first to wonder why barbri requires physically showing up to watch a streamed video

"first to wonder why barbri requires physically showing up to watch a streamed video"

Barbri self study. Live it. Love it.

You need to keep up with going to lectures, oulining, etc., the entire time, but the real ramping up (aka "point of no return") is 4th of July weekend. From that point on, you need to bust your butt, do as many practice questions, essays, etc. as possible.

the university of miami school of law recomends studying at least two weeks prior to the bar examination

the university of miami school of law recommends studying at least two weeks prior to the bar examination

9 out of 10 Quinn Emmanuel associates recommend studying for the Bar for more than 2 weeks.

Why bother anyway. There are no jobs. The profession is crumbling before our very eyes.

Bar review is just like first year. Everyone likes to talk about how much studying they are doing. I had a friend that studied for 4-6 hours everyday after bar review. By the end, she had worked over 4,000 multiple choice problems. I enjoyed my final summer, went to the pool, drank with friends, celebrated July 4th. Then I finally studied.

We both passed.

To each his own. Some people study that much not to do better on the test, but to convince themselves that they shouldn't be nervous.

Don't let an easy pass go to waste. The better question is when should you start studying for bar exam numero dos.

Answer: right after Thanksgiving.

Concur with 4 and Elie.

Go to classes, learn the structure and balance, and practice some MBE.

Otherwise, enjoy everything until July 5th, then pump it into overdrive.

"How hot? REAL HOT!"

- Prof. Charles Whitebread

I never studied for the bar and I passed it on my 3rd try.

Tulane

How did Elie see his raw score? I didn't see mine.

It depends on how dumb you are.

Seriously-- after 20 years of education, you should have a pretty good idea of how much studying you need to do, relative to your peers, to get a successful outcome. Just remember that Bar/Bri has every incentive to make you prepare way too much.

4 has it right. as long as you make a reasonable effort in May and June, July (along w/ the exam(s)) is a piece of cake.

i went to (most days) class from 9-12, had a nice lunch, then hit the library from ~1:00 until 4 or 5. that's it. no weekends, no nights, no stress.

the last part is the most important, b/c if you freak yourself out at test time, all that studying in school and over the summer are going to be useless. remember that it's a MINIMUM COMPETENCY exam. you don't have to get an A. you just have to pass. this can be a tough thing to accept if you're used to getting A's.

I would agree with the two weeks recommendation. I started studying after July 4 weekend and passed by WAY too many points. I want those days of my life back.

Memorize the Conviser mini-review, do some practice PMBR questions evey day, and read as many model essay questions and answers as you can (sometimes they retest exact points of law featured in past essays either in the essay portion or the NY multiple choice portion). Whatever time period you chose to cram your studying into depends on how long you can retain the information.

14 - 11 here. I sat for and passed NY and NJ and one jurisdiction will release it somewhere in that mix.

BTW , if you score high enough on the MBE, you can totally punt a question in NJ. Take it from someone who doesn't practice in either jurisdiction.

4 has it right. as long as you make a reasonable effort in May and June, July (along w/ the exam(s)) is a piece of cake.

i went to (most days) class from 9-12, had a nice lunch, then hit the library from ~1:00 until 4 or 5. that's it. no weekends, no nights, no stress.

the last part is the most important, b/c if you freak yourself out at test time, all that studying in school and over the summer are going to be useless. remember that it's a MINIMUM COMPETENCY exam. you don't have to get an A. you just have to pass. this can be a tough thing to accept if you're used to getting A's.

I took the bar with out pants and passed.

Bang things with authority until July 5th. Then get down to studying.

I disagree with the general trend here. It's worth putting in the time in May and June, if only just to avoid the stress of July. The job market is bad enough right now, so why take any risks and squeeze out the bare minimum? Do the work earlier in the summer; it's better to be safe than sorry.

"Just a guy who refuses to be afraid of a freakin' standardized test, an all you can eat buffet, or an obliviousness to spell-checking."

There, ftfy. (You did make it really easy though).

21 - Clearly then you didn't have to take the Virginia bar. Full business attire (but with sneakers because they're noiseless) - WTF Virginia? How about we pretend it's not the 1880s?

Waiting until July 5th to start studying?

Goooooooooooooooooood ideaaaaaa?

One of the funniest things about law school was the manner in which people professor to not work hard, to slack, to be lazy. They were lying then. And they're lying now.

Do the damn work. Pass it on the first run. And ignore these idiots and get busy.

A few people that sat around me at BarBri were freaking out from the first day. I remember one girl in particular who was in my class at the first firm I worked at. By the second day she was freaking out because she hadn’t finished the “homework.” My husband tried to make her feel better by saying he didn’t either and she snapped at him, and gave us both the cold shoulder the rest of the summer. I think by the end of BarBri she was averaging 3 hours of sleep a night because she “had” to memorize X amount of flash cards a night.

Husband and I went to class each morning, went home for lunch and then studied until 5 or 6 every night. After July 4th we began to study harder and longer, but still made sure to exercise, eat healthy, and get a decent amount of sleep. We stopped studying completely at noon the day before the exam.

We both passed the CA Bar the first time around … Freak out girl has still not passed and I know for a fact she’s taken it the 3 bars since.

I think the lesson to be learned is don't freak out too early!

I studied every day from the start of class and took one weekend day off every week. Passed it the first time. People saying that they mailed it in until July 4th wknd are full of shit and want you to think they're super stars. Ignore.

CARTER didn't die yesterday. BUT, a judge he appointed did die yesterday!

The power of ATL:

"A retired federal judge renowned for his kindness, hard work and fairness in the courtroom died yesterday after a long illness. David Winder, a former chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Utah, was 76 years old.

"A graduate of Stanford Law School, Winder was appointed to the federal bench in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, after a two-year stint in state court."

http://www.abajournal.com/news/federal_judge_david_winder_dies_renowned_for_kindness_fairness/

Almost no outlining until after July 4th and did not take PMBR. I did do all the BarBri multiple choice that are separated into I believe 6 sections on each topic. As for the giant book of MBE questions, I took one practice exam aside from the one they provide at the testing center (i.e., 2 overall). I too passed.

