Opportunity and support
The mission of the Office of Academic Excellence is to enrich each student’s learning experience by ensuring a smooth transition to law school and arming students with the skills they need to perform well in their courses and on the bar exam.
We encourage you to reach out to us at excellence @mitchellhamline.edu.
We give our students the support they need at every stage from their first day to the day they pass the bar. Our first-year course, Legal Methods, demystifies the law school experience by teaching students how to learn the material and perform well in their classes and on their exams. In students second, third, or fourth year they can take Bar Preparation Strategies: MPT to further develop their law school skills and begin preparing for a crucial component of the bar exam, the Practice Test. This is a test that makes up a large portion of the current bar exam and will be an even bigger component of the NextGen Bar Exam. In their final spring semester, students can take Bar Preparation Strategies: MBE & MEE if they are taking the current bar exam, and we will offer Bar Preparation Strategies: NextGen beginning spring 2026.
We offer one-on-one tutoring for law school skills and the bar exam. Any student who wants additional help at any point can reach out and be paired with one of our one-on-one tutors. Any student or graduate who wants one-on-one help preparing for the bar exam can get that help from Academic Excellence. We have helped students prepare for bar exams in almost every jurisdiction, including those with state-specific components of their bar exams. We have dedicated tutors in those jurisdictions with experience taking and passing those bar exams.
In addition to courses and tutoring, we offer workshops, student mentoring, a weekly bar prep newsletter, bar prep planning, and much more!
Important note: We provide our students with abundant opportunities to learn bar-tested material and master their test-taking skills so that they have the absolute best chance to pass the bar exam. However, we cannot guarantee that any one student will pass the bar exam because, in the end, a student’s success on the bar has to do with how they choose to prepare. We are committed to our students passing the bar exam, and we support our students’ efforts to do that in every way we can.
Services
- Tutoring: One-on-one or group tutoring available during the day, in the evening, and on the weekends.
- Workshops: In-depth workshops to help you with a variety of skills. Available live and on demand
Bar passage
We have seen a significant bar passage increase after the development of our courses and programming. Mitchell Hamline graduates continue to outperform predicted bar passage as a result of the school’s dedication to academic support and bar prep for all students. Bar passage information is available on our ABA Required Disclosures page.
Courses
First year—Legal Methods
A one-credit course that all students take during their first semester to help them develop the skills they need to succeed in law school and lay a foundation for bar passage.
Bar preparation courses
Bar Prep Strategies: MPT
A two-credit course designed to teach, reinforce, and enhance the skills necessary for successful completion of law school and bar passage. Required for some students, open to and highly encouraged for all students.
Bar Prep Strategies: MBE and MEE
A three-credit course to be taken during a student’s last spring semester of law school that helps students learn substantive bar topics and key bar exam taking strategies. Required for some students, open to and highly encouraged for all students.
Office of Academic ExcellenceOffice of Academic Excellence
Themis bar prep at Mitchell Hamline
Mitchell Hamline has partnered with Themis to offer our students resources to help them with their law school classes, the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), and the bar exam. The cost for these Themis resources is billed as part of the Integrated Bar Readiness Fee for a total of six semesters.