part time work during barbri summer course Forum

[victortsoi]

so i asked this in another subforum, but ill ask it again here. I got a really nice firm clerkship that id like to keep. It is very, very close to the barbri class ill be taking for the NY bar this summer. How many hours, maximum, should I be working if i do decide to do the part time thing? How do i go about this responsibly? Im not overflowing with confidence for passing the bar.

[xxx]

ZERO
by which I mean
ZERO!!!!

[victortsoi]

care to explain?

[TxBarTaker09]

My first time I took the bar, I got a job as a litigation assistant (meaning I assisted the litigation attorneys with their research and writing for their cases) at my dream firm, where I wanted to work since college. I worked their till noon everyday, then spent the afternoon and evening studying. The day the bar exam results were set to come out, I had my own office by then, and I was told that morning that once I knew I passed they were immediately shifting cases my way to take over in litigation. Only problem was, I failed the bar exam.

So, my recommendation is to study the bar exam full time. This may not be true for every person, I know of people who worked part time and passed, it depends on how good your skills are. My MBE skills are very bad, and have prevented me from passing even to this day even after studying full time, so my situation is slightly different, you just have to know yourself.

Point is, you don't want to do this more than once, trust me.

[drs36]

It all depends on your ability to multi-task and your learning style. I worked 25-30 hrs/week and passed the bar with a lot of room. I also took Themis, so that might change your decision since BarBri has live classes?

In any event, you said you're not "overflowing with confidence for passing the bar." Working could stress you out, and you want as few stressors as possible. Take that, as well as your learning style, into account. Good luck.

[seansy09]

I was doing part time too! I currently work 40 hrs a week in a firm and I cannot stop full time preparing for the bar until the last one month or two, because I am an alien with many visa restrictions. So I have to work while preparing for the bar.

so my plan is to start early.

I have started the early start review of barbri. Hopefully I am able to finish the MBE lectures by April. So when the review courses start, it will be the second round.

NY July Bar taker. S.S.

[victortsoi]

Im thinking of seeing how receptive they are for about 8-10 hours, split over two days during bar study. Possibly less.