What’s the worst nightmare of almost everyone taking the bar exam? That you don’t pass! Having spent more than a decade working with students on the bar exam, I’m more convinced than ever that anyone can fail the bar. I’m not saying that to be alarming, it just happens.
Overstudying, understudying, studying the wrong things, getting sick or panicked on test day…things happen. Just look at all of the famous people who’ve failed the bar exam! (My personal favorite being Kathleen Sullivan, who failed in California, shortly after stepping down as dean of Stanford Law. She was in charge of one of the best law schools in the world – and had already been admitted in two other states – and didn’t pass? Can happen to anyone.)
So, this month, we’re talking about failing the bar. We’ll have an interesting podcast with several of our bar tutors, talking about themes they’ve seen in students who fail, and in those who come back to pass. We’ll also be talking about bar study habits, both those that might have set you up to fail and the ones you want to consider while preparing for a retake. The most important thing – if you get bad news – is to let yourself be upset for a while, then to really evaluate the situation, figure out what happened, and do something differently the next time around.
Most of the students we work with at the Bar Exam Toolbox are repeat takers. We know this struggle, and we’ve helped hundreds of students get over the bar exam hurdle and move on with their lives and careers. It is not fun. It is not easy. But it is possible.
If we have one piece of advice to avoid failing the bar, it’s to practice (preferably under test conditions) as early and as often as possible. I know this doesn’t sound earth-shattering, but it’s not the focus of many prep courses, which tend to focus more on passively consuming information about the law than on actively applying the rules.
If you are doing a bar course and find yourself spending most of the day watching videos, please, I beg you, stop! There are far more efficient ways to learn the law you need for the bar exam. (Check out the Smart Bar Prep outlines, as a starting point.)
The bar is a test of minimum competency, but it covers a lot of material. The only way to have a sufficient handle on that material is to use it, on essays and multiple-choice questions. Our students are encouraged to write practice essays daily (several per day, depending on the jurisdiction). They do thousands of MBE practice questions. They write full performance tests. And, not surprisingly, many of them pass the next time around.
If you want to pass the bar, you must practice. A lot. It’s really that simple! That might mean you need to skip the next test, and give yourself more study time, if you’re working or have other obligations, or if you get extra time on the test (which typically means you’ll need extra time to study). It might mean you need to revamp your study schedule and focus on active work. It might mean you need to get some help.
Failing the bar isn’t on anyone’s bingo card, but it does happen. If it happens to you, you’ll get through it. And you’ll know that you’re in good company!
What am I reading?
The Anxious Generation – Seems important for anyone with kids, but also for all of us to evaluate our attention and focus in the age of ubiquitous smart phones. As you prepare for the bar, this is another area to really think about, to ensure you’re as rested and fresh as you can be for a long study day. Endless scrolling probably isn’t helping.
Best of luck, everyone! Reach out if you need some help figuring out how to pass the next bar you take.
Ready to pass the bar exam? Get the support and accountability you need with personalized one-on-one bar exam tutoring or one of our economical courses and workshops. We’re here to help!
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