Question of the Week
What Advice Do You Wish You’d Been Given Before the Bar Exam?
Posted Jul 29, 2009 9:19 AM CST
By Sarah Randag
It's bar exam week across the United States, and recent law grads have spent the last few months of their lives trying to figure out exactly what questions will be put to them and how to answer them all correctly. Hindsight is 20/20, and general advice from those who have been through it is plentiful.
What we want to know—whether you recently took the bar or sat for it decades ago—what specific advice do you wish you'd been given beforehand? Did you study a topic the test ignored while ignoring one the test covered? Did you blow off last-minute studying that might have helped you, or regrettably give up needed sleep for fruitless cramming? Or did you wear something or eat something that made you physically uncomfortable during the test?
Answer in the comments below.
Read the answers to last week's question: "What’s the Craziest Thing You’ve Seen Someone Do While Driving?"
Featured answers:
Photo courtesy David D.
Posted by Laura: "I was on the Pennsylvania Turnpike near Philadelphia, and I saw a man playing the bagpipes while driving. It was crazy!"
Posted by David D.: "Playing the trumpet!! On my way back to Champaign, IL, two years ago, I saw a man practicing the trumpet while he was driving on 57 South. We immediately took out a camera and snapped a pic."
Posted by Tom: "I saw a driver playing the flute on GA400 in Atlanta. For a brief moment I thought perhaps he was using it to control his car. Maybe he and David D’s trumpet player can start a band!"
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Comments
Rebecca
Jul 29, 2009 9:48 AM CST
Clear your calendar of all distractions. Take the class, and sit down and study.
This is what it takes. It’s not the knowledge, it’s the discipline.
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"J.D."
Jul 29, 2009 10:06 AM CST
That it doesn’t mean a damn thing in the world, seeing as I am still unemployed two years later. (I passed, btw)
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B. McLeod
Jul 29, 2009 2:36 PM CST
While taking the multistate portion, I wished someone had advised me to pay for and take one of the prep. classes for that. On a number of the multiple choice questions, the answer required some knowledge of the test-writer’s value judgments. Although it has been more than 20 years, I can still remember one question where I knew all the choices were actually wrong. There was another where the question openly disclosed that all the answers were wrong, but asked which of the choices was “least wrong.” There was nothing to tell examinees what the standard was (i.e., “least wrong” in terms of involving the slightest error of substantive law, or “least wrong” in terms of what would happen to the client). I assume they cover things like that in the prep classes, and that people who took them and reviewed a bunch of sample exams probably understood how “least wrong” was supposed to be determined.
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Bean Counter
Jul 29, 2009 6:26 PM CST
I got a good advice and will share it. Take a review course and pay attention in your review course classes.
I remember my classmates who came to review and just surf the net and failed the bar exam. What a waste of their time and money.
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Debbie Chong
Jul 29, 2009 10:10 PM CST
Pace yourself the way you think you should rather than what the review course thinks your pace should be for final study and review before the exam. I needed more time and decided that I needed to finish areas of study earlier and review earlier (passed both times - DC and CA).
Set a time to cut off all other distractions. July 1 was my cut off date for my second exam (1978 and 1981) so I did not watch TV, go out, see my family or do anything other than study. I did not do this when I studied for the exam in 1978 and I stressed out as I was out at the movies when I should have been studying. While I passed, I did not need the extra stress.
I have a lawyer that I work with in my office. She was a law clerk for us. I sent her a care package with fruit bars, etc. for the study period. Would text her periodically to encourage her. Lend a hand to one of the younger folks. They need it. :)
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brian
Jul 30, 2009 8:40 AM CST
read every supreme court decision in the state during law school; the questions were plucked from those recent decisions
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LS
Jul 30, 2009 9:55 AM CST
Relearn all of the basics of every element of first year subjects: torts, contracts, con law, procedure, evidence, property. Ironic that they tested on my bar exam the basics of first year, with only a few things from 2nd and 3rd years such as Article 9.
