July 2015 California Bar Exam Forum

[robinhoodOO]

The fact that all our exams are graded and everything and are just sitting on a desk somewhere pisses me off.

They have the pass list already completed (have for weeks). They only need push a button. It's like the last (well, hopefully last) middle finger before getting to join the club.

[why8434]

i expect many middle fingers from them even after (if) i am admitted.

[MarcZero]

i expect many middle fingers from them even after (if) i am admitted.

Perhaps, but it's a LOT harder to kick you out of the club once you're a member. Before they let you in they can basically do whatever they want.

[injun]

This wait has been especially brutal for me. This is my 4th attempt (i've taken both Feb and July administrations in '14 and '15). I made small improvements each time:
2/14 -> 1284
7/14-> 1315
2/15-> 1340

Are there any repeaters out there that made a huge leap in score (i.e., 100+)? I went from 50s/55s in July '14 to 55s/60s in Feb '15. I made some more adjustments to the way I analyzed the elements of the rules I stated for questions, but I think I really goofed hard on Q5 and Q6 this year. Here's to hoping that I'm on the pass list this time! Best of luck to you guys

[why8434]

i expect many middle fingers from them even after (if) i am admitted.

Perhaps, but it's a LOT harder to kick you out of the club once you're a member. Before they let you in they can basically do whatever they want.

hahah truth.

[BuenAbogado]

This wait has been especially brutal for me. This is my 4th attempt (i've taken both Feb and July administrations in '14 and '15). I made small improvements each time:
2/14 -> 1284
7/14-> 1315
2/15-> 1340

Are there any repeaters out there that made a huge leap in score (i.e., 100+)? I went from 50s/55s in July '14 to 55s/60s in Feb '15. I made some more adjustments to the way I analyzed the elements of the rules I stated for questions, but I think I really goofed hard on Q5 and Q6 this year. Here's to hoping that I'm on the pass list this time! Best of luck to you guys

What did you put for 5 and 6 that makes you think you goofed?

[a male human]

This wait has been especially brutal for me. This is my 4th attempt (i've taken both Feb and July administrations in '14 and '15). I made small improvements each time:
2/14 -> 1284
7/14-> 1315
2/15-> 1340

Are there any repeaters out there that made a huge leap in score (i.e., 100+)? I went from 50s/55s in July '14 to 55s/60s in Feb '15. I made some more adjustments to the way I analyzed the elements of the rules I stated for questions, but I think I really goofed hard on Q5 and Q6 this year. Here's to hoping that I'm on the pass list this time! Best of luck to you guys

I made a jump of at least 70 points given I got something like a 1365 the first time. I initially thought I made a leap of 100+ but that was because I mistakenly looked at my written score of 1338.

Nonetheless I have heard of others actually making 100+ leaps, so it's definitely possible. I recognize your name from various places and know you've been working hard at it. I admire your perseverance and consistent improvement. Truly hoping to hear good news from you (and everyone else).

[injun]

What did you put for 5 and 6 that makes you think you goofed?

For Q5, I think a lot of my discussion focused on breach of duty of care and duty of loyalty, BJR and director voting...I don't think I really stated explicitly what the guy's "rights" were. For Q6, I don't think I concluded with anything for part a (I may have mentioned takings and variance). I only discussed takings for Parts b and c. I also mentioned standing for subparts b and c...i intended to go back to part a to finish but ran out of time. Overall, I thought my responses to those 2 questions in particular weren't very good.

[smokeylarue]

This is probably a dumb question but can someone post the exact link to where we will be checking if we passed?

[Raiden]

I think the more we think about the exam, the more we are second guessing ourselves. I am trying to remember what I put on the crim pro essay, and just feel that I must have messed up because I just don't remember what I put or how I felt about that essay.

[mike.alexander23]

This is probably a dumb question but can someone post the exact link to where we will be checking if we passed?

http://apps.calbar.ca.gov/exam/

[Pleasye]

I think the more we think about the exam, the more we are second guessing ourselves. I am trying to remember what I put on the crim pro essay, and just feel that I must have messed up because I just don't remember what I put or how I felt about that essay.

I've found the solution to this is to not try to remember what I wrote on any of the questions. I also haven't re-read any of the essay questions. There's no point. We'll find out on Friday.

[a male human]

Sunday for those with the willpower and patience of a zen master
(or lost the card and doesn't know how to find the info elsewhere)

[tmanix]

Sunday for those with the willpower and patience of a zen master
(or lost the card and doesn't know how to find the info elsewhere)

Ah, but a true zen master would check on Friday and shrug off the outcome. (S)he might probably not even be checking this site.

