Thinking about withdrawing from the NY Bar exam Forum

[bmonroe]

So, I had a very bad breakdown today . I'm tired and my MBE prep is just a shit storm. I'm seriously considering withdrawing from the exam but at the same time if I don't take it now idk if I would even have the energy and confidence to take in Feb. I'm just in a really bad place and I feel alone.

[Charger]

Hey, buck up. It's just a bad day. I'm like a roller coaster too, one day up and the next day down, but we can't give up just cause the going got tough. Go to sleep and wake up tomorrow with a fresh cup of coffee and a clear mind. Work on the subject that you feel the most confident about, then when you're feeling better, go back to a topic that's been giving you trouble. No matter what, don't give up. I shit myself every day thinking about the CA bar, but I'd feel way worse if I gave up now. And I think you would too. So don't give up on yourself now. We can do this!

[Kage3212]

You need to keep going. Believe it or not, there are some people out there who probably are sitting for this exam who have not even started studying (and if they have, very minimally). Most people buckle down in July, and others have stated that as we get further in July, things start to click and fall into place.

We all will have bad days. But you can't give up at this point. This is what you worked for. You have this small hurdle to jump and it never has to be jumped again (at least in your jx). Maybe have some drinks for 4th of July, cool off for a few days, and come back with fire in your eyes and a determination to get the job done. Keep the negative thoughts out and know that you can do this, as many others in your position have done in the past.

[despina]

Give yourself a day or two to breathe, sleep, and do things you like.. then get back to it! Worst comes to worst, you don't pass, and learn something for next time.

I would also reach out to your bar company's representatives to get guidance on how you can best be using your time to maximize your points from here forward.

[RaiRai]

I too was having a bad day yesterday and was thinking of withdrawing. I was actually going to look at my jdx's website to inquire about refunds. Thanks to the kind and encouraging words posted above, i'm feeling better. We just need to press on.

[2014]

There are tons of people who START prepping in July every year and still pass, even if you are distraught you are ahead of a lot of people and have a foundation you can build on.

Plus I don't know what your job situation is, but I can't think it is a good idea for your future to NOT take the July bar. Either you have an employer who assumes you will be taking it, or you will be applying for jobs competing against people who will have taken it. Either way, it's in your best interest to buckle down and do it.

[bmonroe]

Thanks everyone!!!

I took the night off and saw a movie. For the rest of the week I am taking it easy on the MBE practice. I usually do 50 a day but mentally I need a break on the amount of questions that I've been working on. I totally agree with everyone. Ive been working my butt off since the end of May and If I withdraw then I would have wasted my time and money and probably end up just as anxious for the Feb. exam. It good to see I'm not alone in this.

[myrtlewinston]

Glad that you're feeling better!

[trustmouse83]

I know how you feel! I haven't even started on Civ Pro questions, or even looked at the MPT. My parents are paying for me to take the bar (again) and we are not wealthy people at all. Tonight I wrote up a post elsewhere on the forum, and for the first time in months I can see that it's not just me who is feeling the way you are. This place is a great resource.
Just remember, this too shall pass. It's just a few more weeks to game time, and we are all in the same boat. But this is temporary. We will get through it.

[northwood]

sounds like burnout. take some time off- work on other things and enjoy the 4th of July. Come back to whatever it is you were working on (sounds like MBE) on 7/5. On 7/3 work on MPTs/Essays and review some of your material( make it a light day). 4th of July AM review other subjects. then enjoy the afternoon of the 4th.

[bmonroe]

I plan on taking it light this weekend so that I can be well rested for the final 3 weeks. A fellow bar taker/ friend ( taking the IL exam) called me today crying hysterically and coughing up her lungs because she has a cold. She talked about how tired she was and how sick she's been the last few days . I had to give her the advice that was given to me ( take some time off). I also believe that just the thought of not being 100% prepared for the bar freaks me out. You can be well prepared but no one is going to be 100% prepared .

[myrtlewinston]

Remember (and please remind me): Minimum competence.

[bmonroe]

The crazy part is that it's only the MBE that's freaking me out . My law school has an excellent writing program so I can put together an essay ( granted I need to memorize all the law/rules) and as far as the MPT is concerned, I've done a total of 14 because I took a class my last semester of law school were thats literally all we did. But the MBE is a different beast. And the rules.... Like ? There are just so many ! I know it's silly to think about withdrawing from the exam because of one portion of the exam but there is so much emphasis on the MBE that I sometimes forget I have other strengths I can count on. I think we should always remember our strengths to help us pull through our weaknesses .

[bmonroe]

Remember (and please remind me): Minimum competence.

I know but I have no idea what that means. Lol! How do I know if I'm at the "minimum competence"level ? And what about those who studied hard but still didn't pass the first time around?

[myrtlewinston]

Remember (and please remind me): Minimum competence.

