I recently had the privilege of interviewing four lawyers who all passed the bar exam on their 2+ time. They went through the experience of failing the bar exam and came out the other side victorious. Their path wasn’t easy or fun, but they did it with a lot of hard work and discipline. They all balanced tight schedules. Many of them balanced working full-time, family obligations, and/or other responsibilities while studying for the bar exam. In my opinion, their advice and insights are pure bar exam gold. They can help you stop a potential bar exam train wreck dead in its tracks. Don’t just read their responses, but take them to heart and implement them ASAP.
1. How did you let go of previous habits you developed in bar prep?
Student A: It was actually pretty easy for me to let go of bad habits because obviously what I was doing before didn’t work and I wanted a fresh start.
Student B: I knew that I knew the law and that what I needed to do was something different than what I had done before
Student C: Well, it didn’t work the first go around, so I said, “I’m not going to do it again!” Then, when I started to implement new strategies and saw that they actually worked, it was easier to stick with them.
2. How did you gauge your improvement as you went?
Student D: In the beginning, I couldn’t really tell how I was doing, so I would get validation from my coach. But after a while, my scores started to go up and the data showed my improvement.
Student A: I used the database from my bar review company and looked at how I was doing by subtopic and monitored my numbers.
3. Did you do any extra work on top of what was assigned?
Student B: Absolutely. If I was assigned 33 MBEs, I did 50. When I came across any answers I didn’t know, I made a chart for the law and would review it over and over again. This worked for me because I am a visual learner.
Student C: I did. I would read past essay questions and go back to MBE questions.
Student A: Yes. Reading over essays and answers in my spare time was helpful to do at the end of the day when I was tired because it is a more passive activity.
4. If you could only choose one thing to say to someone retaking the bar exam, what would it be?
Student D: Take as much time as you can to dedicate to bar prep. If you don’t have the time, find it.
Student C: Do as many practice questions as possible. MBEs, MEEs, MPTs. Do them all. It makes a huge difference
Student B: Do as many practice questions as you can. The thought process is that you learn the tricks of the exam by doing them, Oh, and make sure you do your practice questions timed!
Student A: Timed practice questions.
5. Talk about the dynamic of working FT and studying.
Student C: I had a schedule and I stuck to it. I got up at 5:15 a.m. every day and did 33 or 50 MBE questions. When I was commuting on the train, I reviewed MBE answers or listened to audio recordings. At night, I’d come home and take care of my child and then between 9-11:30 p.m. I was back at it reviewing, doing essays, MPTs, etc. I also definitely made the most out of Saturday and Sunday. Another important thing for me was taking personal time to decompress. I used to give myself Friday nights off.
Student B: I utilized my lunch breaks for studying. I figured out when I would study best and when it was most productive. I was tired at night and retained more info in the morning. I did questions at night and reviewed in the morning. I would use my one hour lunch break to write essays or review questions. I also took Friday nights off. It was about organizing time and sticking to the schedule.
6. What was the best piece of bar exam advice you received?
Student A: To talk out loud how I was thinking through my answer so I could slow down and understand my process.
Student D: Trust the process. In the beginning my MBE numbers were so bad, but by trusting the process and sticking with the schedule, I started to make progress.
Student C: Get out of your feelings, you have this. I had a re-taker’s cloud over my head. I was scared and I was nervous and this helped me to snap out of it.
Student B: To use the word “because” in my essays to connect the elements of the law with the applicable facts. This was the most helpful piece of advice because it forced me to address each element and helped me gauge how I was doing on my essays.
7. At what point did you feel fully prepared and sure that you were going to pass the exam?
Student B: It came when I realized there was no MBE question or MEE question that I absolutely didn’t know. Sure, I may forget a rule, but there was no longer anything I felt completely lost on. That is when I knew I could pass.
Student C: I felt like there was a good chance I was going to pass this thing. I started to feel like “I’m ready to take this test, I’m done, my mind can’t hold anything else.” I felt a little bit more confident.
Student A: I never had the moment where I thought I was going to pass. Even during the test, I felt like I had no idea what happened. However, looking back, I do feel like I had more control over the questions and I know that I went as hard as I could. I knew that I gave it my best
Student D: I never felt like, “Oh, I’ll definitely pass, but I felt more confident. Towards the second to last week of bar prep, I felt like I was ready to take the exam.”
8. How did you stay motivated and push through on days where you felt really tired or defeated?
Student C: You have to stay motivated internally. Why are you going through this process? What is your end goal? Shake it off. Also, external influence, having friends and accountability partners who are counting on you.
Student D: I reached out to the friend I was studying with and talked things out. We helped to support each other. Take a break, go for a walk, do something mindless for a little bit. Remind yourself that you are doing this for a purpose, not just for a test.
Student A: I vented to my accountability partner, took a nap to stop negative momentum (30 mins), or treated myself to small things like Starbucks.
9. How did you get over that feeling that you weren’t good enough when you didn’t pass?
Student B: After I realized I hadn’t done enough practice questions last time, I felt like it could be done and I had a plan.
Student C: I’m very critical of myself, and at some point I started to realize I didn’t give it my all the first time, and that I could do that this time. I also researched people who failed the bar exam, and Michelle Obama didn’t pass the first time, so I’m in good company. I had to change the narrative. I didn’t fail, I just didn’t pass on my first attempt. Doing little things to check those negative thoughts. After the first two weeks after results came out, it wasn’t a prominent thought in my mind any more.
Student A: Using affirmations to stay motivated. I wrote them on Post-Its and put them in my room and on my laptop. I definitely had a cloud, and those statements helped me. A lot.
10. Did you do all your practice questions from one source or did you mix it up?
Student A: Mixed it up.
Student B: Mixed it up.
Student C: Mixed it up.
Student D: Mixed it up.
11. How did you review MBE questions?
Student D: I would make flashcards for the ones I got wrong in my own words, and then I would review them. Just reading the answers is too passive, and you don’t really retain anything.
Student B: I would print out the questions and answers. If there was a rule I didn’t know, I would rewrite the rule.
Student C: I wrote down the rule that applied to the correct answer and added it to my outline if it wasn’t previously there.
I hope you use these ideas and suggestions from students who have been where you are now. Use them to tweak your study skills, adjust your study plan, and as motivation.
Bar Exam Advice From Repeat Takers curated from Above the Law
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