That being said, I tend to do well on multiple choice tests and scored over a 180 on the MBE. This means I theoretically could have totally screwed up the essays and still passed.

The question I have for the post July 4th studiers like myself is, did they also do well on the MBE? If so, then maybe this method is only for those who rock MC tests.

@28 - how many times did you and your husband bone per day?

Why is there an ad to become a bounty hunter on my ATL page? And, even more importantly, why is the cartoon bounty hunter wearing a stylish blue blazer?

I am already going hard. This MBE preview is no joke.

I had a prostate exam that relaxed me the day before the NY bar and I passed.

Coincidence? I think not.

You definitely cannot freak out with the bar exam. That type of approach is completely self-defeating.

However, you have to respect the exam. If you don't put in the time the odds of passing are significantly lower.

May and June is a good time to develop a method of studying (flashcards, etc.). Be sure to exercise regularly and eat healthy meals at normal hours. At the beginning stage, no studying after 5-6 pm.

After July 4th, put in the long hours; it will be completely worth it. The way I saw it, the more time I put into studying the less stressed I became.

It's a ton of information to have to memorize, so the more time you put into studying the better off you'll be.

Study in a balanced way.

Morning classes, break for lunch, and then structured studying until 5 or thereabouts and then take the night off.

Study on weekends but take frequent breaks.

The sooner you master the principles, the more relaxed and in control you'll be which contributes to a positive state of mind before the exam.

It is a marathon and not a sprint.

I refuse to take any tests while wearing pants.

Fuck that.

Fuck that in the goat ass.

27 - 11,19 here. That's the rub. Some people will blow smoke, but it is a min. competency test.

The correct answer to how much studying you need to do is: Just enough. For some people, going hard from May thru July is good. For others, going balls out in July is enough.

I still believe that if you just read the outlines, do nightly PMBR on the subjects you learned that day (Bar-bri gives you a schedule for classes not on the MBE) you can save yourself a lot of headaches. It also depends on ones "natural" abilities. If you are a 1400+ 167 + T 14 girl, you'll probably need less study time than if you are an 1100 158 girl. Not because of any legal acumen, but rather your comfort and past performance on standardized tests.

Friend of mine -- 176 LSAT 780 GMAT guy -- only studied the MBE. Passed.

Definitely don't start until after July 4, and then, don't sweat it. 3-4 hours a day should be fine.

- soon to be first year who will be competing with you not to be one of the 50% of first years at your firm Lathamed before 2010 or not winding up with a chair when the music stops in 2011 after our deferrals

Why study for the bar when non of us will hire you anyway?

only studied in the car on my way FROM the bar exam. passed.

Kind of a sad commentary on the legal profession when the bloated version of Captain Kirk presumes to lecture us.....

I attended every single class in law school (except when sick). I read every assignment.

I did NOT outline any cases past 1L year.
I did NOT take BarBri or any other courses.

I studied for the bar on my own for 4 weeks. No more than 6-8 hours a day.

Passed on my first try. NY. 2005.

It's different for everyone.

The unfortunate reality is that you will not know if you studied enough until you find out you didn't. My suggestion would be that you keep up the classes and outlines daily. I also suggest you do as many practice MBE questions as possible so that you become comfortable with the different forms of the questions and answers. Each subject area has different formats. Further, write as many essays as possible. All of it takes time.

I found that putting in time in May and June helped me feel a lot more comfortable and confident in July. While my friends were cramming to make up for work they had not done I was continuing to work at my normal pace, I continued to work out, run, go out to dinner and enjoy my summer.

I always wondered why people looked at me funny.

Kind of a sad commentary on the legal profession when the bloated version of Captain Kirk presumes to lecture us.....

The bottom line is do what works for you. Example: 45 liked to write out answers to the essay questions, and passed. Personally, I didn't look at essays until July and then read the questions, issue spotted, and then read how BarBri wrote the answer. This way, I got review and structure. This worked for me in law school and worked for me on the exam. Do what works, whether you figured it out 1st, 2nd, or 3rd year.

The bottom line is do what works for you. Example: 45 liked to write out answers to the essay questions, and passed. Personally, I didn't look at essays until July and then read the questions, issue spotted, and then read how BarBri wrote the answer. This way, I got review and structure. This worked for me in law school and worked for me on the exam. Do what works, whether you figured it out 1st, 2nd, or 3rd year.

alot of people waste June, cram in July, and then pass - however it is those people who are puking in the bathroom 30 minutes before the exam wishing they had prepared more (saw more than one in Albany) - and then those same people will tell you that it was a piece of cake and they did not study. Keep up with the BarBri lectures at a steady pace and do problems, if not for your score then for your sanity. You have about 60 more summers to have fun after this one.

it depends on whether you went to law school in NY or not. If not you have a lot of NY Practice to learn/absorb since it shows up in every essay question!

14 hours a day for 3 months. I walked out of the exam saying..."That was easy."

Just do it, and you won't have to do it again.

Step One: Go to the Bar Bri sessions, pay attention, take notes and do the assigned homework.

Step Two: A few weeks before the test, freak out and do practice questions as much as physically possible. Jettison the crap topics that are rarely tested upon and focus on the areas in which you feel weakest.

Step Three: Get a long night's sleep before the exam. Eat well and forget about cramming after that - the time for studying has past. Now your rest and your mental outlook are the most important things.

Step Four: Finish. Get drunk. Go on a trip someplace warm and don't bother trying to figure out whether you passed or not. Statistically speaking, you almost surely did.

If you get anything from these comments, know that time spent actually doing questions (and re-doing the wrong ones, etc.) is time FAR BETTER spent than playing legal Mad Libs for 3-4 hours a day.

Lol @ 26. Great reference.

Began studying for NV bar for one week before test. Spent most of that week drinking and doing other things. Passed on first try.

You all can blow off studying for two months, but after I invested three years into law school I wanted to be absolutely sure I passed the thing.

53 is correct.

