Brian, Author at Make This Your Last Time

July 16, 2020September 22, 2020 - 1 Comment

California Bar Exam passing score lowered to 1390 from 1440

Welp, it’s official. The Supreme Court of California announced the following today:

The second administration of the 2020 California Bar Exam is now online, on October 5-6, 2020 (September exam is canceled)
- Last day to register for the October exam has been extended through July 24, 2020
- Last day to withdraw and get a full refund of testing fees is September 8, 2020 (no longer right before the test date, may be changed later yet again)
A provisional license program under supervision will be available to 2020 law grads, but they will need to take the exam at some point. Such a program will remain at least until June 1, 2022
Oh, and the pass score has been lowered to 1390… permanently

Read more about it in the Court’s announcement page.

Does this mean grading will be harsher? Will online testing become the norm? Are we now closer to know the truth about whether we’re living in a simulation?

Hell if I know. But we now have more certainty about the exam. And there’s one thing that has always remained constant:

Take the exam as soon as is practical. Don’t prolong the inevitable to wait until 2022 if you plan to take the exam at some point (whether you plan to take the California bar or another bar exam). I have strong reasons why you should take the exam that’s coming up sooner.

Hopeful California attorneys now have until October to prepare for the 2020 California bar. While the lower cut score and more time to study may be good news for many, as always, watch for burnout.

Now that things have become more certain, make a plan. Get a better idea of how you should spend your time. Productivity comes from clarity.

Let’s watch out for more information about exam logistics as we move forward with bar prep.

July 14, 2020June 15, 2023 - 3 Comments

Easiest Bar Exam: Which State Bar Should You Take If You Just Want to Pass and Get It Over With?

All right, so you just want to pass the easiest bar exam in the easiest state and get it over with.

No honor, no warrior spirit, or any of that shit—just gimme the bar card! This is especially true if you plan to practice in a state that accepts UBE scores (or MBE scores). You may be able to transfer your UBE score from an “easier” state.

You also want to avoid the hardest bar exams, naturally. Why waste a good six months torturing yourself again just because you missed a few points?

No judgment from me. You’re here to move on with your life and forget I ever existed. That’s cool.

So what are we going to look at to figure out the easiest bar exams to pass?

Recent pass rates by state
Minimum passing UBE scores
Number of applicants by state
Score portability and transferability
The verdict – a shortlist of three states to consider, and states to avoid

July 8, 2020March 28, 2023 - No Comments

MBE Strategies: Q&A with Sean Silverman on How to Win the Game of MBE

I asked expert guest and bar exam tutor Sean Silverman for his MBE tips and tricks. In this Q&A, you’ll learn how to massively improve and win at this critical half of your exam!

Sean tutors the MBE to students in all states and teaches essay writing to students preparing for the Florida Bar Exam and the Uniform Bar Exam. He’s the author of the books MBE Essentials, UBE Essentials, and Florida Bar Exam Essentials. Find his contact information after the Q&A.

Things you’ll discover:

What’s different about people who pass the MBE?
Why do people get MBE questions wrong, and how can you improve on this? (Hint: It’s a skill)
Real MBE questions vs. realistic questions?
You actually have “lifelines” that can give you an edge in this exam
Answers to more questions no one’s asked him before

July 2, 2020January 11, 2022 - 7 Comments

How should you really practice for the bar exam? “I keep practicing, but I’m not improving”

So you want to pass the bar. You’re super serious about it.

You pore over your outlines, trying to make sure you have a grasp of all the rules. There are still other subjects to review. You don’t think practice will be productive unless you “get” the theory.

It’s all so overwhelming.

But you did it. You can focus on practice now that you’ve had a good solid review of the core subjects first. You’ve been doing a few MBE questions and looked at a few essays already, but now it’s time to buckle down and get to writing those essays (you’ll get to the PTs… later).

After all, they said to “practice practice practice.”

But something’s wrong…

No matter how many times you do it, every essay is a mystery.

The blank-page syndrome is giving you irregular heartbeats and making you break out into a cold sweat.

You keep picking the incorrect answer choice on your MBE questions.

The prospect of grading your work makes you want to lie down on your bed instead.

Here’s why you’re stuck and what to do to get unstuck:

Observe the “10-40-40-10 rule” of bar preparation.

May 22, 2020July 11, 2020 - 2 Comments

How to Focus on Bar Studies While Stuck at Home in Quarantine

It’s hard enough to focus when there isn’t a cloud of coronavirus covering the planet. Or all the hubbub about what the exam will be like. Or wondering when it’s even going to be.

The stress of adjusting to “the new reality.” Dealing with uncertainty about the bar exam. Running out of yeast for your new bread machine.

You’re at the brink of feeling burned out before the exam is even happening.

First of all, if we’re quarantining, we should be thankful to have a place to stay and a refuge from everything going on outside (even if we’re forced to coexist with our housemates).

But it may be frustrating to not have a quiet place to focus if your go-to study place is suddenly gone. We’re stuck at home. Libraries are closed. Daycares are closed. Coffee shops don’t let you linger around.

Being productive in your bar preparation has become more challenging than it’s ever been.

How do you get into that flow if where you live is the only place left to study?

The two biggest killers of focus and concentration are external distractions and your energy.

Address each by designing your environment and optimizing your sleep as follows: