AdaptiBar sent out a survey asking recent bar examinees, “What advice would you give a bar examinee just beginning his/her preparation?” Here is their advice:
- Start studying early.
- Bar prep programs give you a lot of work, and not all of it is good for everyone. The quality of the studying you do is far more important than the quantity.
- Before tackling questions, do a comprehensive review of the outlines. Do not jump into it right away.
- Use your time effectively, don’t burn yourself out the week prior to the exam, and know when to call it a day or take a deserved break.
- Stop jumping through bar prep hoops and learn the law. Just going through the motions in order to keep up with course schedules is NOT conducive to actually learning what is being tested.
- If you made flashcards to study in law school, make flashcards. If lectures were how you learned best, watch lectures. Don’t feel like you have to do everything or know every law, and do your best to stay relaxed and positive.
- Stamina, not lack of knowledge, is the number one enemy. Train as if it’s test week. Take at least 3 mock, three-day exams before sitting for the actual exam.
- Make time to work all of the questions in the bank.
- Always read the answer explanations, even when you get a question correct!
- It doesn’t matter how much you prepare because it probably won’t feel like enough when the time comes anyway! So, when in doubt, just prepare some more!
- Identify anything that isn’t working for you as early as possible, then change it. I didn’t do that the first time around and failed. Specifically, I was having difficulty with the MBEs, and I did not change the way I studied for them.
- Make certain that you review and understand the reasons why you got a question wrong before moving forward.
- Carefully read the MBE questions! You miss a lot trying to hurry through a question and/or making assumptions about what the question is getting at prior to taking in all the facts.
- Practice the questions under timed conditions.
- Start early and keep studying at a steady pace. Don’t knock yourself out – bar prep is a marathon, not a sprint.
- Make sure to take time for yourself. You can’t study 12 hours a day, every day for 8 weeks.
- I would highly suggest that anyone taking the bar use AdaptiBar MBE Simulator, along with their video lectures. I wish I used it the first time around.
- Follow a study schedule to stay on track. You have to be regimented in following your study plan and stick to it as much as possible.
- AdaptiBar is a must! Preparing with real MBE questions from past exams is best. And no matter what happens, never lose your confidence. Half of it is a psychological game aimed to defeat you.
- Don’t mess around. Stick to it. Shut up and pick it. And KNOW you will pass.