-Not 53

i barely studied for the bar exam and I failed by 3 points! I crammed for 3 days for the second exam and I failed by 15 points. The choice is clear - barely study for 3 days...to almost pass...

Oh wait....

It wont matter there are no jobs...

You should know better than anyone else how much you need to study. IMO it's mainly psychological; if you've been paying attention for the last three years, you should know most of the stuff on the exam already. Study enough so that you feel comfortable walking into the exam. If that means studying every day, all day, then do it.

Agree with 23. It's easy/fun to come here and say "I only studied for four days, and had a raging hooker-coke party the night before only to realize when I woke up that the hooker was actually my mom. And I still had the highest score in state history."

Come on people. The market sucks. It's only 40ish extra days of studying. Bust your ass from day 1, take breaks when needed, but why risk job security for a few extra nights out in May/June? The advice on here is f-ing terrible.

Before you commit to studying/not studying you should take a practice test (and commit to taking at least one more in a couple weeks) to see where you are. Some people need to study every day to pass. Others don't. You're better off finding out early on which category you fall into.

i passed the NY bar with a high enough score that i went way above the minimum required to waive into other jurisdictions.
did i kill myself studying? No.
Did I have a great summer? Yes.
Did I study a whole lot? Absolutely.
I did the Barbri class, I typed my notes up (almost) everyday, I did (almost) daily sets of multiple choice questions. This allowed me breathing room come July, so that when others were sleeping at the library (sorry Elie and Marin!) I was attending concert(s) and going for picnics.
I guess it depends on your constitution. I hate feeling stressed. I rather to a good/sane/stable amount of work in the beginning so that I don't have to noticeably increase my workload at the end. Like I said, come the end I was actually able to slow down a bit, have fun, and take the test pretty care-free.
And when I felt like taking a day to veg, I totally did that as well (but prob. still did at least one multiple choice set). Good luck! And don't buy the hype. NO ONE ever does the 12hr barbri schedule at the end. Its impossible.

I passed on the first attempt. Used the I-Pod as I stayed with my parents who didn't live near a class site. Followed the lecture program almost to the letter (don't skip lectures unless you need to, 2 in 1 day is no fun, but it is doable once/twice over the summer), reviewed the notes from each days lecture, spent a few hours each day outlining and doing homework (all the MBEs, write one essay issue spot the others). Done daily by 6 or 7 in June, went to the gym, ate right, etc., occassionally worked at night if I wanted more review, typical day was 6-8 hours of lecture/study.

Put in 10-12 hours a day after July 1 (took the 4th off). Bottom line - I probably overstudied, but I went into the exam confident I had done enough as far as prep work, and it helped my score (your state of mind coming in/on day 2 are HUGE). Do what you need to do to feel comfortable with yourself and don't talk to anyone else. Like law school, 90% of those you talk to will be in the "top 10%" of the hours/grade curve. Good luck, at some point you'll feel overwhelmed, but if you got through LS, you can do this.

28 - I think the lesson to be learned is know your limitations. That chick clearly had (has) reason to freak out. She's a moron who can't pass the bar despite repeated attempts.

I took Barbri via ipod the first time around. I barely studied, took a couple of summer vacations, and failed the exam by several points.

The second time around (the Feb. exam), I took Barbri at night while working. For the For the first month or so, I did about an hour of MBE questions a day at work, went to class at night, and studied on the weekends. For the last three weeks, I took time off of my job. I studied 8-5 and attended classes. I passed the bar by almost 100 points.

The lesson I learned: I should have just studied the first time. I agree that people who study around the clock are wasting their time. But I do think that you should treat it like a job and study 9-5 or 9-6 every day.

If you fancy yourself a genius who doesn't need to study, then good luck to you. I, however, think the bar is all about due diligence.

And, by the way, I lost a Biglaw offer because of my summer partying and subsequent bar failure. I now work at a small firm. I love my job, but my salary is half what it would have been. Basically , in the last 2 years, I have lost $180,000 worth of salary because i DIDN'T STUDY ENOUGH THE FIRST TIME AROUND.

Just put in the time.

Agree with 53. For multistate, info comes from three sources:

1. the books/outlines
2. the lectures
3. the answers to the review problems

This means if you simply read the barbri prepared outlines on your own, and you don't go to class and/or don't do review problems, you're at a disadvantage. So go to class (where the prepared outlines and lectures are covered) and then during the two weeks before the exam, roll through as many of the practice problems as you can (while updating your outlines), and you'll be fine.

But don't start studying in May. Your goal is to study just enough to pass this thing by one point, not to get every question right. Plus, you're not going to remember, at least not with requisite clarity, anything you study in May by then anyway.

The right solution is actually to get a couple of outlines from current first-years and not go to class at all.

Anyway, the bar's kind of like a driver's licensing exam. It seems pretty daunting at the time, but a few weeks after you're licensed, you look around and say to yourself "all these dumbfucks are doing this, why was I worried?"

def go to the barbri sessions, they are worth it

PLEASE do not listen to this column. Study hard and pass the first time.

If you're taking the NY Bar exam take John Pieper.

I am a terrible test-taker and Pieper definitely helped calm me down with his pep-talks.

You will work hard but you will pass on the first try.

If you're taking the NY Bar exam take John Pieper.

I am a terrible test-taker and Pieper definitely helped calm me down with his pep-talks.

You will work hard but you will pass on the first try.

I started pmbr the monday after graduation and barbri the following week. I went to all of the classes and worked at a moderate but steady pace all of May and June (3-4 hours in class and 2-3 hours of home study with minimal work on weekends). My July schedule included 3 hours of study in the morning, 3 hours in the afternoon, and 1 hour after dinner 5 days a week. All of those hours were spent in the library so it felt like a job. In July, I also studied on weekends but at a more relaxed pace. I am a 1100/158 guy so I have to work a little harder, but I passed on the first try and have no regrets.

I found a stopwatch helpful for timing the study sessions and invested in a nice pair of ear plugs too.

Friend of mine.

176. Columbia. White male.

Failed. Didn't start studying until two weeks before.

