I know what you are thinking: you have been studying for the bar for what seems like forever now, and you don’t want to hear more about it! I get it, bar prep is one of the most stressful times of your life. For me, it was too. I was overwhelmed, stressed, and felt like I was going insane. I have since taken, survived, and passed the bar exam. However, I wanted to reflect back to the last few days before I took the bar exam and remember how I survived that week (remembering the most stressful time in my life may be a form of insanity, but I digress). Here is my perspective on the last week before the bar exam to help you navigate your way through this very trying time. [Read more…] about Final Countdown to the Bar: Bar Prep, Bar Stress, and the Last Moments of My Sane Life
About Shirlene Armstrong
Bar Exam Perspective – The Perks of Having a Loved One Go With You
It is difficult to actually envision what the test day(s) will be like when you go and sit for the bar exam (unless you have already taken it, of course). Personally, I had so many questions and thoughts about what it would be like when I sat for the Michigan bar exam. I didn’t know how meals would work, where I would be mentally, or even how I would sleep the nights before the exam. I was a nervous wreck to be honest. Personally, studying and taking the bar were the most stressful times of my life. Thankfully, I am on the other side of that difficult experience and am now a licensed attorney. However, there are several things I would have done differently if I had to go back in time and take the bar exam again. However, one thing that I would not change is having my fiancé come with me to where the bar exam was being held. [Read more…] about Bar Exam Perspective – The Perks of Having a Loved One Go With You
Breaking Down the Michigan Bar Exam
Are you a 3L and getting ready to start thinking about the the bar exam? Are you planning on taking that exam in Michigan? Well great news, you’re in luck!! I had the (dis)pleasure of taking the Michigan bar exam in July and survived the two day ordeal! Meaning, I can tell you everything I know to help you get yourself psyched up for the bar exam!! Personally, bar prep and the bar exam were the most stressful times of my life. I hate to be such a debbie downer but that is the reality of such an important and difficult test. I would study all day at my desk while the world was spinning around me. And if I took time to do something other than practice tests, lectures, and obsessively highlighting my outlines, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough or that I was going to fail. But, like I just said, I SURVIVED IT! [Read more…] about Breaking Down the Michigan Bar Exam
Working + Bar Prep: A Post-Grad Perspective
You walk out of your last law school final exam and you stretch your fists far above your head. You cheer, blissfully thinking about the grand plans you have for the summer: sandy beaches, afternoon cocktails on the water, spending time with your loved ones, and the glorious feeling of the summer air as you take a nap in the sun. What a wonderful dream to have. Unfortunately, for a law school graduate, the only sandy beach you will experience is the “pink sands” candle from Yankee Candle that you lit next to you with your nose in a prep book. Yep, the worst summer of all of law school: the post 3L summer. Following law school, the July bar exam is right around the corner, much to any law school graduate’s dismay. Hours of studying, reviewing, and practicing in front of a computer every single day. How can you make matters worse? Add work into the mix. In a new form of self-torture, I decided to work during a majority of my bar prep period. Meaning, I had to cram studying in any chance I got without any fun or breaks in between. Are you working and trying to prepare for the bar like me? Well here is a look into my life during the (arguably) worst part of becoming a lawyer: bar prep. [Read more…] about Working + Bar Prep: A Post-Grad Perspective
Breaking Down the Cost of the Bar – The Fees No One Tells You About
Although it is hard to see it sometimes, law school does eventually end. Unfortunately, you are not out of the “grind” when you graduate. While you will have your “JD,” you still have some more steps to earn those “Esq” letters after your name. You still need to think about the bar exam and your bar application. Everyone knows that becoming an attorney is not an easy or inexpensive task. There are numerous steps, fees, and costs that many people do not think about. As a first generation college student, I was very concerned about the cost of becoming an attorney. Now as a 3L I am in the process of submitting my application and documents to character and fitness. Through this process, I have discovered that the cost of becoming an attorney is more than just bar exam fees. This piece focuses on the true cost of the bar. As I am applying in the state of Michigan, I have the most information on this state. Each jurisdiction has their own set costs and fees, so there may be differences which I will try to address. [Read more…] about Breaking Down the Cost of the Bar – The Fees No One Tells You About
Why I will be Working During Bar Prep – 3L Perspective
As my last year of law school is coming to an end, I am looking forward to transitioning out of being a law student. I am so excited to start working and not have to worry about studying for class after I get home. However, I have not reached freedom yet, and I still have some studying to do. Yes, unfortunately I am talking about the bar exam. Life has been crazy with getting ready for the end of the semester and exams, but I am entering a new phase in my legal journey: bar prep. I hate to admit it, but I don’t have that much time left before I need to start studying for the most important exam in my life. [Read more…] about Why I will be Working During Bar Prep – 3L Perspective