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Dave
Jul 30, 2009 9:59 AM CST
For the state bar, I did everything good enough to pass, so I don’t have anything I wish people had told me. For the Patent bar, I wish someone had told me to write a claim that the Examiners wanted, not a good, real-world claim, and to pay more attention to nit-picking details. I was actually dinged for incorrect capitalization.
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Dragon Slayer
Jul 30, 2009 10:05 AM CST
1. Study hard but know your limits. Leave your laptop at home during BarBri, show up, and study your stuff afterward. But don’t kill yourself. Showing up stressed out, freaked out, and strung out will NOT help you.
2. Prepare to bundle up. It’s bound to be cold in the testing facility, so no matter what you wear, bring something to wear over it. I thought long sleeves and jeans would do it. NOPE! Still froze. And it is VERY difficult to focus when you’re literally shivering.
3. Be prepared to wait. And wait. And WAIT. You will not start on time. Ever. Not once. It will not happen. Know that ahead of time and don’t let it stress you out.
4. DO NOT ANSWER YOUR PHONE OR CHECK YOUR EMAIL those two days!! DON’T DO IT!! No matter what happens, there is nothing you can do about it while you take the Bar. I innocently checked my email an hour before the MBE and someone decided to dump a whole pile full of idiotic drama into my lap. Every third question my mind left the test and tried to deal with the drama. VERY DISTRACTING. It’s only two days. Shut the world out. The chances anything will require your absolute and immediate attention in a mere 48 hours are very slim. Ignore the outside world. Paying attention will do you NO good.
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mac
Jul 30, 2009 10:22 AM CST
Make sure you do all the multiple choice practice questions multiple times. I did both Bar Bri and MicroMash’s review questions multiple times. I knew the answer just by the wording of the questions. I finished each section of the MC exam in two hours, with plenty of time to review my answers.
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votive
Jul 30, 2009 2:58 PM CST
Don’t have a big bran muffin and a big cup of coffee just before you go into the exam - unless you know that you will have a lot of time to spare!
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Kiringer
Jul 31, 2009 2:53 AM CST
I recommend a small mixture of protein, carbohydrates and fresh fruits for breakfast. I had some blueberries, a fried egg and some toast. Some people have an orange (or a few slices of an orange), a piece of lean sausage and a small bowl of pasta. Remember, small portions are the key. If you drink coffee, half a cup is enough. You may want to eat healthier, go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep in the week before the exam so as to optimize the performance of your mind and body. Take brisk walks around the block if you get stressed.
Also, make sure you are familiar with the neighborhood in which the bar exam will be given. Visit the place beforhand if you can. Learn alternate routes of getting there. This way, in case there are transportation delays on the day of the exam you will have a backup plan. Leave at least an hour earlier than you normally would to get to the place.
Finally, wear layered clothing - such as a light jacket, light sweater, etc. That way if the place is too cold or too hot, you can add more or take off clothing, respectively. Wear comfortable sneakers or shoes with rubber soles - don’t wear noisy heels that could disturb others.
Best of luck.
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Kerry Sutton
Jul 31, 2009 5:03 AM CST
If you’re inclined to pray to higher power that you pass the Bar, do so with specificity. Pray that you pass it THIS TIME.
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J.T. Herber, III
Jul 31, 2009 6:01 AM CST
Having successfully sat for the exam in two states (NC and PA) here are my suggestions/advice:
1) Realize that it’s going to be stressful, and be considerate of others and their stress. You are all in it together.
2) The PA bar exam proctors are incredibly nice and polite. (They walked around during a break offering tissues, hard candy, etc.)
3) Eat breakfast…daily, in the days leading up to the exam, especially if you aren’t used to eating breakfast.
4) Take short breaks during the exam. Get up and actually stretch your arms and legs. It helps with stress, increases blood circulation, and helps you stay focused. You will make up much more time in increased productivity than you will “lose” during those few minutes.
5) Treat yourself to something good after the exam (a vacation immediately following the exam, a big screen TV, or something you really want).
