————February. July. Combined
Monday: 0 1 1, 5%
Tuesday: 2 3 5, 25%
Wednes: 3 3 6, 30%
Thursd: 4 1 5, 25%
Friday: 1 2 3, 15%

Basically, Wednesday leads in terms of frequency of date of release overall, but Tuesday and Wednesday are tied for July exam release days. I’m like 80% sure the frequency of days release is accurate, BUT PLEASE take this with a grain of salt

If I had to guess I’d say today or tomorrow based on this (Tuesday or Wednesday) or if not then, next week for the same two days

I’m not really sure why we all repeatedly guessed Friday when it’s only happened twice in the last 10 years, I just took that at everyone’s word for that being most likely release day, but it seems like the last 10 years support a midweek release IF we are to look at the past release days as an indicator for when it will most likely release now. Its entirely possible that it’s essentially completely random and that they don’t release it as often on Mondays or Fridays because they want the weekend to recheck before they drop it or an extra day at the beginning or end of the week to verify or compile results before releasing in the middle of the week

Again, this could be entirely meaningless, so please take it with a grain of salt

At the same time, I feel like I used up all of my anxiety and stress and worry last week and I feel like I have none this week. Last week I woke up every morning with incredible stress and anxiety, but this week I’m just kind of going through the motions and more annoyed than anything else That results have not yet dropped

waiting …

anxiety at 1090000%

It’s way past their usual time line for the last few years, what is actually happening. I wish they would just clarify ( not my chart and I don’t remember where I got it from lol)

…I:

* Watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding
* Learned a new piece on the piano
* Watered my plants
—I’m also considering a Ted Lasso’s marathon.

I’d love to hear what fun/interesting things others are doing.

Cheers everyone —we are almost there 😌

or has your prediction changed. please revert.

this is NOT a prank, but i was made aware of a second degree connection whose parent is involved with BOLE that said the press release will be released friday.

Given that it's likely the first update to the site in a while, I'm cautiously optimistic it's a sign the results will be coming soon. I personally lean towards a Friday, but who knows.

https://www.courts.michigan.gov/administration/committees-boards/board-of-law-examiners/

Do we think it could be today? Or definitely tomorrow / Thursday

Why couldn’t you tell us, in unequivocal terms, that results will come out on the 23rd? I know, deep down, that the 23rd is the day. But that doesn’t stop my anxious mind from spiraling — from thinking today is the day they’ll finally post notice that results come out the following day. I’m sad.

crying in NY rn

DC people how are we feeling?! at this point i’m beyond ready to get my scores. the dreams (re: nightmares) are getting insane at this point. i’ve pictured every scenario.

ps. anyone’s references do like a shit job of picking up the phone/answering the emails?! kind of worried that’s gonna cause issues with my character and fitness but curious to see.