The bar is completely different from the LSAT. You actually need substantive knowledge of the topics tested. Just saying.

The exam isn't that hard, it's just that there's a ton of information that you need to be able to recall and/or figure out some principles to apply that don't require you to remember all of the intricacies. As with most posters, I took studying in May/June more seriously than I did in law school, which means that I actually went to most bar/bri classes and put in another call it 2-4 hours after class during the week, then I went ape shit after the weekend of the 4th. But that's always been my style and what I was comfortable with - I had friends who thought I was insane for "slacking" in May/June, and others who thought I was insane for making such a big deal out of it and getting "serious" in July - all of us passed.

Of course, I relaxed quite a bit when I studies pass rates, remembered it's a curved test, and noted at least four people around me literally drooling during one bar/bri class. I figured of the # of people in our part of the room, those four plus one or two non-obvious morons probably covered our failure quota.

V10 associate here. I worried my ass off about whether I was studying enough for the Bar. I was studying every day, maybe 3-4 hours, when it seemed like everybody around me was logging ridiculous 10 hour days. I had no note cards. I did no practice tests.

I turned it on in the last 4 weeks or so, upped my studying to 5-6 hours a day, but it seemed like everybody else was going all day and all night.

I was scared shitless at the bar itself. Right until some guy next to me in the room leans over and says "so this is my third time, I was thinking of taking a review course, but I figured by now I know it all, right?" That made me feel better.

Then I beat the passing score by 35 points and logged the 2nd highest MBE score in the state that July.

The lesson --- you can study all you want for the G-D test, but if you're stupid, you're stupid. Take the BarBri self-study (being able to stop and pause and rewind the lectures is a LOT more useful than being asleep in the classroom), do your required lecture and questions every day (that is basically 4 hours every morning to early afternoon), and you will probably find that you overstudied.

And I still got to lay out by the pool every day and go play pool and drink every night. BarBri self study all the way, and if you're stupid, just don't bother.

Now there's a brilliant piece of advice. The legal economy is imploding, summer associates are being deferred, associates are getting canned or their salaries cut, summer programs are being shortened, etc. How can any rational actor not do everything possible to pass the bar? How great will your chances of survival in this legal market be if you fail? Firms are just looking for reasons. So go ahead -- give 'em one!

Law school I cammed. The Bar exam I studied every day or almost every day for two months. Passed with flying colors. My friends that thought they were to cool for schhol failed.

Just study.....

I'm signed up for the BarBri Ipod course.

Why is there a "BarBri Multistate PRIMER" and a "BarBri Multistate PREVIEW."

These geniuses really have control of the market?

You should know better than anyone else how much you need to study. IMO it's mainly psychological; if you've been paying attention for the last three years, you should know most of the stuff on the exam already. Study enough so that you feel comfortable walking into the exam. If that means studying every day, all day, then do it.

Wasn't it Charlie Whitebread himself who told the story about himself back in the day when he was about to take the DC bar, and somebody sat next to him in the testing room and said, "You know, I hear some people take a prep course for this."?

RIP, and thanks

-passed NY + NJ first time

dude- DO AS MANY MULTIPLE CHOICE Q AS POSSIBLE. other than that, relax. just MAKE SURE TO READ WHY UR ANSWERS ARE RIGHT OR WRONG.

74 - LOTS of stupid people pass the bar too.

Show up at (almost) all the classes. This will prime you for the final push-- you don't have to pay a lot of attention, but the osmosis is helpful in keeping guilt/panic at bay. Add a couple of hours of prep every weekday afternoon. Take the practice exam and put the pedal to the metal after July 4th weekend. If it's not too late and you're taking the NY bar, my advice is take it in Albany, rather than the Javitz Center (you have to provide an "out of town address" I think. It sounded to me like the additional stress lockdown situation, replete with trapped pigeons etc was something that I was lucky to have avoided, crappy hotel room to sleep in/hotel ballroom to take test in notwithstanding.)

For the California and New York exams, since they take over three and two days, respectively, I know folks who would go home and study after day one and day two.

Me, I went back to my residence and had a marathon jack off session to porn. That helped me relax for the next day of exams.

My advice is to follow the study schedule BarBri gives you to the T. If it says study subject X for Y hours, do that -- not more, not less. If it says take the night off, do that. If you do exactly what they tell you, you won't (i) panic the entire summer about not having studied enough, and (ii) fall into the trap of having studied too much to succeed on what is nothing more than a pass-fail test.

What the hell is the MBE?

Six hours of delicts today! Usufructs and filiation tomorrow!

TTTulane

I studied a good amount before the 4th of July (went to all classes, had a nice long lunch, studied till about 6 and was done for the day) and then a lot more after the 4th. It all depends on how you want to spend your summer. I studied more than I wanted to but I also didn't spend July in a complete panic like a lot of people I know. It's all hysterical until you realize that you may not pass and that there are real, humiliating repercussions if you don't. And in this economy, that will definitely include being first on the chopping block.

I say stick to a moderate routine (class, break, outline notes, maybe some practice questions if you have time) and then don't stress.

I saw a few very smart people not pass the bar because they thought no one was studying till July. Here's a secret--lots of people are studying more than they'll admit.

This is RIDONKULOUS

The best advice I can give is to take your outline/flashcards and walk as much as you can to study. My biggest problem with the bar was the amount of studying you had to do. Sitting in your house or the library for hours every day looking over stuff was boring. I couldn't focus. Instead, I would walk for miles every day. Most days I would do 10-15 miles. It would keep me focused and allow me to cram all the useless information that is necessary to pass the bar. Plus, it was good exercise. It seems a little crazy, but it worked.

Definitely no one-size-fits-all for bar exams. First, some people a quick studies, others are slow. As several people noted, after 20 years of education, you ought to know which category describes you. Second, different bars require different prep. California is tough for anyone; Minnesota, not so much. If you are sitting for a notoriously difficult bar, respect its reputation -- it is probably well deserved. I passed NJ with only 2 weeks study of the MBE. Years later, I study my ass off for 3 months to pass CA on the first try. Third, do not freak out. 28 and 36 seem to have a healthy balanced approach. Keeping your head is key. So is pacing yourself. Fourth, despite the crap job market, what else do you have planned for the next 3 months that's more important than studying for the bar? So study hard. Remember, you are taking the bar for yourself -- so you can call yourself a lawyer -- and if you pass, its something you'll always have.

