The Testing Column - Exploring the Pros and Cons of Moving to Computer-Based Testing for the Bar Exam

Sep 4, 2026

Upload by Miles

The article examines the challenges and potential benefits of administering multiple-choice bar exam tests through commercial computer-based testing centers. It compares two scheduling models, including single-day testing and multi-week testing windows, and analyzes impacts on examinees, licensing agencies, and jurisdictional stakeholders. It also outlines operational and security advantages such as randomized items, reduced cheating, lower printing and shipping costs, electronic scoring, improved research data, and more resilient retake scheduling during disruptions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Considerations for Those Involved

Test takers

Licensing agencies

Jurisdictions

Reasons to Move to Computer-Based Testing

Advantages of CBT

The TesTing Column exPLOrinG the PrOS anD cOnS Of MOvinG tO cOMPuter-BaSeD teStinG fOr the Bar exaM by Susan M. Case, Ph.D. C urrently, most high-stakes tests, such as those used to license physicians, nurses, and many others, are ad- ministered via computer in special testing centers. This article explores the challenges as well as the potential benefits involved in administering our multiple-choice tests in commercial testing centers. uSinG cOMMerciaL teStinG centerS fOr aDMiniSterinG the MBe anD MPre: MethODS anD cOnSiDeratiOnS There are two ways in which commercial testing centers are used to administer high-stakes tests. First, a very small program might test everyone on the same day. If our numbers were small, we could use commercial testing centers to test MBE examineeson a single day in February and July as we do now. Unfortunately, our numbers are too large: the number of MBE candidates testing in February 2011 was 20,369, and the number testing in July was 49,933 . No vendor has enough seats to accommodate the number of candidates who take NCBE’s tests on a single day. The second approach is to have “testing windows” that include a few weeks in, say, February and July, or to allow testing on virtually everyday of the year. This is the approach used by most high-stakes testing programs. NCBE’s volume of testing for the MBE would probably require that we test on at least 20 days per year. Considerations for Those Involved For test takers, one disadvantage of computer-based testing (CBT) centers is that they are shared by all examinees, and bar exam test takers would share the testing room with others who might be taking a test as short as one hour. One of the common complaints of test takers in such an environment is that they are distracted by the frequent comings and goings of other test takers. For licensing agencies, the use of CBT centers typically requires the creation of additional test forms. Because CBT tests are usually administered more frequently than paper-and-pencil tests, more test forms must be created in order to ensure that examinees tested at the end of a testing cycle have not gained information about the particular test questions from those tested earlier in the cycle. The upper limit would be to create a test form for each separate day of administration (as NCBE does now, for each February and July MBE administration), but most professional licensing agencies develop fewer test forms than that. A common model is to develop dozens to hundreds of semi-unique test forms created from a bank of test questions that has perhaps 46 The Bar Examiner, March 2012 15 to 20 times the number of questions required fora single test form. In addition to creating many forms of the test, mechanisms must be developed to ensure that repeaters do not see the same questions that they saw previously. These mechanisms are logistically and psychometrically challenging. For each examinee who registers for an exam, the examinee’s records must be checked and a test form assigned that includes only questions not previously seen by that examinee. Jurisdictions may have different opinions about the use of CBT centers. For the MPRE, CBT centers would replace ACT for the administration of the exam. For the MBE, CBT centers would replace jurisdictions for the administration of the exam. Some jurisdictions might be unhappy with a reduced role in test administration, while others may welcome moving the MBE administration to CBT centers to reduce their workload, particularly with the heightened security concerns they currently bear with respect to this exam. Note that the written components would still be administered by the jurisdictions on a single day in February and July. This test administration model is required to avoid the need for developing many forms of the essay and performance tests. reaSOnS tO MOve tO cOMPuter-BaSeD teStinG Advantages of CBT include the following: • Administeri

FAQs

What two approaches do commercial testing centers use for high-stakes exams?

One approach is a very small program testing everyone on the same day. The other approach uses testing windows spanning weeks or allows testing on most days of the year.

What disadvantages do bar exam test takers face in CBT centers?

Test takers share rooms with other examinees, and frequent movement in the environment can distract them.

What are key advantages of moving to computer-based testing?

CBT enables item randomization that reduces adjacent-copying cheating, supports new question formats, removes printing and shipping needs, enables electronic answer collection and scoring, and provides richer response data for research.

Sep 4, 2026

Upload by Miles