[a male human]

Sunday for those with the willpower and patience of a zen master
(or lost the card and doesn't know how to find the info elsewhere)

Ah, but a true zen master would check on Friday and shrug off the outcome. (S)he might probably not even be checking this site.

Good point, maybe I'm just a masochist to even think of intentionally deferring results

[BuenAbogado]

Did anyone else stupidly throw in a blurb about Hearsay on the 4th Amendment question?

[needaday]

Did anyone else stupidly throw in a blurb about Hearsay on the 4th Amendment question?

Ur definitely not alone. I would think most graders would just ignore and continue grading, though i fear some may read that, assume u totally missed the mark on the balance of the essay, 55 u and move on.

[mike.alexander23]

Did anyone else stupidly throw in a blurb about Hearsay on the 4th Amendment question?

I did not.

[BuenAbogado]

Did anyone else stupidly throw in a blurb about Hearsay on the 4th Amendment question?

Ur definitely not alone. I would think most graders would just ignore and continue grading, though i fear some may read that, assume u totally missed the mark on the balance of the essay, 55 u and move on.

Yeah, that's like my biggest fear, and if I fail it will be because of that.

[Raiden]

Did anyone else stupidly throw in a blurb about Hearsay on the 4th Amendment question?

Ur definitely not alone. I would think most graders would just ignore and continue grading, though i fear some may read that, assume u totally missed the mark on the balance of the essay, 55 u and move on.

Yeah, that's like my biggest fear, and if I fail it will be because of that.

I am sure you did well on the other essays to hold you up, don't let it get to you.

[Notorious RBG]

Did anyone else stupidly throw in a blurb about Hearsay on the 4th Amendment question?

ME!

Model answers will sometimes include a quick spot and drop (so to speak) for mildly relevant issues, and I was really stretching for content on that essay since they went out of their way to ONLY ask about the 4th amendment. So I said something like "by the way this isn't hearsay because it's a dog" and then one other time I don't remember. I don't think I would have done that if they had explicitly said to ONLY address 4th amendment concerns and NOT evidence rules, but in the end it doesn't really matter because the grader might internalize it like that regardless.

I don't think it will hurt you unless you go off on a tangent about it, which some people do because they don't understand the main issue well enough and are trying to fill space with stuff they are more comfortable with. I think as long as you didn't do that you're fine. But really who knows... that could be a pet peeve of your grader and boom, docked 5 points. Some tutors will tell you that kind of thing makes you look bad, others say if it occurs to you and you really studied you should write it down and then dismiss it. In the end your grader is a flawed person making a subjective judgment. Nobody knows anything.

[mike.alexander23]

Did anyone else stupidly throw in a blurb about Hearsay on the 4th Amendment question?

ME!

Model answers will sometimes include a quick spot and drop (so to speak) for mildly relevant issues, and I was really stretching for content on that essay since they went out of their way to ONLY ask about the 4th amendment. So I said something like "by the way this isn't hearsay because it's a dog" and then one other time I don't remember. I don't think I would have done that if they had explicitly said to ONLY address 4th amendment concerns and NOT evidence rules, but in the end it doesn't really matter because the grader might internalize it like that regardless.

I don't think it will hurt you unless you go off on a tangent about it, which some people do because they don't understand the main issue well enough and are trying to fill space with stuff they are more comfortable with. I think as long as you didn't do that you're fine. But really who knows... that could be a pet peeve of your grader and boom, docked 5 points. Some tutors will tell you that kind of thing makes you look bad, others say if it occurs to you and you really studied you should write it down and then dismiss it. In the end your grader is a flawed person making a subjective judgment. Nobody knows anything.

I think for me, I was told in bar prep to not try and be an all-star. If I recall, Q3s call of the question expressly asked for 4th amendment analysis. So for me, I took that as a golden clue to not talk about Evidence. Now, as has been said, if you didn't go off on a tangent, I'm sure it's harmless to throw a hearsay line in there. But ultimately I think it would be a time waster and might put a bad taste in your grader's mouth who might ask, "Did analysis on other important issues suffer because of this?"

However, it was out of the box thinking to mention it and it might show that you can contextualize the law across many subjects. I didn't even think about hearsay as an issue for Q 3.

[BuenAbogado]

Did anyone else stupidly throw in a blurb about Hearsay on the 4th Amendment question?

ME!

Model answers will sometimes include a quick spot and drop (so to speak) for mildly relevant issues, and I was really stretching for content on that essay since they went out of their way to ONLY ask about the 4th amendment. So I said something like "by the way this isn't hearsay because it's a dog" and then one other time I don't remember. I don't think I would have done that if they had explicitly said to ONLY address 4th amendment concerns and NOT evidence rules, but in the end it doesn't really matter because the grader might internalize it like that regardless.

