February 2016 California Bar Exam Forum

[juniormint33]

Agreed that the odds of us getting BA are very low? It's been tested consecutively the last three administrations.

[Zaizei]

how much essay prep have you guys done? I'd figure more ppl would prep for essay for CA bar than other jrx.

I think I've done 60 full essays and 50 just outlining.

I envy your determination!!

Haha thanks

The thing is that after failing once (last July) I knew I had to practice more. I had a decent score in the MBE, which shows that I know the law, but I got horrible results in the PT and essays, which showed that I didn't know how to apply my knowledge and also didn't know how to write.

I didn't practice enough wth Barbri since they don't provide a good and realistic practice method, I knew that if I wanted to pass the exam I needed to practice as much as I mentally could. My tutor has pushed me to my limits, and I am grateful for that.

[FinallyPassedTheBar]

Agreed that the odds of us getting BA are very low? It's been tested consecutively the last three administrations.

I hope they don't test BA, because I don't even know what that means.

[Raiden]

Agreed that the odds of us getting BA are very low? It's been tested consecutively the last three administrations.

I hope they don't test BA, because I don't even know what that means.

Oh common, Themis had like 20 lectures dedicated to Baker and Arts law, I am sure you know it.

[Zaizei]

Agreed that the odds of us getting BA are very low? It's been tested consecutively the last three administrations.

I hope they don't test BA, because I don't even know what that means.

Oh common, Themis had like 20 lectures dedicated to Baker and Arts law, I am sure you know it.

[FinallyPassedTheBar]

Topics I would like to show up, because I kinda know them:

Community Property (Married wife special presumption pre-1975, Lucas/Anti-Lucas, transmutation)
Wills (lapse / Anti-lapse, DRR, holographic wills)
Trusts
Fed. Civil Procedure (PJ traditional basis / Long-arm statue constitutionality standards, Issue/claim preclusion)
Con Law (free speech time/place/manner)
Real property (deed validity)
Torts (privacy, defamation, negligence)

[juniormint33]

Haha. Business Associations. My brain only communicates in abbreviations these days. Corporations, agency, partnerships.

[BrokenMouse]

No Community Property please... and im happy.

I hope we get evidence crim conlaw torts pr and civ pro

[FinallyPassedTheBar]

Haha. Business Associations. My brain only communicates in abbreviations these days. Corporations, agency, partnerships.

Oh ok, with corps I can write about de jure, de facto, and estopple. After that is bs'ing time.

[MrMustache]

I'll have to study tomorrow because I'm not done re-learning some of the subjects.

If we could get a straight-forward question without any mindfuckery involved, I would be soooooo happy with:

Property, Evidence (CA/Fed), Crim Law/Pro, Fed Civ Pro, Remedies, Agency and Partnership, Professional Responsibility

Ok (depending on what they focus on) if:

Con Law, Torts, Contracts, Wills and Trusts, Corporations

NOT ok if:
CA Civ Pro, I still haven't had the time to review this damn subject.

[Raiden]

I tried to eat oatmeal this morning to train myself to eat a healthy breakfast during bar time...don't think that's going to happen. Was hungry way too soon.

[BrokenMouse]

speaking of food, what are some good brain food that is guaranteed to not make you drop the water from behind?

[just_lila]

speaking of food, what are some good brain food that is guaranteed to not make you drop the water from behind?

That's what they normally consider healthy http://www.barexammind.com/nutrition-fo ... entration/
Out of this boring list, I prefer steel-cut oatmeal and caffeine. I'm going to consume a piece of chocolate as a part of this healthy balanced diet.

[Raiden]

speaking of food, what are some good brain food that is guaranteed to not make you drop the water from behind?

That's what they normally consider healthy http://www.barexammind.com/nutrition-fo ... entration/
Out of this boring list, I prefer steel-cut oatmeal and caffeine. I'm going to consume a piece of chocolate as a part of this healthy balanced diet.

That's odd, I had steel cut oatmeal this morning, but I quickly got hungry, it wasn't very filling for me. I even mixed some protein powder with it as well. Maybe I should mix milk instead of water?

Though when I took the bar exam last July, I didn't mind being slightly hungry during the AM session. After all, we didn't invent the fire on a full tummy.

[a male human]

Damn, Sunday's almost over? Time is relentless when you think back to December when you were bound by holiday obligations and skipping along thinking the bar was far away.

Now with less than 48 hours left, are you anxious about the seemingly insurmountable hurdle in front of you? Need some last-minute tips before doomsday?

The fact may be that all that studying and memorizing and practicing and pacing in the bathroom and having nightmares and telling yourself “you can do this!” and telling yourself “I’ve seen better heads on lettuce, loser”… weren't a cure-all despite your efforts.

