Why Two Candidates with the Same Mock Score Can Get Very Different Real Results
A candidate scores 65% on a BPP mock and feels comfortable. Another candidate scores 65% on a QLTS mock and feels nervous. They walk into the same SQE1 sitting four weeks later. The first candidate ends up scoring 60% on the real exam and just passes. The second candidate scores 79% and lands in the top quintile.
What happened? Both candidates calibrated their preparation against a mock score, and neither of them was wrong to. The problem is that a 65% on one provider's mocks is not the same signal as a 65% on another. Different providers calibrate their mock difficulty differently, and the size of the gap between mock score and real-exam score varies dramatically.
This post translates the published mock-vs-real data into something useful. We walk through each major SQE1 mock provider, show the average difference between their mock scores and real exam scores, and tell you what your mock score actually predicts about your readiness. If you have ever wondered whether your 70% mock is a comfortable pass or a borderline fail, this guide is for you.
The original research underlying these numbers is from Law Drills' SQE mocks-vs-real comparison and our own aggregated practice question data from candidates using our 3,500+ MCQ bank.
The One-Table Summary
| Provider | Mock-to-real adjustment | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Revise SQE | Real ≈ mock + 2.7% | Most accurate predictor |
| BPP | Real ≈ mock − 4.5% | Mocks slightly easier than real |
| BARBRI | Real ≈ mock − 9% | Mocks easier than real |
| SRA sample questions | Real ≈ mock − 12% | Sample questions easier than real |
| QLTS | Real ≈ mock + 14.5% | Mocks much harder than real |
A few worked examples to make it concrete:
- A 65% on Revise SQE mocks → expect roughly 67–68% on the real exam.
- A 65% on BPP mocks → expect roughly 60–61% on the real exam.
- A 65% on BARBRI mocks → expect roughly 56% on the real exam.
- A 65% on QLTS mocks → expect roughly 79–80% on the real exam.
- A 65% on SRA sample questions → expect roughly 53% on the real exam (which is below or right at the pass mark).
These are averages with substantial individual variation — typically ±5–10 percentage points on top of the average. We unpack each in turn, with the variation ranges and what they mean for your prep decisions.
Revise SQE Mocks: Real ≈ Mock + 2.7%
Revise SQE mocks come out of the research data as the most accurate predictor of real SQE1 performance. Average gap between mock score and real exam score: real performance is 2.7% higher than mock performance. The variation range observed across candidates is roughly −5% to +10%, which is narrower than any other provider.
What this means in practice:
- If you are scoring 60% on Revise SQE mocks, you are most likely sitting at roughly 63% on the real exam — a comfortable pass.
- If you are scoring 55% on Revise SQE mocks, your real-exam expectation is around 58% — still a likely pass, but with thin margin.
- If you are scoring 50% or below on Revise SQE mocks, expect roughly 53% on the real exam, which is right at the pass-mark threshold.
The narrow variation range is the more interesting fact. With Revise SQE mocks, you can take your score at face value with reasonable confidence. With other providers, you need a larger margin of safety to absorb the variation.
Strategic implication: if you can only do one set of mocks, Revise SQE is the cleanest signal of where you stand. Combined with topic-level data from a high-volume bank like our 3,500+ question library, it gives you both calibration and coverage.
BPP Mocks: Real ≈ Mock − 4.5%
BPP's SQE prep course includes a substantial bank of mocks. Average difference: real exam scores tend to be 4.5% lower than BPP mock scores. Variation range: roughly −2% to −9% — fairly tight on the downside.
Worked examples:
- 65% on BPP mocks → roughly 60.5% on the real exam — a thin pass.
- 70% on BPP mocks → roughly 65.5% on the real exam — comfortable pass.
- 60% on BPP mocks → roughly 55.5% on the real exam — borderline; consider deferring.
BPP mocks are generally well-written and reflect the SRA assessment style closely. The 4.5% inflation is most likely a function of (a) the BPP question pool being authored by experienced item writers who tend to write slightly cleaner discriminators than appear in live SRA papers, and (b) the BPP cohort using mocks under conditions slightly more relaxed than real exam-day conditions.
Strategic implication: if you are a BPP candidate, treat your mock scores as upper-bound estimates. Aim for a 70% mock score to feel comfortable about a pass, not 60%. The BPP question bank is otherwise excellent for content calibration — it just inflates absolute scores by a small amount. We compare BPP and other providers in detail in SQE1 prep course providers compared 2026.