Whatever. If you're not the type of person who is constantly full of anxiety and self-doubt, there is absolutely no need to do anything except show up for 80% of classes before July 4 -- and then cram. It is not necessary to do "minimal" studying (which is how posters like 20 apparently characterize 4-5 hours a day IN ADDITION to 3 hours of class) before then.

I showed up late to every BarBri class, took zero notes, missed several classes, and did not do one second of extra studying at home prior to July 4 weekend. And I took off several days after that. Passed the CA Bar without stress or difficulty in 2004. If you're not (a) an idiot or (b) a stress-case, this program will work just as well as the "Pace Program" -- and result in literally hundreds of hours more free time (which you will never have again once you start working).

Bar exam is a mental endurance exam as well as a physical one. Stay in shape through excercise - this will help you stay focused and reduce stress. Also don't listen to friends - they will just freak you out. Finally, if in CA talk to people who failed the exam not those who passed because we dont get to see scores unless you fail so those who passed didnt know what they did right/wrong. They might have has a drunken exam grader.

I love the comment - "if you paid attention the last three years you will be fine." WTF - The bar is nothing like law school. Half the exam is obscure law you never heard of - plus who the hell paid attention in law school. Just study, you can listen to CD's or do flash cards if you don't want to read but you need to bang out as many multi choice questions as you can.

Good luck

Besides me, did anybody's dick move when Dottie Benson was going over the Crim Law answers today?

66 is right on. Treat studying for the exam like a job, because your real job may very well count on it, and why take a chance?

You're not on summer vacation. Study 9-5 (including BarBri) five days a week in May, June, and July. Take the weekends off. This will be more than enough to pass, and will help you stay relaxed and fresh.

Maybe you can just cram the last few weeks and pass, but again, in this economy, why chance it? Approach it like a job, and never do it again.

When are we getting our shares of the Barbri settlement?

53,58 and 81 are right.

Go to the classes. Read the outlines. Focus on the MBE. Pay attention but don't kill yourself.

People who practice for the essays are chumps.

Good luck everyone taking the Bar......just suck it up now put the time in (yes even before July 4th) .,...you will be happy you did come October or November when your name is on the pass list.

FWIW for may/june what I did was do about 30 -50 PMBR questions a day and what barbri told me to do. But I would do it while watching a baseball game on mute. Worked for me

Do three things:
1. Get a good set of earplugs.
2. Do EVERY MBE practice question from PMBR and BarBri.
3. Study the outlines.
You'll pass easily.

Ummm....don't you guys think it matters a wee bit which state's bar the person is taking?

97 -- I disagree that "People who practice for the essays are chumps." As 90 noted, different bar exams require different study strategies. In states where you can pass based on a MBE score alone or have exams heavily weighted to the MBE, fine. But California is heavily weighted to the essays (65% if memory serves me correctly). And the California graders want the essays in a very specific style, with headings, etc. If you want to pass CA the first time, you'd better practice for the essays.

@26

that made me laugh out loud. i loved honisburg's lectures only because of all the stories he would tell. he was hilarious.

"People who practice for the essays are chumps" = 97 = assclown

As a side note, I am selling my (very helpful) MBE flashcards. Any takers?

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/bks/1180351197.html

As a side note, I am selling my (very helpful) MBE flashcards. Any takers?

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/bks/1180351197.html

The NY Bar Exam is a piece of cake.

1. Graduate from Law School
2. Go to the Beach for a week
3. Take the PMBR course and listen.
4. Take Barbri and just, wait for it, listen.
5. Do lots of practice MBE questions. If you do well on the MBE then the essays don't mean a thing.
5a. Watch Law & Order. Two days before I took the bar exam and evidence issue was discussed on the show which ended up being an essay question on my exam.
5b. Watch re-runs of Judging Amy. There was also a question on the best interest of the child. All Bar exams love this one.
6. Do the essays as though you are in grade school. i.e. The issue is ____. In NY, the code says___, etc.
7. Pass bar exam.

Truthfully, I did what Barbri told me to do, went to class, played scrabble in class, and did lots of practice MBE questions. Then in July I buckled down and passed with ease.

Remember, it's about getting a 5.67 on each essay question and 120+ on the MBE. The BARE MINIMUM.

Why the worry, do you have to pass the bar to sell cupcakes?

Since he won't be around to give it to you this year, here is the best advice you'll ever get, newbies:

In 35 years of law teaching it is my observation that the acquisition of
knowledge—all knowledge—falls into three levels or stages.
Level one:
You come to the course each day. You more or less listen to the lectures.
You sort of do the homework. You kind of understand the stuff. Level
one is glib understanding.
At the other end of the spectrum is level three. At level three you
realize there are grave problems with your glib understanding. At level
three you have worked through all of those problems. Level three is true
insight and knowledge. Level three is where all the “A” answers are on
law school exams.
However, between level one—glib understanding—and level three—
true insight and knowledge—there is a vast level two.
At level two you realize there are grave problems with your glib
understanding. But at level two you can’t figure out those problems. At
level two you lose the glib understanding, but at level two you do not
gain true insight and knowledge. At level two you lose sight of the forest
for the trees. At level two you get all balled up. You even forget your
own name.
Let’s remember what we are talking about here: the bar exam. It’s a
pass-fail exam. You don’t want to finish first on a pass-fail exam. Where
do you want to finish? You want to finish in the money. You want my
advice: Don’t even think of leaving level one. Glib understanding is
more than enough to pass any bar exam in the United States of America.

@89: and how do you do now that you practice? you have a treadmill in your office?

I failed NY on the first try--a most unpleasant experience.

101, if you have to actually do a bunch of practice essay exams or spend any time whatsoever in order to be able to use headings on test day, you've got problems.