That’s all right. I’m not saying don’t have regrets in general because I’m all for acknowledging your mistakes or wanting to do better. But at this point, if you’ve done your best, have no regrets as you go into the exam.

Brooding about the bar at this point doesn’t impact the past nor the future but takes away your energy in the present. Time travel costs energy, as confirmed by Stephen King.

If you’re obsessing over whether you’ve done enough in the past 2-3 months, you’re glued to an irreversible past. If you’re anxious and having nightmares about what kind of questions will appear, you’re jumping ahead to conclusions about an unknown future. Now’s the time to conserve your mental energy. Worry about it after the bar.

At the very least, next week will be a mock exam where you get real feedback (if you don’t pass). Here are some quick tactics the best of your mock exam:

1. The entire week is the exam. Focus on not being pulled into their own pace. Organize your notes, outlines, cooked essays, and other review material to bring to your hotel. Have your Ziploc® bag ready. Bring a pillow if you think it will keep your back or ass comfortable. Figure out ahead of time where you’re going to get lunch and dinner. Remember to “be arrogant” and put forth all you’ve learned; do the real thing as if it were practice.

2. Consider not answering the essays in order, depending on how comfortable you feel about each subject. Your best subjects first to gain confidence? Your worst subjects to spend more of your mental stamina? Reorder your essays ahead of time depending on your preference and don’t forget to write in the correct answer space.

3. Bring a watch. There may not be a clock in the test room. 33 MBE questions per hour. 17 per half hour.

4. Get to the test center on time. Don’t be late and start off frantically.

5. Don’t gamble on subject predictions by your favorite pundit. All subjects are fair game. (PR will appear for sure.) EXCEPTION: If you’re desperately strapped for time, prioritize which ones to practice instead of planning to ignore some subjects (at least read the model answers).

6. Chew gum to release anxiety. It helps your brain into thinking whatever you’re doing is no big deal if you can still “eat.”

7. Sleep well, and try to sleep in 90-minute intervals (REM cycles). Add 15 minutes to your 90-minute cycles to account for falling-asleep time. For example, if you want to wake up at 7:30, go to bed at 11:45. And bring earplugs to the hotel in case there are trucks next to the hotel banging on metal from 3 to 5 AM on a Tuesday morning. Oddly specific? It happened to me. If worse comes to worst, adrenaline may be your best buddy.

8. Avoid people you know. Get a hotel or Airbnb room for yourself (or home only if you live alone really close by). Come back to close your eyes on an actual bed during lunch time instead of eating in your car. Peace and solitude will help you focus instead of being conscious of classmates or relatives. You can always chat with others here or email me.

9. Once you’re in the test center, try to worry less. As I said above, it’s too late and early for that. Don’t let yourself waste your mental energy. Just admire the buttcrack of the person sitting in front of you.

Every night, you can look forward to something nice like dinner or smashing your face into a pillow or shitposting on TLS or studying some more because that’s all you know how to do nowadays.

Hang in there. Check off one day at a time: __ Tuesday __ Wednesday __ Thursday

And then it’s over! Look forward to it.

[cjc2015]

Super late in the game,but realizing I'm not sure how to apply Prop 8 in a CA evidence essay. Other than beginning the essay with teh black letter law, how is it ACTUALLY applied throughout the essay?

Thanks!

[TheBeard]

Good luck everyone! Don't let the doubt consume you; the hard work will pay off.

[hkoas]

Super late in the game,but realizing I'm not sure how to apply Prop 8 in a CA evidence essay. Other than beginning the essay with teh black letter law, how is it ACTUALLY applied throughout the essay?

Thanks!

I forget the name of the homie who shared this. My apologies for not giving credit:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/oyn0tzn6vek1j ... e.pdf?dl=0

[just_lila]

speaking of food, what are some good brain food that is guaranteed to not make you drop the water from behind?

That's what they normally consider healthy http://www.barexammind.com/nutrition-fo ... entration/
Out of this boring list, I prefer steel-cut oatmeal and caffeine. I'm going to consume a piece of chocolate as a part of this healthy balanced diet.

That's odd, I had steel cut oatmeal this morning, but I quickly got hungry, it wasn't very filling for me. I even mixed some protein powder with it as well. Maybe I should mix milk instead of water?

Though when I took the bar exam last July, I didn't mind being slightly hungry during the AM session. After all, we didn't invent the fire on a full tummy.

You still have another day to decide. Just avoid muffins or cookies rumored to be brain blocking foods.

