Make This Your Last Time | Bar Exam Preparation

May 10, 2025May 10, 2025 - 3 Comments

Why You Feel Exhausted Studying for the Bar Exam

Let me guess. Does your bar prep regimen look something like this?

Listen to lectures while sitting still like a statue
Pause to take notes and fill in the blanks (doubling the time it takes to finish the lectures)
Read giant outlines (and reread paragraphs you thought you already read)

Eventually falling asleep with the lights on.

It’s like you’re experiencing the most annoying part about traveling—sitting for hours staring at a tiny screen next to someone who takes up the armrest even though they got the window seat.

And repeating this every day. Is this what Limbo is like?

You’re drained and demoralized because you’re trying to “study” but aren’t feeling a real sense of progress.

Why are you trying to do this the hard way?

May 9, 2025May 8, 2025 - No Comments

Lessons from Passing the UBE (Utah Bar Exam) with a 314

“N” passed the February 2025 Utah Bar Exam (UBE), scoring a whopping 314 on her first attempt.

💬 “Just got my results yesterday! I passed the UBE with a score of 314!!!”

Epic!

For context, most UBE jurisdictions require a score 266 or 270 to pass, and scores over 300 are rare. So N really outdid herself.

Of course, I had to ask how she pulled it off so I can share it with you.

May 6, 2025May 6, 2025 - 4 Comments

What If You Failed the Bar Exam? Should You Retake a Bar Review Course?

So you find yourself in an unbelievable situation: You failed the bar exam.

Procedure in case you failed the bar exam

Reality is undeniable. You dust off your tears. It’s time to take action.

You wonder: What’s the next step?

Should you retake your bar prep course? What’s the alternative?

April 19, 2025May 2, 2025 - No Comments

What does the email from the California State Bar mean (Feb 2025 scoring recommendation)?

You may have gotten this email if you took the 2025 February California Bar Exam:

(You know the one where the exam software wasn’t working and some people even had to retake it in March?)

What does it mean for the raw passing score of 560 to be dropped to 534?

March 11, 2025March 11, 2025 - 4 Comments

Early Bar Prep: Should You Study Early for the Bar Exam? (When and How)

Some bar takers wonder if they should study early for the bar exam (ahead of the traditional 10-week schedule), whether…

They got results months ahead of the next bar exam.
They want to get a head start on studying
They deferred the exam (from July to February, February to July, or even a year or more)
They’re waiting for bar results and want to study “just in case”
They have a full-time job to juggle at the same time and won’t be able to take much time off
It’s been a minute (or years) since they’ve graduated from law school or taken the bar exam

While there are benefits to studying early and giving yourself a lot of time, there are many traps to doing so. There are also benefits to simply waiting (if your neurotic anxiety can handle it) until study season is in full swing before deciding whether or not to study for the bar exam.

But bar prep is personal. You’re the dean of your own studies.

To help you decide when to start studying, let’s discuss all of this—who early bar prep is right for and the best way to study early and effectively—so that you’re making the most of your time and energy.