Steve is proof that passing the bar exam is about being strategic and intentional about how you study.
He bypassed the typical bar prep course entirely and gathered a team of supplemental materials instead.
💬 “As a practising foreign lawyer, I knew I didn’t have time to take a formal bar prep course and also believed self-study was all I needed if I was able to focus enough.”
Steve then passed the New York UBE with a 302 on his first try while keeping his law practice intact.
💬 “Thanks Brian for all your help and your materials in particular the Magicsheets. I ended up with a 302 (MBE 151.9). MPRE 140.”
What’s interesting is the systematic precision of how Steve did it.
He mapped out a three-month plan in November, executed it with discipline during the holidays and final weeks, and paid close attention to what wasn’t working.
(Pretty lawyer-like!)
Quick stats
- Jurisdiction: New York (UBE)
- Attempts: 1
- Score: 302 (MBE 151.9)
- Unique circumstances: Foreign-trained attorney, full-time law practice
Resources Steve used to score a 302 on the New York UBE
💬 “Your Magicsheets helped me gain a basic understanding of the course content especially for the MBE. As a foreign trained and educated lawyer, working full time and not prepared to sign up for a formal Bar prep course, your materials (as well as some supplemental bar prep materials) really helped me get through this process.”
AdaptiBar MBE Simulator & Jon Grossma n’s video lectures
- Use code MTYLT10 to get 10% off your entire cart
💬 “I also really liked the grossman videos – there were an excellent way for me to understand what to focus on for the MBE.”
Emanuel’s Strategies & Tactics for the MBE
NCBE practice tests
Separac essay module
JD Advising MPT video lecture
What did Steve do to score a 302 with a full-time job and no course?
1) Plan strategically, then execute the plan relentlessly
Steve didn’t waste November. He researched and compared resources, and built a three-month roadmap that fit around his full-time law practice.
It was methodical, calm, and orderly.
💬 “I spent a bit of time just researching the different bar prep supplemental offerings and mapped out a plan for Dec – Feb.”
Some people dive straight into flashcards hoping something sticks without any planning or structure, getting lost by week two.
But there’s no structure without a study plan, and no point to memorizing some words on a page if you don’t know how to use them. Even a standard-issue schedule from a formal bar review course would be better than nothing. Otherwise, you’re left to figure it out as you go.
Doing a bit of pre-work ahead of time saved Steve from uncertainty and constant moments of deciding what to do. Remember that one quote about sharpening your axe before chopping down a tree?
2) Self-study is most effective if you study your own work
Steve did the work…
💬 “I started to do less than 50 a day in this time period (probably 20-30) as I was getting more comfortable with the questions and patterns.”
💬 “I did three timed MBE practise tests. Spread out over the first two weeks in Feb. I used the two ncbe ones on adaptibar. And the one practise test in the Emanuel book.”
💬 “Spread out in Feb sometime, I did four timed MPTs – two briefs and two memos – and briefly compared my answers to the ncbe answers.”
This was a given. You’re willing to put in the effort (just maybe in the wrong places).
But Steve was also constantly aware of where the points of failure were, and made sure to patch up any holes in his understanding. He figured out why he missed them specifically.
Was it a reading comprehension error, or a gap in his understanding of the law? He noted this and built an outline he continued to reference until the exam.
💬 “On every practice MBE question I did, if I knew an answer was right and I got it right, I did not review the explanation. If I wasn’t 100% certain about an answer and got it right or if I got an answer wrong, I studied the explanation. I would mark down if my error was reading comp or substantive law or both and I would make notes on this which morphed into a mini outline for me which I reviewed frequently before the exam.”
He checked the source material and researched areas he didn’t fully understand after the questions instead of staying stuck in preview mode.
💬 “If there was an issue with substantive law not adequately addressed in the answer explanation I would refer to your Magicsheets and if I still wasn’t getting it, I would then research elsewhere but this came up infrequently.”
Here’s what separates those who go through the motions of 3,000 questions from those who do 1,000 questions with deliberate focus…
New bar preppers start with passive activities (sitting through lectures, filling in notes, etc.). This is fine and not unusual since bar review programs encourage consumption of the product. It’s how you establish foundational knowledge. Don’t skip it.
The problem is when they stay there. Worse, repeaters will sometimes wonder if they should go through the course that failed them again (no).
A few weeks into prep, they discover they should maybe try doing the questions they’ll see on the exam. This is a good step forward. But sometimes they stay stuck there too.
“Practice” is just one piece of effective prep. It’s how you generate data about where you stand. You’re measuring yourself on the scale.
You need to do something about that information.
3) If you don’t have time, make the time
Steve was busy. So he made the time.
He spent every day of the holidays for full-time study, including Christmas and New Year’s. He had decided in advance that this time was for studying.
💬 “I blocked out the two weeks of the Christmas holidays for full time studying (i.e. 6am-6pm everyday through the holidays even Christmas Day and new years.)”
Now he can spend every holiday season guilt-free.
Not saying you have to do this, too. But his calendar simply reflected his reality.
If you have a job, kids, family, or other responsibilities, then the reality might be that time has to come from somewhere else to fit in bar prep. But constraints force you to be creative with your time and bandwidth.
Steve figured out exactly what he needed and went and got it. He’s yet another example that you can create your own structure that fits your needs, and go after it with no wasted motion.