I personally believe Jerome K Jerome,
"It is very strange, this domination of our intellect by our digestive organs. We cannot work, we cannot think, unless our stomach wills so. It dictates to us our emotions, our passions. After eggs and bacon, it says, “Work!” After beefsteak and porter, it says, “Sleep!” After a cup of tea (two spoonsful for each cup, and don’t let it stand more than three minutes), it says to the brain, “Now, rise, and show your strength. Be eloquent, and deep, and tender; see, with a clear eye, into Nature and into life; spread your white wings of quivering thought, and soar, a god-like spirit, over the whirling world beneath you, up through long lanes of flaming stars to the gates of eternity!”
After hot muffins, it says, “Be dull and soulless, like a beast of the field — a brainless animal, with listless eye, unlit by any ray of fancy, or of hope, or fear, or love, or life.” And after brandy, taken in sufficient quantity, it says, “Now, come, fool, grin and tumble, that your fellow-men may laugh — drivel in folly, and splutter in senseless sounds, and show what a helpless ninny is poor man whose wit and will are drowned, like kittens, side by side, in half an inch of alcohol.”
We are but the veriest, sorriest slaves of our stomach. Reach not after morality and righteousness, my friends; watch vigilantly your stomach, and diet it with care and judgment. Then virtue and contentment will come and reign within your heart, unsought by any effort of your own; and you will be a good citizen, a loving husband, and a tender father — a noble, pious man."
Tell us if it helps

[hkoas]

I feel like I've spent too much time trying to memorize the outlines. Now it feels like my memory is shaky and I haven't practiced enough essays/PTs

Your memory is not shaky. You have studied 13 subjects +/- 2

During the exam the facts will trigger the right rules in in your brain and you will be blown away by your own info recalling ability.

[hkoas]

I am good on MBEs.

I am good on MBE subject essays.

I have devoted minimal time to state subjects save for Professional Responsibility.

I have devoted no time to CA CivPro

How much time have y'all put towards the CA subjects?

[BrokenMouse]

I am good on MBEs.

I am good on MBE subject essays.

I have devoted minimal time to state subjects save for Professional Responsibility.

I have devoted no time to CA CivPro

How much time have y'all put towards the CA subjects?

I went through wills and trust, as well as CA evidence fairly well. I am on the same boat as you. I only know the basics of CA Civ Pro.

[InTheWideLand I Walk]

question:

there are a handful of essay-based rules I have not memorized yet because they took too long to memorize so I just skipped them for the sake of time.... but they are the kinds of rules that you know could come up, e.g. pereira- van camp is one of them.

Itll take about 4 hours to memorize them together. is it worth it to memorize them tomorrow? or should i do a cumulative review the other 1000-2000 rules instead in that 4 hour time frame? thanks

[AMCD]

Know Van Camp-Pereira. They may well be into CP again, and that analysis has not come up, I don't believe, for at least 4 or 5 administrations.

It's not that bad: Look to Stanford Law's website and the free outlines. There are checklists that go with the longer outlines (none of which are that long) and I recall that having a nice succinct definition. Then I just did about 5 calculations using both. It only solidified the detached concepts for me when I actually plugged in some numbers. Should take no more than 45 mins. to master.

[AntiHuman]

I know this is a repeat post from earlier, but see my following message below. You all can do it no matter where you started from. Believe it.

PM me for last minute tips.




Long time lurker on the threads. I've helped several people pass their 2nd time around on the exam. Some of my stats:

1. Took LSAT at 18 years old. Failed. High GPA combined with low LSAT I ended up at a good school.
2. Horrible law school grades. Never used IRAC or learned how to spot issues. Did virtually no studying in law school.
3. Took bar exam at 22 years old and failed first time. Studied about 30 hours total and attended no barbri classes or did any homework. So far from this story you can tell I am not a good test taker(aka didn't know wtf I was doing).

Scores my first time:

Essays: 55, 55, 60, 60, 85, 55
PTs: 55, 60
MBE: Slightly below passing

The 85 may jump out at you. This isn't an intelligence test. You will do well if you know how to approach the exam and study smart(not hard). Most importantly, you must know how to spot ALL the issues(or as many as you can). I asked a professor why the huge discrepancy on my essays. On the contracts essay, I spotted every issue and got an 85. I failed the rest because I didn't spot several minor issues. Issue spotting DETERMINES your score. Not analysis. People might bash me on this. Everyone will know the rules and have analysis. Shoutout to Injun on this for commending me, but I am big on spotting issues.

2nd time: I walked out of the exam and went straight to the bar to buy everyone shots because I knew I passed. It was that easy. No matter your score the first time, you can pass the 2nd time. It's just a matter of knowing how to approach the exam. I just put the first exam behind me, took a deep breathe and started researching strategies on what to do differently.

Failing sucks, but nobody has ever asked me my law school grades or how many times I took the bar exam. It will all be laughable in a few years.

PM me for exact details on what I did differently the 2nd time around on each section of the exam(MBE, essays, PTs).