Ashley's Bar Prep Tips
I’m often asked for advice about taking the bar exam,
usually in the spring semester when students start thinking about the marathon
that awaits for them after graduation.
Here are some of the tips I have offered students over the past few
years, and I hope that you find something useful in it for your own bar
prep.
For reference, I took
the bar exam (and passed) in 2013, the first year the UBE was offered in
Washington State.
Before Bar Prep
Should I take my law
school bar prep course?
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| Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash |
Students often wonder whether they should take the bar prep
course offered by their law school during their 3L year. My answer is – “maybe.” It depends what you are hoping to get out of
it. I took the one offered by my law
school in the spring of my third year, and there were a few things I found
helpful*:
1) It will give you a preview of what to expect on
the exam
Whether or not you take a course
like this, it is good to be familiarizing yourself with the exam before you
even start studying. Do you know what
type of sections to expect? How the exam is scored? Timing? What subjects are
going to be tested?
A bar prep course can orient you to
the exam so you know exactly what you’ll be dealing with.
2)
You will learn how to organize essays and how to
approach the MPT
This is a vital skill to learn while
studying for the bar, and learning it ahead of time will set you up for jumping
right into practice essays and MPT’s.
Why is organization so important? It gives you a framework to quickly
draft your essays under a time crunch, it helps ensure that you include all of
the important elements for a complete answer, and it aids in the clarity of
your writing. All of this will help in
making sure you earn every point you can on your essays.
3)
It will calm your nerves (**results may vary)
For those of you who are nervous
about bar prep, taking a course like this can help you relax in knowing that
you are doing something to prepare for the exam now. Even if the bulk of your studying will come
over the summer, sometimes that little bit of extra to ease you into your bar
prep can do wonders for calming your nerves.
What will it not
do? Based on the course I took, I didn’t really learn or study much of the
material actually covered by the exam.
Of course, all classes are different, but it is highly likely the course
will focus more on test-taking and study strategy than the law itself. This isn’t a bad thing, but it’s good to be
aware of this if you were expecting something different.
*This is based on my experience at Seattle U back in 2013 –
courses may have changed over time or based on the school offering it.
What Bar Prep Course
(non-law school) should I take?
This is sometimes important to think about early (sometimes
as early as your 1L year!) mostly to purchase a course at the best price
possible. But before you lock yourself
into a course, take a moment to consider all courses available and what makes
them different. Ask around to get a
sense of the course from people who actually used it.
Don’t
automatically go for the one that “everyone” takes or the one that some claim
is the “only one you can pass with.”
It’s more important that you pick one that fits with your study
style. Do you prefer to do most of your
studying online? Do you need in-person
classes? I’ve known bar-takers that have
used and passed with all of the major bar prep courses, and I’ve known some
that have failed with all of them too.
It comes down to what fits your needs, so it is important to get as
well-rounded an idea of a bar prep course before selecting one. Also, if finances are important (and they
generally are!) you’ll want to pay attention to cost and the policy on retaking
if you don’t pass the first time (but you’re reading this, so of course you’re
going to pass!).
The Marathon Begins:
Bar Prep Time
By now, you’ve selected your bar prep course (I highly
recommend you use a commercial bar prep course) and you’re ready to start
studying. It is up to you when you want
to start studying, but I encourage you to take a short break between graduation
and bar prep – you’re done with law school! Take a moment to enjoy it!
…and then snap back to reality and buckle down to study for
2+ months.
So here are my tips to help you with the process:
1)
Pay attention to what works, and what doesn’t
After so many years of school, you might already know how
you study best. If you don’t (and even
if you do), it’s helpful to pay attention to what part of the bar prep course
is working for you and what isn’t. In my
experience, I got more out of quizzing myself with flashcards than spending the
time making them myself, so I went straight for the commercial flashcards. For others, taking the time to write out that
information might be a helpful part of the learning process. I also found that I learned better from
reading notes rather than watching lectures. If you notice something just isn’t working and
you feel like you’re not getting the most out of your time – change it up!
2)
Do practice tests early and often and analyze
your progress
I found this the best way to keep track of my progress and
identify areas of weakness to work on.
If you notice you’re missing many questions in a particular area, then
you’ll know that’s an area to take some time to review. If you’re just missing one or two questions
in other areas, you might take the time to look at the wording or format of the
question itself to see if that tripped you up.
Don’t let practice tests induce stress either. Think of them as a way to check in on how you’re
doing and use them as a tool to direct your studying.
3)
Use memory tricks
Sometimes a good ol’ mnemonic device is what you need to
help make it stick. But if that’s not
your thing, there are many other strategies to help you remember those
rules! Here’s a list of different
techniques to try: https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/enhancing-your-memory/. I personally used the memory palace technique
to quickly memorize commercial paper just in case it was on the exam. It’s worth it to take a look at some
different strategies – you might find something that works really well for you!
4)
Strategize
It helps to strategize, especially towards the end of bar
prep when you’re running out of time.
Look up old tests to see what topics are tested the most, and what
subtopics are most likely to be on the test.
When time is running short, you may want to put more time into studying
these heavily tested topics to pick up the most points.
5)
Take care of yourself
Finally, take care of yourself! Get your rest, eat right (or
you know, make sure you’re having a salad once in a while), and get out in the
sun and get some exercise. You’ll be
able to study your best when you’re feeling good!
Also, don’t eat anything that has the potential to give you
food poisoning right before the test… you’ve worked too hard to have it end
that way.
Showtime: Taking the
Bar Exam
1)
Make sure you have everything you need
Make sure you have the paperwork and forms of ID you need to
take the test as well as any test-taking items that are allowed or
required. Also make sure that you’re
following the rules and not bringing any contraband in! Set this out the night before so you don’t
have to rush and worry about it in the morning.
2)
Set up multiple wake-up calls
Just to be safe!
3)
Eat breakfast
Eat something, your brain needs the energy!
4)
Do not
rehash the exam before it’s over
Nothing good can come of rehashing the exam before it’s
over. After day one, it’s natural to
want to go over the test, but you still have another day (or even two days
depending on your state) to take the test.
Don’t let yourself or others psyche you out or make you second guess
yourself. Stay confident and positive until
the end!
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| Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash |
Words of encouragement:
I say this to
everyone, but no one believes me until they take the test: You know more than you think. Trust me.
You do.
No matter how the exam turns out, you should be proud of
yourself for getting this far. It’s no
small feat.
Good luck! You’ve got this – I believe in you!