CA 1st Time Bar-Passer Who Did Not Study *At All* Before July.

97 and 106: Right on the Money.

I did a couple of practice questions for the essays and then read a few of the Barbri essay/answer questions over a period of a few days. The essays were so easy it was ridiculous.

If you can't answer an essay question by now, you've got bigger issues.

97 and 106: Right on the Money.

I did a couple of practice questions for the essays and then read a few of the Barbri essay/answer questions over a period of a few days. The essays were so easy it was ridiculous.

If you can't answer an essay question by now, you've got bigger issues.

I passed IL first try. I took NY a couple years later and passed first try as well. Only studied for the MBE both times.

Just saying.

Is taking PMBR a must? I'm just signed up for Barbri, and I know they now offer a 5 days MBE Preview and a 3 Day MBE review at the end. In fact, I was told its on the same day as the PMBR courses, so it wouldn't even be possible to do both. Am I gambling by doing that? Should I sign up with Kaplan just to get the books/questions?

Thanks.

@50: 60 more summers? I haven't seen a summer since that very fun Bar Exam summer. I hear it's a beautiful day outside right now but I can't bear to look.

109: Yes

http://abovethelaw.com/2008/09/law_firm_treadmill_desk.php

Elie and Marin must be speaking of the NY bar specifically- don't listen to everyone's advice and do what feels natural and/or comfortable to you- I sat for 2 bar exams in one week, and passed both and studied my a$$ off- what I realized was that I could fib both states essay questions, but the MBE is changing and is another beast- that is the most important part of the exam to study for...so in a nutshell do as many multiple choice questions as possible! And the lies about waiting to study until after July 4th are just that- LIES, never let anyone fool you into thinking they are THAT smart...that is unless they have VERY CLOSE relative that sits on the Board of Bar Examiners for your state

There is a lot of bad advice in this post and in the comments. There is one truth: everyone is different. For me, I took more away from the MBE practice exams than anything else. Some people can soak it all in at the BarBri lectures and get by.

Personally, I used the 9-5 job model. Class in the morning, review materials/practice exams in the afternoon. Towards the end I added in a two hour study session at night. I made it to the gym regularly, hung out with friends and watched a lot of baseball on TV. 3-4 hours of studying on weekends.

At the end of the day, with this economy, you need to "leave it all on the field". Otherwise, if you mail it in and don't pass, you won't be able to live with yourself when you’re unemployable. It’s better to overstudy. My law school had an 80% pass rate. I knew many of those that failed and, with few exceptions, all of them were the people that "took it easy on the first leg" and crammed after July 4.

As for the people who are saying its pass/fail, I'd rather win by a few touchdowns on something that could destroy my career. Don’t stress, but respect the test.

111 -- obviously you are much smarter than me (101). But we both passed CA on the first try and neither of us knows what we scored (or how much effort was wasted on getting points in excess of the 1440 needed to pass). If you scored 1441 and wasted no effort, hats off! But, the fact of the matter is that about 45% - 50% of the people who take the CA bar in July will fail. So, is it your recommendation to the thousands of aspiring CA lawyers that they don't practice for the portion of the exam that will acount for 65% of their score?

108: TITCR. Godspeed Professor Whitebread, couldn't have done it without you

I think it entirely depends on who you are. There was no point during the studying period where I was really busting my butt. I worked pretty steadily throughout, with only a marginal increase in July, but I'm not the sort of person who can do nothing but study for a test for a month straight.

I probably averaged 2-4 hours per day 5 days a week outside of class in May and June, and 4-6 hours a day 6 days a week in July. I did have the nice feeling, though, of going to bed the night before the Bar Exam thinking that the hard part (getting myself to open those freaking books 5-6 days a week for two months) was over.

Serious question here: Can anyone advise if there have been any changes to the substantive law since 2007, that might be on the Bar Exam this July? (I'm not taking BarBri...)

Yeah, just work at a steady pace through the end of June and you'll be fine. 9-5 really isn't that bad. In July, you might have to amp up a little bit and study on the weekends, but that's it. But it's summer vacation? Try growing up a little bit.

Also, don't buy this "try to pass by one point" crap. Half of the test in most states is still subjective. You want to give yourself enough cushion so that if your essay grader had a bad day and decides to take it out on you, it won't cause you to fail.

Most people recover fine, but failing the bar is not a good thing. To most employers, it signals that you might be lazy and/or incompetent. Bad first impression to make, even if your firm keeps you around. If a February bar passage date is on your resume and you are a May grad, be prepared for some questioning.

123 - there have definitely been changes. In fact, BarBri updates changes that are made while you have been studying. That being said, the core of the material is probably the same, enough that if you do end up knowing the 2007 material as well as you would otherwise know the 2009 material, you should pass. My question for you is, why can'y you get an outline from someone who took BarBri last year so that you have at least one more year of material. Or, even better, the Feburary 2009 Bar Exam.

123 - I think that is a huge mistake. Unless you had a scholarship to law school, you have already invested so much into your degree, why not spend the little (in comparison) extra. If you did have a scholarship, then this should be where you spend that somewhere around $120K, depending where you studied, on passing the Bar Exam, the last barrier to actually practicing law.

No outlines, no PMBR, mediocre flash cards, one practice essay, one practice MBE = 1st time pass in California. Don't buy into the hype. Study (minimally) in July and only July. Do go to every class though.

Dear Editor,

Lest you be fined or imprisoned, please be cautious with your use of the Smokey the Bear trademark so as not to run afoul of 18 USC 711.

Thx!

Oops, forgot the link:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/usc_sec_18_00000711----000-.html

I recommend attending your classes, to get a basic gist of the law and what 'buzz words' barbri recommends for the essay testing.

The rest of your time should be spent on doing MBE questions. If you are studying full time (e.g. not also working), you should do 50 questions. At first, do not be so consumed w/ time. Once July 1 hits, start getting your time together. You MUST review/debrief each question. That's the key. You will start to see the same topics raised tried and true, just wrapped in a different fact pattern. Take notes on the questions you need clarification in relation to the law. THEN, go back to your BarBri/PMBR outlines and review what you don't know for each of those 50 questions each day. (DO NOT WASTE TIME MAKING NEW OUTLINES. GET OLD ONES FROM FRIENDS, COMMERCIAL, ETC).