BARBRI Mocks: Real ≈ Mock − 9%
BARBRI mock scores inflate real-exam scores by an average of 9 percentage points. A BARBRI candidate scoring 70% on their mock should expect roughly 61% on the real exam.
Variation range: roughly −5% to −13%. The wider variation reflects the larger BARBRI cohort and the mix of self-paced and tutor-led versions of their courses.
Worked examples:
- 70% on BARBRI mocks → roughly 61% on the real exam — a thin pass.
- 75% on BARBRI mocks → roughly 66% on the real exam — comfortable pass.
- 65% on BARBRI mocks → roughly 56% on the real exam — borderline fail risk.
BARBRI's mocks are generally easier than the live SRA papers for several reasons. The BARBRI question pool was originally adapted from US bar-prep methodology, which tends toward cleaner fact patterns and fewer engineered distractors. BARBRI has progressively tightened their mocks since 2023 — but they remain noticeably easier than the real thing.
Strategic implication: BARBRI candidates should target 75%+ on mocks to feel comfortable about a pass. A 65% mock score is dangerous; aim higher. Pairing BARBRI mocks with harder third-party material (such as our full mock exams) is the standard advice from candidates who have taken both.
SRA Sample Questions: Real ≈ Sample − 12%
The SRA's free 220-question sample bank is the most authoritative free resource — and one of the easiest. Average difference: real-exam scores are 12 percentage points lower than scores on the SRA samples.
Worked examples:
- 75% on SRA samples → roughly 63% on the real exam.
- 70% on SRA samples → roughly 58% on the real exam — likely pass with thin margin.
- 65% on SRA samples → roughly 53% on the real exam — at or near the pass-mark threshold.
- 60% on SRA samples → roughly 48% on the real exam — likely fail.
The reasons are well-documented. The SRA bank is a curated subset of questions, and the curation tends toward cleaner discriminators. The hardest live SQE1 questions, where two answers look defensible until you spot the subtle distinction, are under-represented in the published bank.
Strategic implication: never use SRA sample scores as a confidence signal for the real exam. Use them for format calibration and topic-level diagnosis, not for readiness. A candidate hitting 75% on SRA samples is not necessarily a comfortable pass; that same candidate scoring 75% on a representative third-party bank is much closer to a comfortable pass.
The full strategy guide for using the SRA bank effectively is in our SRA SQE1 sample questions guide.
QLTS Mocks: Real ≈ Mock + 14.5%
QLTS mocks are the opposite of every other provider in our list — they over-estimate the real exam's difficulty. Average difference: real-exam scores are 14.5 percentage points higher than QLTS mock scores. Variation range: roughly +5% to +22%.
Worked examples:
- 50% on QLTS mocks → roughly 64.5% on the real exam — comfortable pass.
- 55% on QLTS mocks → roughly 69.5% on the real exam — strong pass, possibly Q1.
- 45% on QLTS mocks → roughly 59.5% on the real exam — pass, but thin.
- 40% on QLTS mocks → roughly 54.5% on the real exam — at the pass-mark threshold.
The reason QLTS mocks are harder is the historic context. QLTS School built its question bank originally for the QLTS (Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme) assessment, which preceded the SQE and used a generally tougher MCQ style. Their post-SQE mocks have inherited this difficulty. The SRA's actual papers are easier than QLTS's calibration, so the gap goes in the candidate's favour.
Strategic implication: if you are using QLTS mocks, a 50% score is a likely pass. Do not panic at sub-60% performance. Conversely, a 65% on QLTS mocks puts you firmly in Q1 territory on the real paper. The challenge with QLTS is psychological — many candidates abandon QLTS mocks because the scores feel demoralising, when in fact the demoralising score is the right signal.
Why the Calibration Gaps Exist
Three structural reasons explain why mock providers calibrate so differently.
Question authoring philosophy. Some providers favour exam-style fact patterns with engineered distractors that match the real SRA discriminator-engineering style. Others favour cleaner academic questions that test discrete legal points but lack the layered reasoning of live SRA items.
Cohort composition. A provider's mock-vs-real data is collected from candidates who use that provider's course. Candidates who pay £8,000 for a BARBRI course tend to be a different cohort from candidates who pay £200 for QLTS materials. The cohort difference contributes to the gap.
