Brian, Author at Make This Your Last Time

June 7, 2024June 7, 2024 - No Comments

Passing the Washington Bar Exam (UBE) by Enjoying the Process and Moving the Needle

Roxanneh passed the 2024 February Washington Bar Exam (UBE) on her first try, with enough room in her score to spare.

💬 “I took the California bar twice unsuccessfully, and finally decided to go back to take it in Washington, where I went to law school. I passed Washington on my first try (and on a February exam) comfortably, with a score high enough to transfer to any of the UBE states.”

But she switched from another bar exam elsewhere (California), so she still brings the wisdom of a repeater!

Let’s see what she did to make her attempt at the UBE successful.

June 2, 2024June 28, 2024 - 29 Comments

How to Get Motivation Studying for the Bar Exam

You’ve seen all the euphoria from people who passed the bar exam.

You’re probably “inspired” and “motivated” when you look at bar exam success stories and accounts of people who excitedly announce they passed the bar exam.

When that happens, we say things like “if they can do it, so can I” (true). Or “I needed this today.”

Today?

That’s some “new year, new me” type energy. I’m not letting you off the hook like that.

Anyone can desire to pass the bar. Anyone can fixate on the goal and SAY they want it.

These are people who come to me desperate and lost… get “inspired” or gain “perspective”… and then return to the same old cycle looking for hits of relief.

May 31, 2024May 31, 2024 - 2 Comments

Ditching Commercial Prep to Pass the NY Bar While Working Full Time

Ashley passed the 2024 February New York Bar Exam on her third try.

💬 “I first took the NY bar in February 2017 and failed by 11 points. I tried again in July 2017 using the same strategy and was unsuccessful again. I felt incredibly defeated.”

Yes, her first two attempts were 7 years ago!

How did she redeem herself and overcome her feeling of defeat?

May 28, 2024June 1, 2026 - 22 Comments

Myths of Memorizing for the Bar Exam

Many bar takers are obsessed with the idea of memorization for the bar exam.

Understandably, a lot of students naturally panic and have concerns about it. There’s a LOT to remember after all.

Novice bar takers tend to stay stuck thinking, “As long as I memorize this perfectly, I will be set for the bar exam.”

This may seem like a safe approach, but it’s actually reckless.

Panic mutates into paralysis because they end up bag-holding theoretical knowledge they don’t know when or how to use, neglect the performance test they don’t even need to memorize for in the first place, and end up with a score that’s not terrible but not great either. After all, they still know enough to be familiar with the material but not understand enough to apply it under pressure.

Maybe that’s why people are excited about the possibility of open-book bar exams in some states.

I eagerly await their realization that it’s not just about having access to information—but whether they can use the information properly. Removing the memorization requirement doesn’t really change the exam. In fact, it will probably hurt if you’re wasting time looking things up.

It’s not that I’m ragging on memorization. You should memorize to succeed on the bar exam—but not at the expense of learning how to wield the information.

Memorizing for the bar exam is simply table stakes. Everyone’s doing it. It’s a minimum requirement. Just a cost of entry.

So you do want to start memorizing as early as you can.

But I want to point out what bar takers miss when they get tunnel vision around memorization. Don’t miss the forest for the trees:

May 24, 2024May 24, 2024 - 1 Comment

Non-Accredited Law Grad Passes CA Bar Exam on His 1st Try

Brian almost flunked out of a non-accredited law school but passed the hardest bar exam in the country on his first try. Wow!

💬 “I passed the February 2024 California Bar exam on my first try. I went to a non-ABA but Ca accredited law school online. I do not know my class position but I did get a 3.3 GPA and I did take the FYLSE and did well on that test.”

He also took his sweet time getting out of school.

💬 “I took a year off in the middle of law school and so instead of 4 years I took 5 and torts, contracts and property were a long time ago.”

It is cool that he was able to snipe the exam in one shot. But I’m not surprised. Why?

The bar exam is the great equalizer.

Bar prep is a learnable skill even if you’re short on academic talent (no offense, Brian), especially if you’re a reader of mine. You don’t need to be a legal rockstar. You don’t need to be a genius or a “good writer.”

Jeez, where were these reassurances when I was studying for the bar? My pain is your gain.

Here are three takeaways (and a satisfying epilogue) from Brian’s success story…