Bar Exam Study Recap: What worked + What did not, part 2

      Here is a bullet list to summarize my strategy for this past exam:

• I found motivation/hope
• I outlined (not really because I already had them done)
• I read my outlines once (but reread particular sections or subsections which required clarification)
• I did MBE problems; reviewed the answers after each question; and wrote out the rules
• towards the end, I started to do larger quantities in a row to prepare for the exam
• I timed myself in the last month.
• Remember, you have 108 seconds per question.
• the same applied for State specific Multiple choice
• I did 1-3 essays a day
• I read the questions, read the answers, then re-wrote the essays
• In the last 3 weeks I memorized Essay rules and MBE rules.
• I typed my essays during actual exam administration (as opposed to handwriting as I previously did)

• GET YOUR HEAD STRAIGHT!!!

"He who says he can and he who says he cannot are both usually right." ~Confucius~ I Got motivated and dug deep. I believed in myself. This is vital. I didn't want to fail before I started. Try positive affirmations; read stories of people who did what you want to do; focus; find your "raison d'etre."

• Outline

(I had them done from the previous bar exam attempts).  For those who don't learn from outlining, read your substantive books or make flash cards.

• I read the outlines only once.

I re-read specific sections and/or subsections which I found difficult 1-2 additional times at best.  I referred to them sporadically if I came across an answer explanation, which I did not think was clear.

• MBE Questions(and state questions for that matter)

     At first, I did tons of questions at a time, then reviewed the answers; DO NOT DO THIS!!! Towards the end, I started doing questions one at a time.  Then, I reviewed the answers.  This allowed me to gain faster recognition of problems and to understand why certain problems were tripping me up.  Also, it got me in the habit of answering questions correclty. 

     Don't kid yourself.  There is no honor code here.  Don't try to start cold and test your fictional testtaking "savoir faire" by doing blocks of questions then subsequently reviewing blocks of rules.  Doing questions coupled with immediate review is more efficient. It builds confidence, recognition, and good habits.  You have to know the rules to play the game.

     I have to be truthful here, I didn't really do that many multiple choice question for the state specific questions.  I maybe did about 200-400.  Florida Bar exam multiple choice, are extremely specific.  They require cold, down pat memorization.  Memorize any timing requirements for Civ Pro and Crim Pro.  These subjects are on the exam every time.  Memorize MBE Evidence as well as all State distinctions.  This is on the exam every time as well.  Your materials should tell you whatelse to focus on.

• Essay Prep

    At first, I attempted to do essays cold.  I did this particularly during my the two times I failed to pass the exam.  I have been doing this my entire life.  Can you blame me?  The Florida bar sure did.

    By listening to friends and reading, I came across a far better method.  I read the essay and outlined the essay in 15 minutes;  I then read the rules and copied it at least 3 times.  In the beginning, I was writing the entire essay with the intro, rules, and analysis.  Towards the end, I was only writing rules.  If you don't know how to analyze by now, then you are not reading this blog because you did not graduate lawschool.  Thus, you are not taking the bar exam.  Trust yourself.  You didn't make it this far without knowing how to analyze.  If you don't, copy the analysis until you do.  Alternatively, just copy the rule and make your own analysis.

• Memorize

I have never been one to memorize.  I was always one of those peope who tried to conceptualize and understand.  Well, this is exactly what I did the first two times as I FAILED the bar exam.  I certainly conceptualized and understood the Florida bar exam's FAILURE notice, twice received, after taking the exam the first two times.

That being said, this is one of the factors that helped me to finally pass.  For me, it was a matter of repeatedly writing things out 15-20 times.  Note, I did this by putting lare amounts of information (e.g. jurisdiction of Florida courts) into outline format.  For shorter information, I wrote it out in sentences.  It was a crude form of wrote memorization indeed.  But, it worked well enough nonetheless.

• Exercise regularly. Eat right.

I did this all the way up to the final 3 weeks.  Some people keep going and workout upto and on the days of the exams.

• Miscellaneous

That's about it.  Here are some final thoughts about the exam: Bring a sweater because it is freezing in the convention center.  On day two, I developed a wicked runny nose.  Honestly, I refused to sacrifice time so i wiped my nose on my sleeve.  It was soaked.  I will never do that again, but under the circumstances I don't regret it.  Get a hotel 10-20 miles away from the convention center and split costs with friends.  You'll live like a king or queen and still have extra "greenbacks" in your pocket.  Considering the costs involved, I don't believe there is a substantial advantage to staying in walking distance to the convention center.  It's not a bad idea to pack your cooler and bring your food to cut costs.  Oh, and don't give up.