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Kirsten
Jul 31, 2009 6:04 AM CST
Survey the battlefield (the exam location) at least the day before the test. You may not be able to see the room itself, but just walking through the hallways etc. will provide a sense of familiarity on exam day. I remember the anxiety of the “unknown” as I walked up the steps to the convention center that morning, and recall regretting the wise advice of a fellow student who himself had paid the site a visit the day before, and thus was able to cross that particular stress-inducer off his list on exam day.
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CJ
Jul 31, 2009 6:18 AM CST
When reading the essay questions, be sure to turn to the next page and read the entire question asked!
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Kristy
Jul 31, 2009 6:21 AM CST
Bring lunch! Don’t depend on the 50 mintues or so you get to wait in line for food, eat it and return. I ran out of time and ended up eating a snickers and pretzel until dinner.
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KR
Jul 31, 2009 6:27 AM CST
Cram for the exam, have a baby, skip the exam and take it six months later…it puts everything into perspective. Worked for me!
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Lawyer X
Jul 31, 2009 6:39 AM CST
My advice is to relax. A little stress helps you focus, but a lot of self-imposed pressure (and it IS self-imposed) can make you crack. Just do your work and have justified confidence in your preparations.
I was very nervous before the bar exam. Before it began, the people around me introduced ourselves. The guy across the table was very nice. He indicated that it was his 5th time taking the bar exam. I asked him when he started studying this time; he said that he cracked a book the week before.
At that point, I knew I would be OK. Sure enough, I passed the first time.
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kasey
Jul 31, 2009 6:42 AM CST
Take as many practice essay tests as possible! I recall that when I took the bar exam, at least 2 of the essay questions were hypotheticals that were very similar to the practice tests I had taken. I simply wrote out the same answer I had practiced over and over…...
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counselorm
Jul 31, 2009 6:43 AM CST
Do NOT look at any materials once the exam has started for the rest of the week (or, really, ever again…). My friends and I made that pact and a friend broke it during a break from the multi-state. She wasn’t sure about one of her answers so she looked it up and realized she had gotten it wrong. It psyched her out. One wrong answer is not going to fail you.
Be careful driving after the exam. I took PA and NJ and had to drive several hours after the second day to get to NJ. It took me 45 minutes before I even realized I was in a car driving. It then took me several weeks before I could really hold an intelligent conversation and function at my normal level.
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jones
Jul 31, 2009 7:03 AM CST
Dress in layers. I have taken the bar in two different states (and passed both on the first try). The first time it was as cold as a meat locker in our testing facility. I wore jeans and and a t-shirt, but thankfully had a sweatshirt with me. It was really hot and humid that day, so many people were in shorts and t-shirts and my friend said her legs were numb halfway through the first day. The second time I was stuck on the top floor of an older building and it was really hot in the room. I wore jeans and a tank top and brought my sweatshirt and was semi-comfortable.
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nn
Jul 31, 2009 7:06 AM CST
Take bar prep courses: barbri, essay advantage, multistate prep; have a study plan; allow yourself a “bar meltdown” during prep (and help your friends through their’s); pb&j sandwiches during the exam!
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passedon1stattempt
Jul 31, 2009 7:09 AM CST
The computer software BarBri uses now is helpful in tracking areas of your strengths and weaknesses to focus studies. LIsten to as many tapes or cds on the substantive law as you can. If the test is upon you, have faith that you have prepared as well as you could, stay focused, prepare well organized answers, answering the call of the question. Use ear plugs and do not panic. Panic creates a feeling of helplessness and like a deer in the headlight, you won’t be able to move.
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jurisgirl
Jul 31, 2009 7:09 AM CST
Do as many MBA questions as possible. I found an online study program that timed me and provided detailed questions. It also pinpointed my weaknesses and tested me in those areas until I tested strong.
More than anything, be good to yourself, no matter what the outcome,
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Skorzeny
Jul 31, 2009 7:16 AM CST
Go to med school.
