What are the Magic Outlines to Help Pass the Bar Exam?

I want to take a moment to chat a bit about outlines for the bar exam. There are a lot of quality outlines out there. Your commercial bar review provider may have some, you may have purchased some to help you study, or you may have even downloaded some for free.

I find that many students become obsessed with having the best outlines. Which outline is going to lead them to finding exam success? In many cases, the best is the one that you have made yourself.

Why are your own outlines better than what you can purchase or buy?

Because you have studied and thought about the law as part of making them. This is active learning (as long as you are not mindlessly copying them from another source). Making your own allows you to simplify the material so it makes sense to you. But perhaps outlines aren’t your thing? Then, try charts, graphs, or flowcharts. My personal favorite is handwriting outlines.

Remember, passing the bar exam isn’t just about memorizing the law. It is about practicing and applying it. On the essays, it is about memorizing the rule statements so you can clearly and concisely write them down on the exam where appropriate. Are there study materials that will give you rule statements you can memorize? Sure. But you still have to make those rules your own. Practice with them and learn them. So as much as I wish I could tell you there are magic outlines to solve all your problems, I just don’t think there are. But that is just me; perhaps someone can prove me wrong.

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Did you find this post helpful? Check out some of our other articles for more great study tips!

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