How Do Different Providers' SQE Mock Scores Compare to Students' Real Results?

The SRA doesn’t release past papers, making it crucial for SQE candidates to understand how mock exam scores from different providers compare to real exam performance. At Law Drills, hundreds of data points from candidate interviews and social media discussions provide this comparison, now updated with the January 2026 sitting. We also hold our premium mocks by Dan Hill to the same test, measured against our students’ actual SQE results, and report where they sit (about 5% easier than the real exam) below. The research reveals significant variation: QLTS mocks are the hardest (students score about 13.8% higher on the real exam), with OUP and TheOneHundred close behind (around 9% higher). Revise SQE mocks are widely considered the most accurate (+4.1%), and ULaw now tracks the real exam closely (-1.2%), while BPP (-7.3%), SRA sample papers (-7.6%) and BARBRI (-9.4%) tend to run easier. This data helps candidates set realistic expectations and choose the right mocks for their preparation.

What is the average difference between SQE mock exam scores and real results?

The average difference between SQE mock exam scores and real results varies significantly by provider. Data shows students typically score around 4% to 14% higher on the real exam compared to harder mocks (QLTS, OUP, TheOneHundred, Revise SQE), while scoring up to roughly 9% lower than easier mocks (BARBRI, BPP, SRA).

This wide variation makes it essential to understand each provider’s difficulty level. The key finding from research is that no single mock perfectly replicates the real SQE exam difficulty, but understanding these differences helps set realistic expectations and prepare more effectively.

Here’s how different SQE mock exam scores compare to real exam results. A positive figure means students score higher on the real exam than on the mock (the mock was harder); a negative figure means the mock was easier than the real exam.

Provider	Real exam vs mock (average)	Typical range
QLTS	+13.8% (real higher)	+5% to +22%
OUP	+8.9% (real higher)	0% to +19%
TheOneHundred	+8.8% (real higher)	-1% to +19%
Revise SQE	+4.1% (widely considered most accurate)	-3% to +15%
ULaw	-1.2% (broadly accurate)	-19% to +14%
Law Drills premium mocks by Dan Hill	-5% (real lower)	-22% to +15% (revised, est.)
BPP	-7.3% (real lower)	-14% to +7%
SRA Sample	-7.6% (real lower)	Original samples easier; pre-tested set closer
BARBRI	-9.4% (real lower)	-23% to +2%

How should I interpret my mock exam scores?

Interpret mock exam scores by applying research-based adjustments. For QLTS mocks, add about 14% to estimate real performance; for OUP or TheOneHundred, add about 9%. Revise SQE and ULaw scores need little adjustment on average. For BPP subtract about 7%, for BARBRI about 9%, and for the original SRA samples about 8%. For Law Drills’ premium mocks by Dan Hill, subtract about 5%.

Remember these are averages with significant individual variation. Actual performance depends on factors including stress management, exam day conditions, and how representative the mock questions were of your particular exam sitting.

How do the Revise SQE mocks compare to real SQE exam?

Revise SQE is widely considered the most accurate mock exam for predicting real SQE results. Students score an average of only about 4.1% higher on the real exam, with variations ranging from -3% to +15%. This close alignment makes Revise SQE mocks one of the best predictors of actual exam performance among all providers analysed.

The accuracy of Revise SQE mocks stems from their careful question design and format matching. If you score 60% on a Revise SQE mock, you’re likely in a good position for the real exam. Their affordable pricing and wide availability have provided extensive data confirming this consistency.

Why Revise SQE mocks are widely considered most accurate:

• Questions closely match real exam style and difficulty
• Comprehensive coverage of SQE syllabus topics
• Available through Law Drills exam simulator
• Affordable pricing makes them accessible to most candidates

Student feedback confirms: “The ‘Revise SQE’ mock exams are, in my view, the closest to the actual exam questions.” Another noted: “ReviseSQE books were pretty representative of the exam; if you’re scoring in the 60s, you’re likely in a good place.”

Are SRA sample papers easier than the real SQE exam?

The SRA’s original free sample questions are significantly easier than the real SQE exam, but the picture has improved. Across the dataset students score about 7.6% lower on the actual exam than on SRA samples, and the newer pre-tested SRA question set is far more representative than the original samples. Use the pre-tested questions to gauge difficulty, and treat the original free samples as a format introduction only.