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Cheryl
Jul 31, 2009 7:17 AM CST
The first piece of advice is (of course) take a prep course. Do not try to go it alone, it does not tend to work out well. Second, know when to say ‘when” - study like you have never studied before, dedicate yourself to it for those months but make time for sanity in your life. I allowed myself time for things like an hour of TV, a walk with my (brand new) husband and dog (I got married the weekend before bar review started), a dinner with family, even a whole (gasp) day off once or twice. Keep your perspective or you will end up burning yourself out and freezing up on the exam (I have seen it happen).
Third, bring the right foods and lots of choices to the exam. I brought a variety of things that might or might not appeal to me when my nerves had kicked in and I was mid exam. I did not want to have to rely on standing in a line and I wanted to make sure that if yogurt was what I could stomach, I had that or if it was cheese & crackers and green tea, I had that choice too. Eat healthy and get some sleep, it will really pay off in the end.
Finally, Practice…practice…practice. You are better off practicing as many questions and essays as you possibly can rather than trying to squeeze more information in that you never learned before. Getting familiar with the questions, the style in which they are being asked and the topics you see come up, as well as identifying your deficiencies is key. I cannot stress enough, do as many questions as you can, it will serve you better than spending another evening nodding off while trying to read through yet another topic in contracts or torts.
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kasey
Jul 31, 2009 7:29 AM CST
I wanted to add that you should stay far far away from those geeks who want to talk about every question and what they wrote answered after the exam….all that will do is rattle you and make you worry. In fact, after the bar exam, I made plans to have drinks and hang out afterwards with my non-lawschool friends so I wouldn’t have to listen to people dwell on the exam and the answers they gave…..
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Lady Lawyer
Jul 31, 2009 7:39 AM CST
1) Treat studying like a job—do it during business hours and try to have a life in the evenings; 2) take appropriate bar-review course; 3) eat lots of ice cream, gain 5 pounds; 4) schedule a vacation for right after the bar but before reporting to work—this will be the last vacation you have where you are not chained to your laptop/PDA; 5) if using a laptop for the exam, make sure computer is in good operating condition; 6) take lots of pencils and pens; 7) apologize in advance to loved ones for lashing out at them during bar study; 8) take practice tests; do not be upset by low scores on practice MBE; 9) do not get any traffic or other citations that will require last-minute amendments to your bar application; 10) try to believe practicing attorneys when they say “it’s not that bad”—it isn’t; 11) do not talk to other exam takers during breaks or after the exam—their wrong answers will freak you out; 12) take your lunch to the exam—you do not want to be frantically waiting in line for a sub sandwich during the lunch break; 13) if you can’t think straight after staying up late studying, don’t do it; and 14) think of all of the not-so-bright people you know who have passed the bar.
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Passedit
Jul 31, 2009 7:40 AM CST
I wish someone would have told me to drive home and see my dad on Father’s Day that year instead of thinking I couldn’t take a day off from studying. He had been biggest supporter during law school (and my whole life). He died about a month after seeing me get sworn in. It was only one day….
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Kevin
Jul 31, 2009 7:45 AM CST
1. Don’t worry about how many practice questions your friends told you they studied preparing for the exam. They were probably lying. Everyone works at their own pace and learns differently.
I remember talking to someone on the morning of the bar exam. He was getting ready to take the bar for the second time. He told me he had studied something like 1200 multiple choice questions and felt that the reason he failed the last exam was because he only studied 500 questions. I was a little nervous because I only looked at about 200 questions, but I passed with an MBT score in the 95 percentile.
2. The BarBri review book is the only thing required to pass the exam. Make your own outline based on that book. Don’t be worried by the huge box of useless outlines they send. I never opened one of them.
3. Don’t worry if you didn’t take a review course. I know plenty of people who passed without a course (though one was a little worried because a professor told him it was impossible to pass on his own.)
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JoeyB
Jul 31, 2009 7:46 AM CST
I wish someone had told me to do multiple essay topics in a row! The toughest thing about the bar was having to write 3 essays in a row, and then write 6 in a row in the afternoon. It was so draining as not to be believed, and no one at Barbri or any of friends giving advice told me so. We’re constantly timed and taught endurance for the multiple choice, but not for the essays - why is that? In any case, the multiple choice is easy if you’ve done enough practice ones, and the essays far more challenging. My advice is to tear out essay questions from your barbri book of ten random topics, mix them up, and then do three in a row in 90 minutes, jst t get an idea of how you’ll have to think and prepare.
