Make This Your Last Time | Page 2 of 32 | A candid, no-BS look at bar exam preparation

January 2, 2021January 2, 2021 - No Comments

Holiday Motivation for Bar Exam: 3 Ways to Keep Going During Prep

What do you say when you’re not sure how to talk to a new person at a networking event (or holiday party)?

Here’s a simple script that worked perfectly for me:

Walk toward someone.
Extend a hand. (Adjust for pandemic times)
Say, “Hi, I don’t think we met. What’s your name?”

And then you’re off to the races.

If this seems too simple, that’s the point. It’s not the perfect tactical wordsmithing of your intro that makes or breaks you. It’s the fact that you acted on a good enough plan to overcome the threshold for approach anxiety.

The parallel to bar prep is worrying about which supplements to use, which tutor to use, which newsletters to follow… when the most important thing is to have a plan, start moving, and stay consistent.

You can only learn. You cannot be taught by something else.

In the end, whichever course or supplements you use, this is a self-study endeavor. You’re responsible for preparing yourself. Don’t forget that courses and supplements are just there to support that.

“But it’s too cold outside, and it’s too warm inside, and this temperature delta and holiday spirit are making me too relaxed to do anything.”

I’m not letting you off the hook thinking “new year, new me!” and then NOT following through with your plans.

Keep the following 3 ideas in mind to light a fire under your ass and keep those buns toasty:

December 12, 2020December 14, 2020 - No Comments

My 5 Rules for Passing the MBE

You ever have interactions with dog owners that go like this?

Oh he’s so well trained!

Sit. Sit. Sit. Sit. Sit.
SIT. SIIIT.
SIT!

Ooooh look at how well he’s trained!

The MBE is probably the lever that will move your bar exam result the most.

Yet we see that training when it comes to the MBE is sometimes shoddy and not really there. We LOOK like we’re trained, and you very may well be, but the actual exam experience is different from the simulations.

When you’re actually on the hotseat, you’re automatically less good at the things you’re normally good at on a day-to-day basis.

"I did 4000 questions on AdaptiBar and was 72% overall, so I'm confused on what I need to do better for my MBE."

“We don’t rise to the level of our expectations; we fall to the level of our training.”

I don’t want you to find out that you actually weren’t training well as you fall to its level on the real thing. Instead, I want you to pass the MBE (and the bar exam) with flying colors.

To that end, here are my five rules for passing the MBE:

December 5, 2020December 5, 2020 - 4 Comments

Myth of Memorization on the Bar Exam

Many bar takers are obsessed with the idea of memorization.

Understandably, a lot of students naturally panic and have concerns with it. I think it comes from a place of insecurity. There’s a LOT to remember after all.

Panic mutates into paralysis. They rely on theory. They say, “As long as I memorize this perfectly, I will be set for the exam.”

Maybe. That approach isn’t going to work for most people. It’s not the point. But this is a common thought process, especially for those starting out.

That may be why people are excited for the open-book bar exam (like in Nevada). I eagerly await the test takers’ realization that it’s not just about having access to knowledge but whether they can use it 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. It’s 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.

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