Somehow, BarBri gave out a CD rom that I installed on my laptop which had all the MPQ's, complete answer responses, and the Mini Outline Book that was hyperlinked. It was great b/c you could time yourself, arrange what topics you wanted to review, and breakdown the level of difficulty per question.

Once you get the hang of MBE practice, then start reviewing state distinctions. You don't really need to practice writing essays, unless you're long-winded or write/type slowly. I would recommend practicing at least 2-4 essays in each topic b/f the exam under timed conditions. Def look at released exams questions and study how/what the State Bar Examiners deems a "Good Representative Answer". Write how they want you to write.

Lastly, just RELAX. Don't worry about what the next man/woman is doing. This is exam is only about you and whether you can beat the game (e.g. pass). If you can do this w/o wasting unnecessary time, then you won. It's always quality studying over quantity. Best of Luck ;o)

I took the 3 day PMBR. I went to BarBri but didn't study too much after class each day. I did kick it into high gear July 5, but I never looked at a single essay and when it was all said and done, had only done about 2000 practice MBE questions (including those I did in the PMBR class.

I passed by a very comfortable margin, however, I was cramming both nights before each day of the test, broke out into hives over my whole body the night before the second day and would have been screwed if there had been an essay on commercial paper or secured transactions.

In short, though I passed, I wouldn't recommend my method to others :)

Passed in 3 jurisdictions.

You could study for a year and still likely not do better than 80% on the MBE. The questions are just that f-ed up. Not difficult. F-ed up.

Don't be stupid. Don't kill yourself. Just. Do. The. Work.

Passed CA first try - it is true that it depends on the person. Noticed that nobody commented on studying with a study partner. Find someone from your school (your old study partners?) and spend 3-5 hours after Barbri. Study on the weekends - take lots of walks (get coffee and lunch a ways away). You cannot study too much for the bar - this is your final test. Don't listen to people who say wait until July - that might work for some, but is it really worth the risk?
In CA, follow Barbri best you can - can't really keep up with their schedule - and add more hours in July. We did our own outlines because that is how we learned the law in law school and shrunk them down to 1 page and memorized that. Remember, the bar is not exact, you really can make up the law, just do it confidently.
Study your ass off and you will likely pass. Did I study too much? Yes. But I actually enjoyed it. Was I worried on day 1 of the bar exam? Yes. But I passed. Better to have done your best (or too much) and pass rather than the alternative. You really don't want to look back, after failing, and say that you did not try hard enought.

First of all, I haven't seen anyone mention Judge Judy or People's Court. I learned a lot of basic common law from the judge shows.

Second, CA bar results are horribly skewed b/c one does not even need a bachelor's degree to sit for the bar. The passage rate for test takers from ABA accredited schools is around 70%.

Here's what I did to pass the WA bar (all essay). I went to the Rigos classes. Each day after class i went home and watched small claims court tv shows and briefly reviewed my outlines. I turned in the few practice problems they assigned. I went to happy hour every Friday. Didn't touch the books on Saturday. About 2 weeks before the exam I studied from 9am to 9pm or later every day leading up to the exam. I passed on the first try. I knew several people who studied all day every day that burned themselves out, and they didn't pass and a couple didn't even show up.

Ultimately the question posed says enough about the asker. If they're asking how much to study, then they're the type that alway has to be über-prepared and will likely study 10 hours a day beginning in March. Those of us who waited until the last few weeks always knew we were going to wait until the last few weeks. That's just how we operate.

And those that think we're lying are only bitter that we 2-week crammers were able to pass the bar AND enjoy the summer.

First of all, I haven't seen anyone mention Judge Judy or People's Court. I learned a lot of basic common law from the judge shows.

Second, CA bar results are horribly skewed b/c one does not even need a bachelor's degree to sit for the bar. The passage rate for test takers from ABA accredited schools is around 70%.

Here's what I did to pass the WA bar (all essay). I went to the Rigos classes. Each day after class i went home and watched small claims court tv shows and briefly reviewed my outlines. I turned in the few practice problems they assigned. I went to happy hour every Friday. Didn't touch the books on Saturday. About 2 weeks before the exam I studied from 9am to 9pm or later every day leading up to the exam. I passed on the first try. I knew several people who studied all day every day that burned themselves out, and they didn't pass and a couple didn't even show up.

Ultimately the question posed says enough about the asker. If they're asking how much to study, then they're the type that alway has to be über-prepared and will likely study 10 hours a day beginning in March. Those of us who waited until the last few weeks always knew we were going to wait until the last few weeks. That's just how we operate.

And those that think we're lying are only bitter that we 2-week crammers were able to pass the bar AND enjoy the summer.

Passed in four jurisdictions on the first try. Three of them used the MBE; the most recent was essay only.

The cardinal rule of thumb is know thyself. For me, what worked was reading the outlines before class, going to class, and doing sample MBE questions. I did that to make sure the information was stored in my long-term memory. After July 4th, I kicked it into high gear and studied 8-13 hours per day (including weekends). I also made sure that I ate good food, exercised daily and slept well (sleep is critical for me; without it, I get very stressed). Passed all four exams without any problem the first time.

I agree that bar prep is a marathon and should be treated like a job. Because I am not the best multiple choice test taker, I spent more time on the MBE practice questions than I did on essays the first three exams. This really paid off on exam number 3 when I got food poisoning the first day of the exam and had to take the MBE armed with Pepto and Immodium after an hour and a half of sleep the previous night! Luckily, because I had done tons of practice questions, I ended up doing just fine. If i hadn't studied, however, I would have been totally screwed.

Exam number four was all essay (no MBE). Thus, I spent a lot of time studying old exam questions and answers (I did this pretty much exclusively the last two weeks before the exam). My efforts were rewarded because several of the essay questions were repeat questions I had studied so at least they were familiar and I could answer them without any problem. Again, because I had studied and put the time in, I passed.

