The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Yet this is exactly what you are doing when preparing for the bar exam. I frequently work with students just like you and have noticed a few common trends that hold them back. The good news is that each of the following pitfalls are identifiable and fixable. Review this list carefully and determine what changes you need to implement to make your next bar exam your final bar exam.
1. You spent too much time watching the videos
This may come as a surprise to you, but those videos where professors spew a whole bunch of law at you are not the most important part of bar review. In fact, they are the least important part. When you were a first-time taker, the videos were a necessary evil. It had been a few years since you had reviewed most of the material, and the videos were a good way to refresh your memory. The videos became a problem, however, when you started hitting the pause button and going back to re-watch segments. Often, this caused you to take an entire day to do what was meant to be done in a couple of hours. This prevented you from moving on to other, more valuable tasks such as practice questions. This time around consider whether you need to watch the videos at all. If you decide to watch them, pay careful attention to how much time you spend with them.
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2. You didn’t spend enough time doing practice questions
The single most important activity to do to pass the bar exam is practice questions. Tons of them. I’m talking 20, 30, 40 essays and performance tests and 3,000 plus multiple choice questions. Does this come as a shock to you? That is actually a good thing! That means there are tangible, measureable changes you can make to help you reach your goals. If you are sweating bullets thinking about how you will fit in this many practice questions or how to make the most of them, fear not, I have some tips.
First, start practicing on day one and spread your practice questions over the entirety of bar review. Whenever you have a big project, the best way to ensure you complete it is to break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. You should aim to do practice questions every single day during bar prep.
Second, don’t wait until you feel “ready” to practice. You can’t master the skills necessary to crush the MBE in just a few days or a week. You have to practice them over an extended period of time. This means starting to practice before you feel fully ready. This is important for two reasons (1) you are probably never going to feel ready, and (2) you will only begin to feel ready by practicing. Think of this as the “chicken/egg” problem of bar prep.
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Finally, review every single practice question. Most of the value of doing practice questions is reviewing them afterwards. Make sure you examine every question to see why you got it wrong and to look for patterns, such as the common traps you often fall into.
3. You had resource overload
Remember that day you were sitting at your desk, surrounded by your bar prep company books, flash cards, cheat sheets, and supplemental books, and feeling totally overwhelmed? You bought “the works,” how could you fail? Well, more doesn’t always mean better. Sometimes more is just more and can actually drag you down. Getting “stuck” or hung up is a big problem for many students studying for the bar exam, and the more information you have available to you, the easier it is to get bogged down in the details.
Before you start studying this time around, compile all your resources and determine which ones you will use. Then, hide the rest. Seriously. They will still be around if you really find a need for them, but you won’t be tempted to go down a rabbit hole reading “all the things.”
4. You spent too much reading and not enough time learning
Most bar review companies build in time for you to preview, read, and reread the outlines that they provide. While reading is an important and fundamental task during bar prep, much like watching the videos, merely reading through outlines is a strictly passive method of studying and is best used in moderation.
I challenge you to engage in as much active studying as possible this time around. Instead of just reading or rereading outlines, take it one step further and break down your outlines or make your own flashcards. The more you can interact with the material, the more likely you are to retain it.
5. You created a self-fulfilling prophecy
The way you talk to yourself matters. I know that lawyers are not typically known for being super in touch with their thoughts and feelings, but understanding how your mindset is impacting you is crucial to your success on the bar exam. If statements, such as “I can’t do this,” “I don’t know anything,” or “I’m not good at multiple choice questions” sound familiar, then you should seriously consider spending some time on your mindset before your next bar exam. Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”
If you consistently have negative thoughts and feelings about your ability to pass the bar exam, it will be incredibly hard for you to reach a positive outcome. While mindset can be the most difficult thing to focus on and improve, it may be the key that unlocks your progress. It will probably feel awkward at first, but start by simply trying to acknowledge your negative thoughts as they come into your mind and letting them go.
I truly hope these tips help you reach your bar exam goals, and hey — good luck! You’ve got this.
Kerriann Stout is a millennial law school professor and founder of Vinco (a bar exam coaching company) who is generationally trapped between her students and colleagues. Kerriann has helped hundreds of students survive law school and the bar exam with less stress and more confidence. She lives, works, and writes in the northeast. You can reach her by email at [email protected].