Many of you have recently graduated, congratulations! You
should be very proud, as you’ve survived 3-4 years of law school! Now, just one
more thing – the bar exam!
I know you’re all well aware of the task that you face, so I’d
like to offer a few words of advice.
1. Take care of yourself.
I’m being very serious, you are no good to
the bar exam if you are not physically and mentally well. Studying for the bar
is not a sprint, it’s a 10 week or more process. This means you have to eat
well, sleep well, exercise (if you normally do so), and find coping mechanisms
for stress and anxiety. Studying for the bar exam is difficult, and time
consuming, but it doesn’t mean you don’t have time to keep up with the basic
things that keep you well.
2. Schedule study time, and be specific.
Right now, as you begin the process, set up
a study schedule and study plan. Set realistic goals about what you’d like to
get done. Factor in time to see friends, from time to time, or go for a run. Be
detailed in your planning. Don’t just carve out time to “study”; carve out an
hour to do 30 MBE questions, or 2 essays. The more specific you are in your
planning and goals, the more successful you will be.
3. Practice.
Practice really DOES make perfect, it’s cliché
for a reason. Succeeding on the bar exam is a skill, and I can’t stress this
enough. Writing an essay in 30 minutes is a skill. Tackling MBE questions is a
skill. Completing a performance test in 90 minutes is a skill. Yes, you
absolutely need to master the law, and that takes reviewing outlines, making
flashcards, creating charts, and so forth. However, you must make practice questions,
MBE, Essay, and MPT, a priority. You will not master the skill of writing an
essay in 30 minutes merely by outlining, or by reading sample answers.
4. Don’t try to master EVERYTHING.
You have quite a
few subjects to get through, and the more law you master, the better. However,
you can’t expect to be an expert on every bar tested subject. That doesn’t mean
that you blow off subjects, it means that you study smart. Think about the
subjects that are tested more frequently, as well as the subtopics. Spend more
time on them.
5. Take care of yourself.
No, you’re not already
losing your mind from study stress, this one is just that important. You have
to take care of your physical and mental health, otherwise you will not perform
as well as you need to on the exam.