Know yourself, know your exam format, treat it like a job, take very good care of yourself, don't talk to other people and get freaked out (if you are going to freak out, do it early in the process, not right before the exam), and you should do fine.

Attend every class, take notes and try to outline some from the start. A degree of slacking is built in to Barbri to the extent that even they acknowledge the impossibility of strictly following their study plan (hours in class, hours outlining, hours testing --each day). Towards the last two weeks, what I found (and you may also) was that I needed to create new, shorter outlines to ensure that I had achieved mastery of the material. The rule of thumb a prior passer gave to me: greater than five pages per subject is excessive and demonstrates regurgitating, not thinking. In addition, I did lots of MBE questions and at least an essay or two per subject in the last few weeks.

All of that said, "know thyself" is key. When I passed, I promised I wouldn't try to tell anyone that I know the way to pass because the passing process is idiosyncratic.

-Passed NY and NJ, concurrently

I studied quite a bit. No outlining or reading outlines but lots of practicing. No nights or weekends until after July 4. I also got pretty drunk between the first and second days and nursed the hangover the morning of the MBE with a little Cali prescription. Bottom line is, I was so prepared that I took it half-baked and still passed. Definitely be prepared. You never know when you might run into a Jamaican on the way to the test.

134/135 -- so you took WA, but you diss CA as being "horribly skewed b/c one does not even need a bachelor's degree to sit for the bar," and assert that the "passage rate for test takers from ABA accredited schools is around 70%." Check your facts.

According to the National Conference of Bar Examiners, for 2007 (the last year for which they publish data, the overall pass rate for ABA law grads was only 58%, as compared to 77% for WA. That's an apples to apples comparison. Now granted, it includes both July and Feb exams and it includes both first time and repeat takers, but it is not a figure that prospective takers should consider "skewed."

Yes, CA allows non-ABA law grads to take the bar and they tend to do poorly (27% passed in 2007), and foreign law grads too (19% passed in 2007). However, the only demographic group of CA test takers that consistently has a pass rate in the 70% range is California-ABA law grads taking the test for the first time in July. People taking CA should look at the stats on The State Bar of CA web site and determine what category they are in and what their odds of passing are, rather than taking your word that the results are "skewed."

Last.

Dear 139, it's 134/135 here (now I know that all the double posters are just impatient)

Thanks for the additional CA facts. I think we agree on 2 things--that the WA bar is easy, and that products of non-accredited schools really bring down the CA overall average, which makes the CA bar exam look harder than it really is for first-time takers from ABA schools. But remember, the passage rates aren't "odds." Hell, if they were then there would be no reason to study.

Last again.

You need to find ways to make your preparation ACTIVE. To sit there reading and highlighting books/notes/outlines over and over is passive and excruciatingly boring and leads to kidding yourself about how much progress you are making.

Take every practice question you can. As you mess up early on, you will see how much of the test requires memorizing elements of the law. Sure, people who are good at standardized tests start with an advantage, but this is not an aptitude test.

Make flashcards for yourself on index cards. Use the lectures and the practice tests to decide what from the books needs to go onto a flashcard. Don't think of making the flashcards as a waste of time before you can really start studying with them later. Making the flashcards IS studying.

As you get further into your studying, your goal should be to get away from books, outlines and lecture notes entirely and just work the flashcards and practice tests.

I crammed (ie 6-10 hrs/day) from July 4th on and passed. It was highly stressful towards the end, but I got to spend May and June working and earning a bundle of money instead of studying. I did go to a few Barbri classes in May and June and study a couple of hours, but that's it.

In retrospect, it would have been a much more comfortable experience if I spread out the studying over the summer, but I knew myself and knew that I would procrastinate in May and June no matter what my plans were. So I decided to spend those months working instead.

Caveat: I am a very, very good test taker and crammer. You may not have the same results if you're not.

I studied ONLY BARBRI's Conviser Mini review and I passed with flying colors...its really not that of a deal

Oh and I studied the review for 3 weeks, plus did some mulyiple choice practice questions and looked over a few essays...BARBRI freaks everyone out for no reason. The bar is no big deal

Oh and I studied the review for 3 weeks, plus did some mulyiple choice practice questions and looked over a few essays...BARBRI freaks everyone out for no reason. The bar is no big deal

Oh and I studied the review for 3 weeks, plus did some mulyiple choice practice questions and looked over a few essays...BARBRI freaks everyone out for no reason. The bar is no big deal

And just glancing at some comments- 29 is retarded. I agree with 147 the bar is not something to be scared of- these people who study for months r just dumb

144 -149: your respective comments on your ease in passing the bar are meaningless without stating which bar exam(s) you took. Having taken and passed 3 different states (each on the first try), I can tell you that they aren't created equally.

My nickname for Dottie Benson is "Sexy Motormouth." She talks way faster than I can type, but I get to watch her lips move so that makes up for it

took CA. went to barbri in June. studied like crazy starting July 5. that was enough. CA is an endurance test. you gotta be able to last three days. on each day of the test, get rest, try to stay away from the test site so people don't freak you out at night, eat light nutrient-rich food for breakfast and lunch so you are alert but not jittery. you have to finish. don't waste time on something you dont know. I did not study trusts and estates. every time i got one of those questions, I made a reasonable guess and moved on quickly. do not type. friends that grade said they subconsciously expect more order and no typos than from those who hand right. on the essays, the answers are not always black and white. they want to see you spot and issue and make an argument. if you think there is a counter-argument, point it out and then say why you think you are right. You might actually be wrong, but they are looking for logic. if you were a summer, you have an advantage cuz you have alraedy written memos, talked to clients etc. dont freak out.

I just started studying for july 09 exam 3 days ago...literally. I just got the barbri books out of the box and began reading them. I have never attended a class and really don't give a f#ck. If I pass...great. If i don't...I'll take it again. I'm approaching the bar the same as I approached law school/undergrad/h.s......crash study 3 weeks before. That'll do it...I hope! GL to every1 taking the july bar!