I know but I have no idea what that means. Lol! How do I know if I'm at the "minimum competence"level ? And what about those who studied hard but still didn't pass the first time around?

Neither do I! Plugging away is the only thing we can do. The rest is beyond our control.

[bmonroe]

Remember (and please remind me): Minimum competence.

I know but I have no idea what that means. Lol! How do I know if I'm at the "minimum competence"level ? And what about those who studied hard but still didn't pass the first time around?

Neither do I! Plugging away is the only thing we can do. The rest is beyond our control.

I agree! And I haven't once complained about being stuck inside four walls all summer. Studying is not the issue. It's the uncertainty of the results but I guess I'm just a control freak or whatever ?! Haha

[9xSound]

The bar is not about minimum competence, guys and gals. No more than the World Series is about minimum competence in hitting and catching baseballs. The bar is a competition for a limited number of licenses. The people with the most points at the end of the series get a license. The rest don't. If minimum competence were the passing standard, the vast majority of candidates would pass because almost all examinees are at least minimally competent.

This is why it takes guts to face the bar exam. It's our World Series, and somebody's going to lose. Everyone you know is watching when you step up to the plate and try to hit what they pitch. It's enough to make anybody anxious. But if you don't have the courage to step up to the plate, face the pitcher and take your best swing, you'll never be a winner.

When you feel yourself getting anxious, try to keep the exam in perspective. You can win even though you won't hit every single pitch. They throw curve balls and bad pitches just to see if they can get you to swing and whiff. So what if you strike out a couple of times? You'll also foul it off, you'll walk, you'll ground out sometimes, and sometimes you'll get hits and runs. You might even park it a few times. In the end, your team either has more points than your competition and you win the license, or it doesn't and you don't. But keep in mind that it isn't necessarily the examinees with the most law memorized who pass. It's the examinees who show the graders that they can think like a lawyer who pass.

Good luck in a few weeks!

[RaiRai]

I keep reminding myself:

Winners never quit; quitters never win.

Just a few more weeks, then we can let loose in August!

[jamesm722]

Take each day by itself and focus on getting the tasks done for that day. If you need a break, take one. The bar prep programs give you a general guidelines of what you should be doing, but they don't have to be strictly adhered to on each day if you start to burn out.

The bar exam is not a test of the bare minimum, but it is also not a law school final where you are trying to get an A and know everything. You can pass with a score of approximately 60%. That doesn't mean you should strive to only hit 60% because things go wrong on test days, but you also can't expect to know all of the information.

The passage rate is around 83% for first time takers from ABA schools. It is far from impossible.

[bmonroe]

Take each day by itself and focus on getting the tasks done for that day. If you need a break, take one. The bar prep programs give you a general guidelines of what you should be doing, but they don't have to be strictly adhered to on each day if you start to burn out.

The bar exam is not a test of the bare minimum, but it is also not a law school final where you are trying to get an A and know everything. You can pass with a score of approximately 60%. That doesn't mean you should strive to only hit 60% because things go wrong on test days, but you also can't expect to know all of the information.

The passage rate is around 83% for first time takers from ABA schools. It is far from impossible.

Good points! I realized that when I think about my "to do" list I literally get sick to my stomach and super anxious. The other day my hand was literally shaking from anxiety and I couldn't steady the thing to write in the handout book. I think it's okay to make schedules or list of things to accomplish but if you focus on the list more than the task then the anxiety will take over .

[myrtlewinston]

I try to be upbeat, but it was not a good day. Yesterday, I was exhausted but didn't sleep well. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day!

[bmonroe]

I try to be upbeat, but it was not a good day. Yesterday, I was exhausted but didn't sleep well. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day!

Check your inbox

[Notmyfavbar]

Sad thing is that it's comforting to know that I'm not the only one all over the freaking place. Sucks that life can't just be put on hold so we can all study in peace haha. I swear it's been one thing after another with me. First it was moving.. I could handle that after realizing that I still had plenty of time. But after the move, some personal family things came up. I'm just now starting to look through my con law notes (barbri) and haven't even finishing the questions for property or started the con law questions.

I don't know if this will help anyone else, but it has helped me calm down a little bit - I've registered for NJ and NY and I've had to tell myself to calm the F down because I need to find security in passing NJ then worry about the NY stuff later. For some reason that helps me focus on the MBE/Essays and calm down. I just took the option of withdrawing out of my mind because even if I'm so underprepared for NY, the reality is that I've already paid for the exam and the least I can do is take the stupid thing for the experience. Right?

[Notmyfavbar]

Also, has anyone else come across this?

http://www.smartbarprep.com/nyfree01?gc ... AqIK8P8HAQ

[myrtlewinston]

I try to be upbeat, but it was not a good day. Yesterday, I was exhausted but didn't sleep well. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day!

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I did. Thanks! Doing much better today.