Barbri: Essay Prep

[blong4133]

What are you all doing to prep for the essay portion? I've been using nothing but the lecture notes and occasionally glancing at the essay advantage book to get an idea of what is tested regularly and to get an even more condensed breakdown of the stuff.

But I do the essay lecture, look over the lecture notes then outline the assigned questions, but it seems like every time there's always an issue that wasn't mentioned in the lecture handouts.

I'm having enough trouble just trying to get a handle on the stuff/memorize everything in the lecture handouts. I sure as hell am not going to memorize the CMR stuff (I couldn't do it if I wanted to). I've only cracked the state essay book to get the distinctions for my state (which is limited to a 30 page supplement in the back of the state outline book - only covers family law, wills, and conflicts).

But I'm going in and out of panic mode and worried about getting one of those questions that have something that we didn't cover. I did the Trusts lecture today, and the first assigned essay question's answer had an entire issue devoted strictly to Special Testamentary Power of Appointment. I had no idea what the hell that was and went in a completely different direction.

[lawdawg09]

No idea what state you are in, but in CA, the essays are graded holistically.

I have seen all kinds of wackiness regarding wrong rule statements on the sample answers released by the bar. They told us to just make it up if we don't know.

That said, when I get a new subject, I will issue spot the first two essays with my barbri essay battle outline. I will make flash cards with a 1-2 sentence rule statement for every issue I cannot clearly articulate. I then go back, with only my flash cards and type out a rough outline of the essay. Then I will read the sample answer and go back to my outline and in red type the stuff I missed/any other relevant rule statements.

I then try to write out the rest of the essays under test conditions. If I am really struggling for a rule statement or I just have no clue what the law is, I try to make it up and then go back and flashcard that rule and type it in red. I also mark essays that I shit the bed in and I hope to go back and re-write those. Who knows.

Rinse and repeat.

Everyone does it differently and I am by no means saying that is the key to passing. Find a system that doesn't freak you out/overwhelm you, isn't too boring and actually helps you learn.