And yes, I passed the first time!
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it's not that difficult at least in NY
Jul 31, 2009 7:48 AM CST
If you are in the top 25% of the class do half the amount of studying that is suggested. Statistically you should pass.
If you need a certain number of points in the essay part make sure you have at least one paragraph per point needed. And remember they grade them on the subway!
Learn where to park so you don’t get a ticket.
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MBL
Jul 31, 2009 7:59 AM CST
Treat it as a work assignment from a partner. Keep your answers simple and to the point.
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Paula
Jul 31, 2009 8:10 AM CST
Do not engage in conversation with other test takers immediately prior to or after daily sessions. They’ll pull you into their craziness. Try to find a quiet place during lunch breaks and at the end of each day.
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Ann
Jul 31, 2009 8:10 AM CST
Don’t pay any attention to the guy holding forth about what he did the last several times he took the bar. You don’t want to be him, so ignore him and chuckle silently at the fools hanging on his every word.
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Dave Timms
Jul 31, 2009 8:11 AM CST
Even if you live in town, stay at a hotel the nights before the exam days. At 2 a.m. between the 2nd and 3rd days of my exam, the police woke me up when they were attempting to enter my next door neighbor’s apartment over a suspected suicide (he apparently told a friend he was going to do it and then hung up the phone). After confirming that the report of his death was greatly exaggerated, the police then proceeded to come over and tell me that my neighbor had a gun and that “bullets go through drywall pretty easily; you may want to consider moving.” Nothing like free advice from your local police force at 2:30 a.m. bar exam week! Needless to say, bar exam day three was a blur. Somehow, I managed to write through it and, thankfully, pass. If I had it to over again, I would have stayed in a hotel for a couple nights like all the bar exam out-of-towners. I don’t think any of them were making a ruckus at 2 a.m.
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NCL
Jul 31, 2009 8:16 AM CST
I did this for both the TX and NM Bars and passed the on my first try:
1. Create your own condensed outlines for each subject area and handwrite it. It will still in your brain better. Also handwrite the model answers for the practice essays- same thing.
2. Have a boyfriend/spouse/friend who is not taking the Bar be your caretaker for those 3 days. They prepare/pick up your meals, drive you to the test location, pick you up for lunch, and provide non-Bar conversation and entertainment in the evenings.
3. I also found that having sex in the evenings (and/or Tylenol PM) helped me relax and sleep better.
I’ve got the best husband! He helped me through both Bars!
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NCL
Jul 31, 2009 8:19 AM CST
Also—don’t talk to anyone taking the Bar leading up to the exam or during those three days!!! possible, choose a test location where you will not know anyone (different town). And don’t get into too much chit-chat with your table mates or anyone at the exam location. It will just make you worry about your studying efforts. I also had a calming mantra “You’re cool, You’re calm, You’ve got it going on!”
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LDS
Jul 31, 2009 8:24 AM CST
I packed my laptop and a lunch with lots of different options for the midday break, Two of my classmates and I plugged the laptop in the testing location lobby and watched South Park on DVD while we ate. We all 3 passed. Some of the people sitting in their cars scrambling to review flashcards did not. What we needed was to stretch out on the floor, get away from the test for a bit and laugh.
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CatFree
Jul 31, 2009 8:29 AM CST
The most cogent advice I got and I now give is: “You’re not aiming for an A, you’re aiming for a D here; so I know you all are over achievers but all you need to accomplish is a D to pass this exam.”
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R. Curtis McNeil
Jul 31, 2009 8:31 AM CST
DON’T PANIC!
I took the FL Bar in February and the OH Bar over a decade ago (right after law school). I passed both.
The first time (OH) I took a course, moved my family to another state, and did a 30-day marathon of studying 10+ hours per day with 0 distractions.
