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Don’t Panic! Ten Tips for Surviving the Bar Exam [Cary Griffith] The Bar Exam is the last in a long line of hurdles you face when trying to become a licensed attorney -- and it tends to be the one that trips the most people up. If you’re planning on facing the upcoming Bar Exam next month, prepare yourself by following these tips.
You’ve taken the LSATs, gotten accepted to
But almost everyone else with whom we
law school, worked through three years of
spoke agreed: don’t panic. Calm people make
grueling courses, and you finally see the
the best decisions. And in the planning and
Johnson’s exercise regimen sounds extreme,
light at the end of the tunnel. Except for one
study you do to prepare yourself, you want to
but it’s a much better choice for dealing with
large hurdle that threatens to obliterate all
exercise the best judgment you can muster.
stress than some of the alternatives. Other
illumination: The Bar Exam. That’s right. The unfortunate cost of admission to practicing
about the Bar Exam.”
healthy methods for reducing stress include 2. Manage stress.
law is getting through the Bar Exam-two
meditation, yoga, walking, and reading (at least reading things that have nothing to do
grueling eight hour days of multiple choice
It sounds obvious, but it is actually important
with the law). Whatever works for you, plan
and essay questions.
for several reasons. We are designed to do
on spending part of each day in pursuit of
some of our best thinking and reasoning
minimizing your stress.
Difficult as it is, there are several steps you
when calm and focused. “People who have
can take to improve your perspective about
difficulty with reading, writing and compre-
taking the Bar Exam, and your chances of
hension, regardless of their age, may not be
passing it. We’ve interviewed many who have
exhibiting a learning disability, but rather
Knowing what you’re getting into can help
taken and passed the Bar, as well as several
the observable symptoms of its underlying
you prepare. At least two months prior to
Bar review course providers, and decanted
cause - STRESS,” notes Carol Sutcliffe, an
taking the exam, and definitely before you
their cumulative wisdom into ten worthwhile
educational and emotional stress consultant.
start studying for the test, get an idea of
tips. Using these tips won’t guarantee you’ll
While her work involves school children, her
what’s involved. The more you know about
pass the Bar, but they will improve your
observation is also applicable to law students
exam content, structure, and the method
chances when the big day comes.
preparing for the Bar exam. Anything that
used to deliver it, the better prepared you’ll
detracts from your ability to focus and at-
be to study for and take it.
1. Don’t panic!
3. Understand the test.
tend-particularly feelings of fear and anxietydegrades your ability to learn.
That’s the advice of Steve Levin, Senior Edi-
The basics for all jurisdictions are largely the same. The exam is administered by the
tor for Bar/Bri, one of the nation’s largest
If you can reduce or eliminate the amount
state’s Bar Association. You have to acquire
bar review courses. Mr. Levin should know.
of stress in your life, you’ll find yourself in a
a Juris Doctorate prior to taking the Bar. In
He’s taken and passed the exam in eight
much better position to not only study for the
almost all states, that JD must be acquired
states. “First, I think students need to put it
exam, but take it.
from an accredited institution. Almost all states also use a two-day format for the
in perspective,” Levin suggests. Regarding
exam, incorporating the nationally admin-
the Multistate Exam, that part of the exam
With regard to managing stress, remember
given in every jurisdiction, he says it’s “an
two things: everyone’s different, and there
istered Multistate Bar exam (given on a
extremely difficult exam, but remember that
are good and bad ways to manage it.
Wednesday) into their own local exam. The
you can miss 70 questions out of the 200 and still pass.”
Multistate is a six-hour, 200-question mul“I exercised a lot,” comments Chris Johnson,
tiple choice test. State-specific law is tested
a Legal Consultant who passed the Bar in
on the day before or the day after (Tuesday
To someone who’s passed the exam eight
1996. “I ran and lifted weights, did karate,
or Thursday), almost always in an essay
times that might sound consoling. Others
water skied, snow skied, cycled, and did ev-
format, usually involving sixteen questions.
might not be comforted.
erything and anything so I didn’t have to think
And finally, in most jurisdictions, the exam is
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