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STUDYING
FOR THE BAR EXAM |
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How Should I Study for the Bar
Exam?
As for
study methods, you should simulate the study methods you used in law school
for finals. Now is not the time for experimentation. For example, if you
used study groups in law school, you should use them during bar review.
Likewise, if you always took time to go to the gym during the finals period,
continue to go. Don’t change what got you here. If your methods were
effective enough to graduate from law school, you are capable of using the
same methods to pass the bar exam.
In many
ways, bar review is actually easier than your first year of law school.
Although both are difficult to master because of the level of difficulty
combined with the uncertainty of knowing effective study methods, the first
year of law school usually includes a mandatory curve.
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Combined with the pressure of
class rank, succeeding in One L is very difficult. By comparison, although the
bar exam is curved, success on the bar exam is merely passing. No one will ask
you what your score was on the bar exam. All you need is 65%, which is
equivalent to a D. |
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If you could succeed with all D’s
in your first year of law school, that would be wonderful. Unfortunately, that
is not the case. But, getting a D on the bar exam is success! As comedian
George Carlin said, “Think about how stupid the average person is; now realize
that half of them are even dumber than that!” So, remember that if you were
smart enough to make it through One L, you are definitely capable of succeeding
on the Bar Exam. |
As you
study for the bar exam, make sure to keep pace and develop a steady
schedule. You do not want to fall behind. Be wary, however, of the BarBri
paced program. That program is designed for neurotics who insist on
studying 14 hours a day! The program is not developed for the average
student and is not necessarily to pass the bar exam. The program is simply
designed for BarBri to cover itself in case someone fails after taking their
course. That way, Barbri can respond, “Well, did you follow the paced
program? If not, we’re not surprised that you failed.” The truth is that
the paced program is incredibly overbearing and 75% worthless. The bar exam
is already a tough exam, don’t make the study portion harder on yourself.
What I recommend is to keep a 9 am to 5 pm work-like schedule the first
month. In that time, be sure to attend all the BarBri classes and to take
notes. You will also want to start preparing your outlines. To save you
time, I have made my outlines available for sale.
How Should I Study One Month
Before the Bar Exam?
After
the first month, begin memorizing the material and taking multiple choice
questions. Sit down and take about 20-30 every day. Check your answers and
note what questions you are missing. In addition, take about 1-3 essay
questions each day. Outline all three, but only write out a full answer to
one. Again, check your answers and note what you are missing. Don’t worry,
BarBri and PMBR provide more than enough questions for you to continue this
regimen through the Bar Exam. Keeping a steady regimen like this will
improve your stamina and concentration. Two full days is a long time to
take an exam. You want ot be sure you are physically and mentally up for the
task.
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More importantly, this
strategy will improve your test-taking skills, which are MORE
valuable to passing the exam than spending all your time making a pretty
outline and memorizing material. 75% of the material will not be tested,
and you cannot take your outlines with you to the exam. |
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Focus on the finish line!
Your time is limited, so focus on only what you need to pass. Remember, just
like when you took the SAT and the LSAT, these exams do not test you on how
good a lawyer you are going to be or how much law you can remember. All
these exams prove is how well you can take the test, so be sure to focus
your efforts on the test-taking. |
Along
the same lines, since the Bar Exam contains a multi-state portion and a
state-specific portion, you will want to focus your efforts on both.
However, you will want to focus your efforts MORE on the multi-state
sections because you are guaranteed to encounter those sections on the
exam. Many states provide a list of 10-20 subjects that can be potentially
tested on their portion. While it is important to review these subjects,
you are not guaranteed to encounter most of them. You do not want to waste
your time studying a state-specific subject that may not even be on the
exam. Thus, you are smarter to focus your efforts on the known multi-state
topics.
As you
continue to try the multiple choice and essay questions, do not get
discouraged. Most applicants’ scores increase substantially over the last 2
weeks of studying when the BarBri course ends and intensive studying
begins. It is at this point that all your hard work and knowledge come
together. In addition, you will take a practice BarBri and/or PMBR exam.
Your score on the exam is likely to be much lower than your eventual final
score. Do not get discouraged. The exams are specifically designed to be
harder than the actual exam. By getting a lower score, these programs are
encouraging you to push yourself even harder over the remaining 2 weeks, so
that you will pass. Remember, these programs pride themselves on their
success rate and offer a free course if you fail. They will do everything
they can to motivate you. So continue to push yourself, but do not get
discouraged.
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