Many aspiring lawyers wonder if they can take the California Bar Exam without actually going to law school. The short answer is yes, they can.During the Second Year. In the U.S. today, you cannot sign up for and take a bar exam — let alone pass one — without formal legal training. Complete the required pre-legal education. This innovative program provides a clear pathway from community college to law school with the purpose of increasing diversity in the legal profession. The State Bar of California mandates that you must have at least two years of an undergraduate education (equal to 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours). When you graduate from nationally accredited law school (ABA) you are eligible to take the bar in any of the fifty states. If a person graduates from an ABA approved law school in California, they are eligible to immediately take the bar exam in any state. If you're a student with legal aspirations, apply to Mesa College's Pathway to Law School program!