Despite being free and officially produced by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the original sample questions are short and simplified. Many candidates report scoring 80-90% on the original samples but achieving lower results on the day, whereas the pre-tested set tracks real difficulty much more closely.

Important notes about SRA sample papers:

• Original free samples are easier and too short to be representative
• The newer pre-tested question set is much closer to real difficulty
• Best used to learn the question format, then supplemented with harder mocks

One candidate warned about the original samples: “These are so easy compared to the actual exam to the point where it’s a bit of a joke that the SRA releases them.” Others found the pre-tested questions a far better guide to real difficulty.

How do Law Drills’ premium mocks compare to the real SQE exam?

Law Drills’ revised premium mocks by Dan Hill run about 5% easier than the real SQE exam (roughly 4 to 6 points). Unlike the self-reported figures other providers rely on, often drawn from social media, this is measured against our own students’ actual SQE results, matched person by person, so it is the most rigorous comparison on this page. By “premium mocks” we mean the paid full and half mocks curated by our co-founder Dan Hill, not the Revise SQE mocks hosted on our simulator or the unlimited mocks included in the Law Drills plans.

How the Law Drills figure was measured:

• We analysed our students’ actual results from the January 2026 sitting, matched person by person, not self-reported scores
• We then hand-revised the mocks based on student performance and feedback after the exam, to make them more accurate and bring them closer to the real exam
• Post-revision the mocks now run about 4 to 6 points easier than the real exam; we cite 5% as a cautious central estimate

We have used deliberately cautious assumptions about the revisions so that students are most prepared for the exam. We will replace this estimate with directly measured figures after the July 2026 sitting.

In practice, a score in the high 60s on a Law Drills premium mock is a strong readiness signal; you can also see our SQE score guide for how your everyday practice in Law Drills (outside the mocks) translates to pass rates.

How much harder are QLTS mock exams compared to the real SQE?

QLTS mock exams are significantly harder than the real SQE exam. For a detailed look at QLTS School’s full mock offering, see our complete QLTS mocks guide. Students typically score about 13.8% higher on the actual exam compared to their QLTS mock scores, with improvements commonly ranging from 5% to 22%. Many candidates report feeling discouraged by low QLTS scores, but this difficulty level actually provides excellent preparation.

The QLTS free mock exam is particularly challenging. If you score 50% on a QLTS mock, you can expect to achieve 60-70% on the real exam. This consistent pattern makes QLTS mocks valuable for building exam resilience and over-preparing for the actual assessment.

Key characteristics of QLTS mocks:

• Questions mirror the hardest subset found in real SQE exams
• Free mock exam available for all candidates
• Excellent for stress-testing your knowledge

One candidate noted: “QLTS mocks are gold; they’re harder than the real exam but invaluable for prep.” Another shared: “Scoring around 50% on QLTS mocks translated to 60-70% in the real exam.”

How do BPP mock scores compare to real SQE results?

BPP mock exams tend to be easier than the real SQE, with students scoring about 7.3% lower on the actual exam (range: -14% to +7%). There is a notable split within BPP: the “hub” practice mocks are much easier than the Inspera-format summative mocks, so which BPP mock you sit matters. Many BPP candidates credit the bundled OUP materials, rather than BPP’s own questions, for closing the gap to real difficulty.

BPP offers a question bank that covers foundational topics, although some candidates find the questions simpler than what is needed for the SQE. Issues with question bank depth and alignment with SQE specifications have often been raised.

BPP mock exam characteristics:

• Hub mocks noticeably easier than the Inspera summative mocks
• Limited question bank (50-70 per subject)
• Some questions repurposed from GDL/LPC courses
• Bundled OUP materials often credited for proper preparation

Student feedback reveals: “The issue is the number of questions they provide and their difficulty: there are fewer questions given than with other providers (50-70ish per subject plus 2 mocks of 100 questions where a decent proportion of the content was unfortunately recycled) and they are easier in difficulty than the SQE1. To give an indication, I was scoring probably around 10% higher in BPP questions than the actual SQE exam.”

How do ULaw mock scores compare to real SQE results?

