WA State - Failed 2nd Time

Hi all,

I've been a long time lurker for well over a year at this point. I graduated law school Aug 2024, weird timing due to a summer semester class, took the Feb 2025 bar and failed miserably. In hindsight, I was too casual about prep. I did 75% of Barbri, but didn't apply myself fully on simulated exams and essays. Next, I studied for July 2025 with Barbri and purchased Adaptibar, doing 25-50 MCQ per day. I kept track of everything in a spreadsheet - during the second prep cycle, I completed over 2000 questions, studied 400+ hours and was averaging 62% on my MCQ leading up to test day, with some practice sets in the 70s and 80s. From all I had read, that was a decent threshold to be at and I felt decent going into the exam. Leaving the exam, I had a terrible feeling in my gut that the MCQ did not really match what I had been practicing and I hadn't performed well. I felt angry that the bar prep I spent $$$ on didn't seal the deal for me and felt like nothing actually matches the bar exam experience. Sure enough, I got results in September, 2 weeks after my dad unexpectedly passed away, and had increased my score 22 points, but was still 25 points away from passing in my 266 jdx.

After a few weeks of moping, I am trying to come up with a game plan for 2026. Specifically, I came here to Reddit to ask 3 questions: (1) would you take Feb 2026 and start studying now (I work a part to full time job) or wait til July 2026, and (2) what bar prep does simulate the bar exam or best prepare you? I hear a lot about GOAT bar prep, but do not know anyone in my life who has used them, aside from Reddit users. Lastly, (3) is it worth investing in a tutor at this point for MBE improvement? I usually talked through these big life decisions with my dad and with him being gone, I find myself very frozen in my head and turning to Reddit for help.

Any insights, perspectives, words of wisdom would be appreciated as I decide this next step. Congrats to all who passed July 2025, you crushed it! Thanks in advance.