Illinois Bar Consideration
If you are even considering taking the Illinois bar, you must carefully parse the state's rules about timing for taking the MPRE. If you take it too soon, you will have to retake it.
The operative language is at
https://www.ibaby.org/infapp.php?key=5 : An Illinois applicant must have earned the lesser of 60 credit hours or two thirds of the credits required to obtain a JD degree from his or her law school before sitting for the MPRE; for most applicants, this means that the MPRE may have been written no sooner than August preceding commencement of the final year of law school. No exceptions to these requirements are made.
From Susan Gainen