Thread: cal bar accomodation

Just out of curiosity... where can I find the information as to when the exam is given for people with accommodations? All I saw at the Cal Bar site was the one given examinees in observance of a religious holiday. That didn't seem unreasonable. Are you telling me that people with accommodations are taking the same exam given today, tomorrow, and Thursday, starting in six days? I don't mean to be rude, but that is a major leg up on this monster. I saw it in law school, people getting fake ADD notes from doctors to get extra time on exams. We were sweating to get done and they are outside smoking and leaving the exam early, since they got so much extra time. With all due respect, it doesn't seem right.

Let's clear this up:

1) the accommodated students take the essays at the exact same time as all of the other students. So a double-time, 6-day student takes the essays on Tuesday and Thursday morning like everyone else. The one conceivable place for an advantage is on the PTs, which the 6-day folks will write on Wednesday and Friday. The MBE is usually given on Sat and Sun for the 6-day folks, and you must know that there's no useful tidbits given on this or any other forum about acutal MBE questions. That's why it's done the way it is.

2) as you can see above, the 6-day folks, the 1-1/2 time folks, and the "traditional" time folks are all writing essays right now!

Source: Steven Harris

All applicants receiving accommodation have well documented medical reasons to substantiate their needs. Let’s be slow to judge the accommodation applicants. All applicants receiving accommodation have well documented medical reasons to substantiate their need. The idea is to level the playing field with all other applicants. For instance, if an applicant is unable to sit for more than a few hours a day because of a back or neck injury, or maybe multiple problems, that applicant would be unable to sit for the exam under normal circumstances. There are many reasons the bar would grant testing accommodation to an applicant. I would prefer to leave the screening process to the professionals. Would you prefer that applicant not be permitted to be an attorney because he or she was a victim of an accident and not able to take the exam with the rest of you "NORMAL" applicants? I hope your answer is no. All accommodation applicants sign a document agreeing not use telephone, the Internet, or any other communication form as an attempt to communicate with other examinees or to gain information of what is on the exam.

The bar does a great job screening applicants with disabilities.

The six day schedule for some applicants is as follows:
Tuesday essay 1, 2, 3;
Wednesday Performance A;
Thursday essay 4, 5, 6;
Friday Performance B;
Saturday and Sunday MBE.

This schedule allows the accommodation applicant to sit for the most
sensitive portion of the exam with all other applicants.

I wish the very best of luck to those sitting for the exam and
particularly special blessing to those taking this monster exam under
difficult circumstances with accommodation.