3 Strategies I Used as a Repeater to Study for the Bar Exam: Fight for Simplicity!

I went on a Zoom call to discuss how to study for the bar exam. If you’re just starting out, you may be lost on what the right way to do this all is.

So I distilled three key strategies from what I did differently to pass the California Bar Exam on my second attempt. These are applicable to all jurisdictions and whether you’re taking a bar exam for the first time or you’re a repeater.

Here’s the recording (volume/quality warning):

Slides (with links and coupons)

Giveaway link (enter by 11:59 PM PT on Thurs, May 20, 2021)

Writeup & timestamps below…

Continue reading “3 Strategies I Used as a Repeater to Study for the Bar Exam: Fight for Simplicity!”

Taking the Bar Exam Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

It’s socially acceptable to shit on math in America and law schools in general. It’s politically incorrect to dislike “travel” or “dogs.” And it’s considered weird to not sign up for an expensive bar review course when you’re studying for the bar exam.

Even though I have a lot to say about all of these, let’s stick to the topic and address that last one about bar review courses. Look at this article from Business Insider:

"If I tried to take the bar again, the cost for a class and the test itself could be up to $3,000, which I just can't afford — so I'm stuck with the debt of law school without the prestige of bar membership."

No, it doesn’t have to be this way just because you want to practice law!

You probably assumed that you NEEDED to go with a bar prep company after graduation. The question was framed as “what’s the best bar exam prep course” rather than “should I take a bar course?” You were bombarded with offers from the usual suspects (Barbri and the gang) since day one of being a law student.

So it’s not your fault that no one exposed you to the idea of alternate paths such as self-study. Also, there’s nothing wrong with using a course, as long as you use it properly.

It’s just that you don’t NEED a course (by default). You don’t NEED a tutor (unless you want personal guidance). Bar exam fees are high enough already.

You don’t have to spend $10,000 or $3,000 or anything close to that (besides registration fees) every time you take this test just for the chance to become a licensed attorney. (I’ll show you how below.)

"Simple math told me it was cheaper to take and retake the [bar exam] 3-4 times using ... 'non-traditional' decent-priced materials ... than to spend an outrageous $6,000 on the BARBRI Prep Course (also apparently not made for anyone working full time)."

I’m not wagging my finger saying you must or mustn’t enroll in a bar prep course. The right investments for you will pay off. I’m just saying you can think about it and consciously decide for yourself.

There is a way to pass the bar other than with big box bar prep courses.

Start by checking for any internal narratives you may have about what you need to spend your money on to prepare for the bar exam. (Below, I’ll share my take on how you only really need THREE things for preparation.)

I’ll help you reexamine the default assumptions born from “big bar” lobbying by answering these questions:

  • What are the costs of taking the bar exam?
  • What are the drawbacks of “big box” bar programs? What can you do instead to address these drawbacks?
  • What are the benefits of big bar courses?
  • Should you sign up for one? (It depends)
  • How do you prepare for the bar exam without a prep course or a big budget?
Continue reading “Taking the Bar Exam Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive”

How to Get 20/20 FORESIGHT for the 2020 Bar Exam

Welcome to 2020, where “social distancing,” “the new normal,” and “stay home” are the new meme phrases to replace “in this economy.”

But life and the bar go on relentlessly no matter the state of the planet.

It’s that time yet again. Results for the 2020 February bar exam are in for every state (pass rate in California 26.8% WTF?).

Anxiety squirting into your heart every time you thought of the moment of truth. Heart ricocheting around your ribcage as you check for your name on the pass list.

Waiting is the hard part. It’s even harder to get non-lawyers to shut up about obligatory “aww… you got this” and “I’m sure you passed” comments for weeks and months.

Well, I’m just gonna ask you. Did you pass?

Continue reading “How to Get 20/20 FORESIGHT for the 2020 Bar Exam”

Preparing for the 2020 Bar Exam: Learn from Their Biggest Mistakes

It’s that time again. Results for the 2019 July bar exam are in for every state.

You’ve endured the obligatory “aww… you got this” and “I’m sure you passed” comments for weeks and months.

Anxiety squirting into your heart every time you thought of the moment of truth. Heart ricocheting around your ribcage as you check for your name on the pass list. Waiting is the hardest part.

Well, the insanity of the wait is over. But it turns out your nightmare isn’t over…

Continue reading “Preparing for the 2020 Bar Exam: Learn from Their Biggest Mistakes”

Why Are Pass Rates Lower in February than in July? (Yours Doesn’t Have to Be)

Bar exam takers are some of the most anxious and superstitious people on the planet.

  • They spend more time agonizing over which subjects will be tested than actually preparing for each subject (…and then get really mad when the subjects actually get leaked, like they did for the California Bar Exam in 2019)
  • They plug numbers into score calculators to figure out how many wrong MBE answers they can get away with… AFTER the bar (I’m also guilty of this)
  • They get worked up over the smallest indications of possibly passing the bar (“My account won’t let me sign up for the next bar exam! My character and fitness status is different! There’s some text that changed colors! I “hacked” my account and read HTML markup and my tea leaves just moved on their own! Does this mean I passed the bar?! Do they even have my answers???”)

It wouldn’t surprise me if someone used a ouija board to divine what a magic 8-ball would say about their bar results.

I’m only judging a little bit because it’s natural to get anxious over a high-stakes exam. But we sometimes focus on minutiae too much that ultimately doesn’t matter.

One such question that some repeaters (or first timers who don’t take it in July) have is whether they should take the bar in February or July. The lingering concern is whether the bar is harder in February than in July. Is it really?

This is an understandable question but one that you need not worry about too much.

Continue reading “Why Are Pass Rates Lower in February than in July? (Yours Doesn’t Have to Be)”