Is the SQE Too Hard? Why “Snowflake” Comments Miss the Point

  Last week, Suella Braverman wrote in The Telegraph describing aspiring solicitors as “snowflakes” for petitioning to make the SQE fairer. She argued that the Solicitors Qualifying Examination should be tough and that “standards must be maintained.” She also mentioned her own experience of sitting challenging exams, including the New York Bar, saying she lost a stone in weight preparing for it. The thing is, I’ve also sat the New York Bar. And I’ve sat the SQE2. And in my honest opinion, the New York Bar was more straightforward, easier to prepare for, cheaper, and better administered. That’s not because the New York Bar is an “easy” exam — it’s definitely not. But it was clear to me what was expected of me, the content was well-defined, the administration was professional, and the preparation process was predictable. With the SQE, the difficulty isn’t just in the legal challenge — it’s in navigating unclear content boundaries, coping with administrative errors, crashing computers during the exam, incorrect results and preparing without knowing exactly how the assessment will test you. This is why so many candidates are searching for effective SQE2 strategies and ways to prepare with confidence.     This Is Not About Lowering Standards When SQE candidates raise concerns, they’re not asking to be handed qualification on a plate. It is reasonable to be asking for: Clarity on exactly what’s covered Fewer administrative mistakes Better access to the right preparation tools More financial support to cover the considerable costs There’s an important difference between an exam being hard and an exam being unfair. An assessment can be rigorous and still be well-run. It can maintain high professional standards while giving candidates a fair opportunity to succeed — something every aspiring solicitor deserves.     Why It Matters The SQE was introduced to standardise solicitor qualification, improve accessibility, and ensure competence. But when candidates are hampered by poor administration, unclear expectations, and uneven access to preparation resources, the test stops being about legal skill and starts being about who can survive the chaos. Instead of focusing on administrative endurance, preparation should focus on mastering the SQE2 skills assessments, understanding the required FLK knowledge, and practising under realistic conditions. We should want a legal profession built on skill, judgement, and competence — not one shaped by unpredictable technical problems and murky exam guidance.     So, Is the SQE Too Hard? The difficulty itself isn’t the problem. It’s right that the SQE should be challenging — it’s designed to test whether someone can operate as a solicitor from day one. But “hard” should mean intellectually rigorous, not unpredictable or unfairly obstructive. Wanting the system to work properly isn’t “snowflakery” — it’s common sense. If we truly want to maintain standards, then fairness, clarity, and proper administration should be non-negotiable. If you’re preparing for the SQE and want to boost your chances of passing, check out my SQE2 preparation advice and free study resources.