ULaw mocks track the real SQE exam closely. Across the latest data, including the January 2026 sitting, students score about 1.2% lower on the actual exam on average, a much smaller gap than earlier figures suggested. The spread is wide, though: candidates scoring in the 60s and 70s on ULaw tend to match their real result, while those scoring 90%+ on ULaw can still drop 10 to 15 points on the day.

ULaw’s practice questions are widely praised for resembling the SQE’s format. The main risk is familiarity, because heavy ULaw users get used to the house style, which can flatter very high mock scores.

ULaw mock exam characteristics:

• Large question bank, closely matched to SQE format
• Broadly accurate for mid-range scorers
• Very high mock scores (90%+) still tend to drop on the real exam
• Available through the app for flexible practice

Student feedback confirms: “By the end, I was consistently getting around 80% on the ULaw question bank, which matched my real exam scores fairly closely.” Another, scoring 90%+ on ULaw, found the real exam came in 10 to 15 points lower.

How do BARBRI mock scores compare to real SQE results?

BARBRI mock exams tend to be easier than the real SQE, with students typically scoring about 9.4% lower on the actual exam. The score drops range from 2% to 23%, making BARBRI one of the providers whose mocks can give candidates a false sense of security about their preparation level.

Many students report achieving 80-90% scores on BARBRI mocks but only managing 62-71% on the real exam. While BARBRI’s structured approach helps with understanding concepts, the questions don’t fully match the complexity and nuance of actual SQE questions.

BARBRI mock exam characteristics:

• Part of comprehensive prep course (no standalone mocks)
• Questions simpler than actual exam complexity
• Good for learning approach but not difficulty assessment
• Candidates often seek additional harder practice questions

Student feedback reveals: “Barbri’s mocks felt too easy compared to the real SQE; they gave a false sense of security.” Another noted: “The Barbri questions are easier than the actual SQE questions. I wouldn’t say the difference is massive but it isn’t insignificant.”

How do OUP mock scores compare to real SQE results?

OUP mocks are harder than the real SQE exam, with students scoring around 8.9% higher on the actual exam (range: 0% to +19%). Accessed through the BPP hub, OUP questions test niche, detailed knowledge rather than the edge-case exceptions QLTS favours. A 60% on an OUP mock commonly maps to a low-to-mid 70s real result.

This makes OUP excellent stretch practice, though it can dent confidence. Several candidates found it the closest match to real difficulty of any resource they tried.

Key characteristics of OUP mocks:

• Harder than most providers; tests niche knowledge in depth
• Bundled with BPP course access
• Strong for exposing knowledge gaps before the exam

One candidate noted: “I barely got over 50% on those 90-question OUP mocks and still passed in the first quintile.”

How do TheOneHundred mock scores compare to real SQE results?

TheOneHundred mocks are harder than the real SQE exam, with students scoring around 8.8% higher on the actual exam (range: -1% to +19%). This places TheOneHundred alongside OUP as a demanding question bank that under-predicts real performance.

Like OUP, TheOneHundred works best as stretch practice rather than a readiness gauge. If you are scoring in the low 60s on TheOneHundred, you are likely in a solid position for the real exam.

Key characteristics of TheOneHundred mocks:

• Demanding questions, comparable to OUP in difficulty
• Useful for diversifying your question exposure
• Best combined with a more accurate predictor such as Revise SQE

This is a newer addition to our dataset, so treat the figure as indicative rather than definitive.

Key Takeaways

Understanding how SQE mock exam scores compare to real results helps you prepare more effectively and set realistic expectations. Research shows consistent patterns across providers that you can use to your advantage, and the January 2026 data confirms the headline picture: QLTS is hardest, Revise SQE is widely considered the most accurate predictor, and BARBRI runs easiest.

The most important finding: no single mock perfectly replicates the real exam, but combining a harder mock (QLTS or OUP) to build resilience with an accurate one (Revise SQE or ULaw) to gauge readiness gives you the best preparation. See our SQE study materials guide for recommended combinations at every budget level.

Remember to practise with QLTS (free), Revise SQE (affordable), and the SRA pre-tested questions (free) at minimum. This combination provides comprehensive preparation without breaking the bank.