I don't think it will hurt you unless you go off on a tangent about it, which some people do because they don't understand the main issue well enough and are trying to fill space with stuff they are more comfortable with. I think as long as you didn't do that you're fine. But really who knows... that could be a pet peeve of your grader and boom, docked 5 points. Some tutors will tell you that kind of thing makes you look bad, others say if it occurs to you and you really studied you should write it down and then dismiss it. In the end your grader is a flawed person making a subjective judgment. Nobody knows anything.

Good to hear. I went out on a date with some girl the other day and she put that too. So I'm hoping a lot of people threw it in there. And yeah, I did see on model answers how people would throw in seemingly irrelevant issues, gunner style.

On the flipside, on the civ pro essay, I only addressed Collateral Estoppel instead of going over res judicata too which I initially wanted to do. So I did follow directions on that one.

[mike.alexander23]

Did anyone else stupidly throw in a blurb about Hearsay on the 4th Amendment question?

ME!

Model answers will sometimes include a quick spot and drop (so to speak) for mildly relevant issues, and I was really stretching for content on that essay since they went out of their way to ONLY ask about the 4th amendment. So I said something like "by the way this isn't hearsay because it's a dog" and then one other time I don't remember. I don't think I would have done that if they had explicitly said to ONLY address 4th amendment concerns and NOT evidence rules, but in the end it doesn't really matter because the grader might internalize it like that regardless.

I don't think it will hurt you unless you go off on a tangent about it, which some people do because they don't understand the main issue well enough and are trying to fill space with stuff they are more comfortable with. I think as long as you didn't do that you're fine. But really who knows... that could be a pet peeve of your grader and boom, docked 5 points. Some tutors will tell you that kind of thing makes you look bad, others say if it occurs to you and you really studied you should write it down and then dismiss it. In the end your grader is a flawed person making a subjective judgment. Nobody knows anything.

Good to hear. I went out on a date with some girl the other day and she put that too. So I'm hoping a lot of people threw it in there. And yeah, I did see on model answers how people would throw in seemingly irrelevant issues, gunner style.

On the flipside, on the civ pro essay, I only addressed Collateral Estoppel instead of going over res judicata too which I initially wanted to do. So I did follow directions on that one.

Yeah. I wouldn't worry about it too much. I do have one kinda-relevant question. Each of our essays goes through 8 different graders right? I know I hear people worrying that they hope they don't get a bad grader on a bad rainy day in the middle of a divorce, but the chances are that after having 8 different graders look at your answers, you should get a somewhat "fair" assessment, right? Or am I being too optimistic?

[mike.alexander23]

Did anyone else stupidly throw in a blurb about Hearsay on the 4th Amendment question?

ME!

Model answers will sometimes include a quick spot and drop (so to speak) for mildly relevant issues, and I was really stretching for content on that essay since they went out of their way to ONLY ask about the 4th amendment. So I said something like "by the way this isn't hearsay because it's a dog" and then one other time I don't remember. I don't think I would have done that if they had explicitly said to ONLY address 4th amendment concerns and NOT evidence rules, but in the end it doesn't really matter because the grader might internalize it like that regardless.

I don't think it will hurt you unless you go off on a tangent about it, which some people do because they don't understand the main issue well enough and are trying to fill space with stuff they are more comfortable with. I think as long as you didn't do that you're fine. But really who knows... that could be a pet peeve of your grader and boom, docked 5 points. Some tutors will tell you that kind of thing makes you look bad, others say if it occurs to you and you really studied you should write it down and then dismiss it. In the end your grader is a flawed person making a subjective judgment. Nobody knows anything.

Good to hear. I went out on a date with some girl the other day and she put that too. So I'm hoping a lot of people threw it in there. And yeah, I did see on model answers how people would throw in seemingly irrelevant issues, gunner style.

On the flipside, on the civ pro essay, I only addressed Collateral Estoppel instead of going over res judicata too which I initially wanted to do. So I did follow directions on that one.

Yeah. I wouldn't worry about it too much. I do have one kinda-relevant question. Each of our essays goes through 8 different graders right? I know I hear people worrying that they hope they don't get a bad grader on a bad rainy day in the middle of a divorce, but the chances are that after having 8 different graders look at your answers, you should get a somewhat "fair" assessment, right? Or am I being too optimistic?

Wait I think I was way off. http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/LinkCli ... iqbATHUwY=