For as long as there’s been a bar exam, things have gone wrong for test takers. And when I put out a call for bar exam horror stories from the latest administration of the exam, well, Above the Law tipters came out in force.
And let me just say, y’all, I’m sorry. You went through the shit. By far the most common issue we heard was about was technical issues with ExamSoft — so much so that the ExamSoft debacle (and the aftermath) called for their own stories. But those weren’t the only issues that went down.
Like when your personal life interferes with test, and you have to deal with a hositalized child mid-exam:
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I woke up at 3 am with nerves the morning of the MBE, so I was very tired to begin with. Then, as soon as I hit submit on my last set of MBEs and turned my phone on, I had a message from my husband telling me to call him. My youngest son fell outside and the brake handle of a bike hit under his arm, broke his rib, and made his lung collapse. We’ve been at the hospital all night. He’s going to be okay thank goodness, but I still haven’t been to sleep ???? —
Fire alarms can always be an issue, but this year it had an added twist due to remote exams:
The Florida bar exam was administered remotely this year, so my school (FIU Law) offered us the option to take the exam on campus in individual library study rooms. Most of the bar takers took the school up on its offer because we figured: if the entire school had some sort of wifi or connectivity problem, at least we’d be in the same boat as a hundred or so other students, and the Florida board of bar examiners would hopefully be more inclined to be accommodating if anything went awry. And awry it went.
Ten minutes into the third essay of the morning, the library’s fire alarm went off. We planned for a wifi malfunction, but the fire alarm?? My first thought was that it was a joke, albeit a bad one. Every bar taker instantly thought of the acknowledgement form we’d signed telling us not to break eye contact with the camera, which was proctoring each of us, and to report to the camera if there was any need to step away. So everyone started reporting to their cameras, something along the lines of: There’s a fire alarm! Do you hear it? It appears there’s an emergency?! I don’t know what to do? Okay I’ll stay and continue the test through the alarms—okay I can do it. I’ll die in this building. All the while thinking, DON’T BREAK EYE CONTACT WITH THE CAMERA.
Some people tried to ignore the alarms and continue. Others wandered the halls looking for a solution. Then the library staff started coming door to door, kicking everyone out of the study rooms and out of the library entirely. It was at this point that we fully panicked and also ran. Personally, I grabbed my computer and ran to the elevator (don’t ask me why it was still working through the fire alarm?), then ran down the stairs and out onto the grass, not because I was worried about any fire, but because the clock was ticking. I found a spot on a bench in a grassy area, showed my proctor that I was alone (and also panting and very sweaty), quickly twisted my face in an unsuccessful attempt not to cry, lamented the loss of time, and got back to writing, fighting off the ants that were making a new home in and on my computer. And, I was one of the lucky ones. Some sat in the grass completely surrounded by chatting undergrads who had also been evacuated. Some had people come up to them, taking advantage of the situation, to ask, “Can I have a minute of your time?” Unfortunately, no, literally not one minute. Still, others, in a moment of confusion and panic left their computers behind, and were left with only minutes to write their essays. Some fought the library staff and stayed in their rooms, through the blaring alarms and warnings to leave the building, willing to risk it all just to pass.
We’re all laughing about it now, because our worst selves are captured on camera and what else is there to do, but it’ll become much funnier, or not, on September 20!
Or this story, where…. everything just went wrong for one test taker:
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This bar is where a bunch of things just went wrong.
A month before the exam I started getting severe hyper acidity due to stress. I’ve had to take days off studying cause I was literally throwing up as I studied. Bar exam day I was throwing up when I got the first password. I throw up before a few sessions and I dry heave several times during the exams.
As I’m answering my first MPT I realize that the AC wasn’t working, it was like 80+ almost 90 outside and I was sweating during my exam.
I suddenly need to pee 30 mins into an MEE question. I hold it in for an hour until the end of the exam, I rush into the bathroom and miss the toilet completely.
I’m on my last MBE question and suddenly my screen freezes and goes haywire. I can’t review and I just click finish and hope I don’t get flagged for anything.
This has truly been an ordeal and I’m just glad it’s over.
We’re sure glad you survive, and hopefully this will be the last time you have to deal.
If you survived or witnessed some horror story in action, let us know. You can email it to us (subject line: “Bar Exam Horror Story”) or text us (646-820-8477). Maybe your story will inspire others to persevere.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).