Most people who fail the bar exam presume they should sit for the next administration. The reasons are obvious. But this one-size-fits-all approach is not optimal for everyone. Retaking the bar is a big decision that depends on your individual circumstances. Here are some things to consider as you decide when to try again: [Read more…] about Think Twice About When to Retake the Bar Exam
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How To Use NCBE Information To Prepare For The Bar Exam
One of the most important things you can do to prepare for – and pass – the bar exam is to write a lot of practice essays and performance tests. But how do you assess your performance? Are your answers good enough to pass, or do you need to improve? If you’re planning to take the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), your best benchmarks are the materials provided by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE): Analyses of Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) questions and Point Sheets for Multistate Performance Tests (MPT). Here we’ll focus on how to use MEE Analyses effectively.
Each Analysis has three components: Legal Problems, Summary, and Discussion. Let’s take a closer look: [Read more…] about How To Use NCBE Information To Prepare For The Bar Exam
Memorize Efficiently – and Pass the Bar – with Critical Pass Flashcards
Seven MBE subjects.- Hundreds of rules.
- How will you memorize them all?
- Critical Pass can help.
Why You Must Memorize the Law
There are many components to success on the bar exam, but the most fundamental is memorization. If you don’t know the rules, you can’t choose the right answer on the MBE or write an adequate rule statement on the MEE. So, as you prepare for the bar, it’s crucial to develop a plan for memorizing the law. For many students, this plan includes flashcards. [Read more…] about Memorize Efficiently – and Pass the Bar – with Critical Pass Flashcards
How To Use MPT Point Sheets And Sample Answers To Prepare For The Bar Exam
Practice exams are a crucial component of successful bar prep. While a bar review course may provide feedback on a limited number of practice essays and performance tests, you should do more and assess your own work. We’ve previously discussed how to do this using MEE Analyses. Here, we’ll explore how to use MPT Point Sheets and sample answers.
The key is to distinguish form from substance. A Point Sheet will not be in the form required for your answer, but it will contain the required substance. A sample answer should be in the required form, but it may not be complete in terms of substance. Let’s take a closer look. [Read more…] about How To Use MPT Point Sheets And Sample Answers To Prepare For The Bar Exam
Tips on How to Read the MPT Library and Save Time
For many examinees, the most difficult aspect of the MPT is time pressure. It’s challenging to confront a set of legal sources, extract the relevant rules, apply them to a complex fact pattern, and produce a professional caliber work product, all within 90 minutes. To optimize efficiency, we recommend that you (1) read the task memo, (2) skim the File, (3) read the Library and outline the law, (4) read the File to link the facts to the law, and (5) write your response. Let’s take a closer look at the third step – reading the Library. This is the point where the race against time is often won or lost. [Read more…] about Tips on How to Read the MPT Library and Save Time
Nine Elements to Review if You Failed the Bar Exam
If you failed the bar exam, the last thing you want to do is relive the experience. But in order to pass the bar, you need to examine your process of studying and exam taking from start to finish to identify what went wrong and what you can improve next time. Take charge of factors in your control, and learn from past experience. To get started on your plan for bar success, consider the following: [Read more…] about Nine Elements to Review if You Failed the Bar Exam