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Take exam while sick or withdraw?
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 6:45 pm
by CattyPake
I've been having some health problems over the last month and today's been a particularly bad day. Going to the doctor's tomorrow to hopefully do some testing and figure out what I have. Till now I've always been a healthy person so all this has been pretty unexpected.
I have no idea how I'll feel on Tuesday so I'm wondering whether to withdraw and take in Feb or just try to power through. I know that if I continue feeling like this it's going to be tough to get through the exam so I don't want this to cause me to fail. Is it better to preemptively withdraw or just take it and roll the dice? And if I withdraw, the application fee's basically lost right?
If anyone's been in this situation I'd appreciate your advice.
Re: Take exam while sick or withdraw?
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 6:52 pm
by Calicakes
CattyPake wrote:I've been having some health problems over the last month and today's been a particularly bad day. Going to the doctor's tomorrow to hopefully do some testing and figure out what I have. Till now I've always been a healthy person so all this has been pretty unexpected.
I have no idea how I'll feel on Tuesday so I'm wondering whether to withdraw and take in Feb or just try to power through. I know that if I continue feeling like this it's going to be tough to get through the exam so I don't want this to cause me to fail. Is it better to preemptively withdraw or just take it and roll the dice? And if I withdraw, the application fee's basically lost right?
If anyone's been in this situation I'd appreciate your advice.
Is this for California? I ended up in the ER a few days before Feb 2012 exam and was told I needed a hysterectomy. I was on painkillers so there was no way I was taking the exam. I had my doctor fill out paperwork and I got back all but 30% of the fee's. ( better than nothing). It was a rigamarole to get the refund though, I needed to provide the hospital records too.
Re: Take exam while sick or withdraw?
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 6:55 pm
by CattyPake
Nope, Illinois. Their website says no refunds because of some IL statute. I haven't tried talking to them yet because I was hoping I'd be in shape to take it.
Glad you got some money back. ER right before bar exam sounds awful

Re: Take exam while sick or withdraw?
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 9:00 pm
by Neve
What are your symptoms?
If you're healthy enough to post this, then you might stand a chance at the bar exam.
Re: Take exam while sick or withdraw?
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 10:12 pm
by MaroPolo
CattyPake wrote:I've been having some health problems over the last month and today's been a particularly bad day. Going to the doctor's tomorrow to hopefully do some testing and figure out what I have. Till now I've always been a healthy person so all this has been pretty unexpected.
I have no idea how I'll feel on Tuesday so I'm wondering whether to withdraw and take in Feb or just try to power through. I know that if I continue feeling like this it's going to be tough to get through the exam so I don't want this to cause me to fail. Is it better to preemptively withdraw or just take it and roll the dice? And if I withdraw, the application fee's basically lost right?
If anyone's been in this situation I'd appreciate your advice.
I'd suggest to take it. You might not pass, but the real reason to take it is that you'll be more comfortable with it. Hell, you might even pass.
I work in consulting, so I really don't need to take the bar, but I wanted to take it just to have it done. I had approximately 40 hours of study time last year prior to taking the bar due to workload. I took it anyway. I missed passing by a less than 10 points. I learned where I was weak and concentrated my focus this year, and I feel like there is no way I can lose.
Take it. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't. Fuck it. Just get the experience and knowledge for the next.
Re: Take exam while sick or withdraw?
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:29 pm
by A. Nony Mouse
Sorry you're having to deal with this! Since they say no refunds, I would just wait and see how you feel on Tuesday - if you think you can sit through the exam, I think it's worth giving it a shot; I don't think there's any real professional difference between failing/withdrawing, so you might as well try, you don't really have anything to lose. If you feel truly awful, like not even really safe to drive awful, it's probably not worth the suffering. I hope you feel better!
Re: Take exam while sick or withdraw?
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:31 pm
by spleenworship
Take it. You're out the money anyway and you might get lucky and pass.
Good luck.