Test conditions. Real SQE1 papers are 90 questions in a single 153-minute session — gruelling. Mocks are sometimes taken at home, with breaks, with a glass of water. The relaxed conditions inflate scores. The closer your mock conditions match the real exam, the smaller the gap.
The takeaway is that no single mock score should be taken at face value. Calibrate against the provider's published or community-reported gap.
What to Do With Your Score: A Decision Framework
Given the variability, here is a practical decision framework for translating mocks into action.
Step 1: Convert to a comparable "real exam expectation"
Take your mock score and apply the provider's adjustment:
- Revise SQE: add ~3%
- BPP: subtract ~4.5%
- BARBRI: subtract ~9%
- SRA samples: subtract ~12%
- QLTS: add ~14.5%
- Our practice bank: roughly real-exam-aligned (we calibrate to the published SRA difficulty); add ~0–3%
Step 2: Compare to the pass threshold
The SQE1 pass mark on a scaled score is 300/500, which historically corresponds to roughly 53–57% raw correct answers. A real-exam expectation of:
- 65%+ = comfortable pass; likely top two quintiles
- 58–65% = pass with margin
- 53–58% = thin pass; risky given sitting variance
- Below 53% = likely fail
Step 3: Decide whether to sit or defer
If your current mock score, adjusted for provider calibration, gives a real-exam expectation below 60%, ask honestly whether you should defer. The SQE1 fee rises to £2,006 from September 2026 — a resit is now an even more expensive penalty for a thin pass. Deferring to the next sitting and doing another four weeks of practice is often the cheaper play.
If your adjusted expectation is 65%+, you are well-prepared. Continue your taper — see the 4-week last-minute revision plan — and protect your sleep.
Step 4: Diversify your sources
Single-provider mock scores are a noisy signal. The candidates who calibrate best take at least one full mock from each of two different providers before booking. A 65% on Revise SQE plus a 50% on QLTS, both adjusted, gives you two real-exam expectations of roughly 67% and 64.5% respectively — a tight, defensible range. Two scores from one provider give you only one data point.
How Topic Tracking Beats Total Score
A score is a summary; the topic-level breakdown is the strategy document. Across providers, the most common pattern in candidates who fail despite "good" mock scores is uneven coverage. They average 70% across all topics by combining 90% on Contract and 50% on Trusts. The real exam, which weights topics broadly evenly, exposes the Trusts gap.
When you look at your mock results, ignore the headline percentage for a moment and check three things:
- Your lowest-accuracy subject. If it is below 60%, the next 30 hours go there.
- The spread between your highest and lowest subjects. A spread above 25 percentage points is a warning sign — your prep is uneven.
- Your time-to-answer distribution. If you are spending 2+ minutes on hard questions, your stamina will collapse in a real 90-question session.
Our practice bank and the topic-by-topic revision guides are built around exactly this kind of granular tracking.
A Note on Mocks Done Too Early
A subtle mistake: candidates who sit a full mock before they have completed content acquisition get scores that are far below what they will eventually achieve. The mock-vs-real gap research we cited above measures candidates within 6 weeks of their actual sitting. A mock taken three months out, before you have covered Trusts or Solicitors Accounts, says nothing useful about your real-exam readiness — only about your current state.
Save your full mocks for the last 6–8 weeks before your sitting. Between then and now, do topic-specific practice questions and shorter (30–50 question) timed blocks. The full SQE1 exam-day guide covers stamina training in more detail.
Where to Go From Here
Mock scores are a tool, not a verdict. Used correctly, they tell you whether your preparation is converging on a pass with margin. Used naively, they create either false confidence or unnecessary panic.
- Get a calibrated baseline: SQE1 quick quiz
- Full mock exams in real-exam conditions: pricing plans
- The official SRA samples — and how to use them: SRA SQE1 sample questions guide
- Provider course comparison: SQE1 prep course providers compared 2026
- The MCQ technique that improves any mock score: SQE1 MCQ technique guide
- Convert wrong answers into durable recall: SQE1 flashcard strategy
- Prioritising hours by topic volume: SQE1 high-yield topics guide
- Reading the latest pass-rate context: SQE1 January 2026 results analysis
- If your score is borderline: SQE1 last-minute revision plan
- If you have already failed and need to resit: Failed SQE1? Complete resit guide
A mock score is a measurement, not a destiny. Calibrate against the provider, track the topic-level breakdown, and aim for the real-exam expectation that gives you margin — not the headline number that gives you comfort.