Bar prep can take a mental and physical toll on you. At times, you may forgo a workout in order to keep plugging away at bar prep, but maybe looking at your fitness tracker, such as a Fitbit or Apple watch, could improve the effectiveness of your bar prep. Rather than a distraction, consider checking your daily step count as part of your bar prep study plan. When enduring the mental marathon that is bar prep, here are some reasons to use your fitness tracker to better your overall health and focus during bar prep—and maybe even squeeze in a bit more bar prep while you are stepping. [Read more…] about Stepping Your Way to Bar Exam Success: Leveraging Your Fitness Tracker
About John Passmore
Back to Basics: 4 Simple Writing Reminders for the MEE
The bar exam demands mastery of concepts and content. For the multiple choice section, that is enough. However, for the rest of the bar exam, you have to be able to communicate that mastery in written form. The National Conference of Bar Examiners writes, “The primary distinction between the [Multistate Essay Examination (MEE)] and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is that the MEE requires the examinee to demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively in writing.” Further, the California Bar explains that answers should “evidence the applicant’s ability to apply the law to the given facts and to reason in a logical, lawyer-like manner from the premises adopted to a sound conclusion.” To “communicate effectively in writing,” it is important to reconsider some of the writing basics you likely learned in elementary school, but that you might have lost track of while focusing on Bluebooking in your legal research and writing class. Give some thought to your writing skills as you grade your practice essays. Try to make tweaks along the way to make your writing as crisp and readable as possible come exam day. [Read more…] about Back to Basics: 4 Simple Writing Reminders for the MEE
ChatGPT Can Do It and So Can You
Are we humans becoming obsolete? The buzz around ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform, has reached a fever pitch. It can write everything from poetry to press releases. Everyday brings a new article about what ChatGPT did or what jobs it might replace. Researchers recently have made this AI tool take the bar exam. According to the ABA Bar Journal, while prior versions of ChatGPT had fallen short, ChatGPT-4 passed—scoring high marks in the MBE and doing well enough on the Multistate Essay Examination and Multistate Performance Test (no studying required). If you are preparing for the bar exam, this may discourage you at first. Will the future need human lawyers? Why am I preparing so hard for this exam? Is all of this study and anxiety worth it? I argue that it is worth it and that you should find motivation in ChatGPT’s bar exam success. [Read more…] about ChatGPT Can Do It and So Can You
Regrouping After A Bar Exam Failure: Simple (but Profound) Wisdom
One hurdle to successfully regrouping after failing the bar exam is dealing with the unavoidable advice of all of your family, friends, and mere acquaintances. They will probably serve up common, go-to platitudes — e.g., “you’ll get’em next time,” “hang in there,” etc. Instead of letting yourself be endlessly frustrated by such comments, try to mine them for actual bar prep advice that can help you get back on your bar-prep feet. Here are a few cliches that actually have some kernels of simple wisdom to hold on to after a bar exam failure. [Read more…] about Regrouping After A Bar Exam Failure: Simple (but Profound) Wisdom
North Carolina to Become a UBE Jurisdiction
Beginning in February 2019, North Carolina will join the ranks of jurisdictions administering the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE). Thirty-one jurisdictions now administer the UBE—twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia and Virgin Islands. Late last year, the Board of Law Examiners of the State of North Carolina announced their state’s switchover. The Board explained that new rules will “provide for the adoption of the Uniform Bar Examination in North Carolina, and apply to all applications for admission filed in North Carolina on or after June 30, 2018.” If you are planning to take the North Carolina bar exam down the road or find yourself in another UBE jurisdiction, hopefully the information below can answer some questions and get you started in preparing for your bar exam! [Read more…] about North Carolina to Become a UBE Jurisdiction
Your Dog as Your Study Buddy (and 4 Other Tips for Building Bar Prep into Your Daily Routine)
When you are studying for the bar exam full time, building a routine that makes the most of your bar prep period is vital. Keeping to your bar prep schedule and continually reinforcing your study through repetition takes discipline, especially as bar prep drags on. If you are like me, you may find your daily activities like brushing your teeth and walking the dog begin to take longer as you subconsciously know that a day full of bar prep outlines and practice tests awaits you. Passive learning techniques are by no means a replacement for nose-to-the-grindstone study and practice, but at least I found them to help me reinforce my other prep work and build confidence that I was doing all I could to immerse myself in the material. Here are five tips to build in some bar prep around your daily routine so you can keep yourself honest and make the most of your precious few bar prep days: [Read more…] about Your Dog as Your Study Buddy (and 4 Other Tips for Building Bar Prep into Your Daily Routine)