The second time (FL) I was working full time, preparing to retire from the military, taking care of my family, starting a new business, and studying from the books and tapes on my own.
I was in different circumstances and used totally different study strategies for each exam. I passed both exams with a significant margin. The common thread was forcing myself to have a disciplined approach to studying, studying enough to feel like I knew the material, taking several practice tests, and not letting the stress drive me any crazier than I already am.
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JME
Jul 31, 2009 8:42 AM CST
I took the bar/bri, put aside all my law school stuff, and paid attention only to the outlines. I took practice tests daily. Could not break 50% on any of them. Finally figured I was going to fail, so it was time to relax, keep studying, but recognize the fact that I was studying for February, not July. I was still stressed, so my mom told me to put the stuff away, and spend my time with family for several days. I did that. The day before the exams, I picked up a full practice test again. I’d taken a week off. I scored 84% on it. Took my wife to the exam city with me, we made a vacation of it. Then, first Q of the MPT, I knew I had this exam, as I had read a live case identical to the exam Q just a couple days before. I went into the rest of the exam totally relaxed, finished with plenty of time to spare, and passed. No idea what my score was, my state does not release scores, but am confident I did well. The advice to take just a few days off and relax was priceless.
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Nate
Jul 31, 2009 8:44 AM CST
Don’t drink so much the night before!!!
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Martin Brown
Jul 31, 2009 8:46 AM CST
Back in ‘82 I watched People"s Court every day. Snap judgments on little evidence; priceless preparation!
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slddl
Jul 31, 2009 8:56 AM CST
It’s a mental marathon… you have to be able to stay focused for eight hours a day, two days in a row. You have to ignor the guy picking his nose across the aisle from you, ignor the construction on the roof, ignor the proctors gigling and wispering, ignor the fact that you left your kids for the first time since they were born, ignor pessimistic family members, ignor it all. Focus on what you’ve been learning for the past three years and it will all be fine.
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buttercup
Jul 31, 2009 9:08 AM CST
Take a sleep aid. If you do it early and have a backup alarm, it’s worth it. I didn’t sleep at all between the 1st and 2nd day - I was practically hallucinating. (passed, somehow)
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JA
Jul 31, 2009 9:11 AM CST
1. Think about how best you study. BarBri isn’t for everyone. I signed up for BarBri even though I knew the format wasn’t for me. The message that I got (without thinking on my own) was that if you didn’t do BB you wouldn’t pass. I hated Barbri-I am a solo learner. I ended up ordering the program from the Study Group-I enjoyed studying on my own and passed on the first try.
2. Don’t hang out with people studying for the bar. I studied on my own and on my free time did not discuss the bar. I told my family to not mention the bar at all-the topic was off limits to all.
3. Visit the place you are taking the exam in advance (a month if you can). Check out how you will get there, where the room is, where the bathrooms are, where food is, where you can go to be alone, etc.
4. Bring ear plugs!
5. Don’t talk to anyone at the exam.
6. Plan something great you are going to do when the exam is over.
7. Tell yourself you are going to just do your best, give it your all….but you will take it again if you need to (this will help to reduce your anxiety). This exam is not the end of the world.
8. Review summary notes but don’t go crazy on the days that the exam is taking place. You’ve done your best, now give it your all and relax.
9. Believe in your ability to answer every question. Remember you got in law school, you graduated, you can pass this test.
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Camille
Jul 31, 2009 9:12 AM CST
The best advice I got was from one utterly superb lawyer and one utterly superb former Marine. From the lawyer, “don’t bother with unproductive stress.” From the Marine, “thousands have made it through before you and thousands will after you, so just suck it up and get it done.”
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johnfitz
Jul 31, 2009 9:12 AM CST
One must be physically and mentally conditioned. Eat right, get good sleep, exercise, meditate, and read a good pleasure book or three. Build a daily routine and stick to it. Pride in your pocket, law school stuff in the trash and the only thing on your desk and in your head is BarBri. It is doable, but you must want it.
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