Hi,
Unfortunately it's not looking like I'll have an especially strong grasp on the law by the time July 25th rolls around. I plan on studying hard between now and then, but as it currently stands I have a mediocre-to-weak grasp of the MBE subjects and basically haven't even started memorizing the MEE subjects.
Please, anyone who can help: what are some tips for maximizing your chances of passing when you're in lousy shape with only a couple weeks to go? How much time should I devote to the MBE topics? What do I do on an essay if I don't know the relevant law, or have only a vague understanding of it?
My situation is not ideal, but there are many like me who pass every year.
Thanks in advance.
How to pass the bar when you're unprepared Forum
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foundingfather
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2013 10:31 pm
Re: How to pass the bar when you're unprepared
Maybe go through all of Emanuel's Strategies & Tactics for the MBE? Writing out the rules you get wrong in a word doc could help for essays, too. That's probably what I would do.
full disclosure: I'm only studying for the bar right now and haven't taken it yet
full disclosure: I'm only studying for the bar right now and haven't taken it yet
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0heL
- Posts: 80
- Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:01 pm
Re: How to pass the bar when you're unprepared
Also a first-time taker...so hopefully someone with actually successful bar-slacking experience can chime in
I know someone at my firm who passed the FL Bar with about 2 weeks of study. He basically said that half of the battle (or more) is formatting a well-structured essay around IRAC. If you correctly identify the main issue of an essay prompt to be, say, NIED, then you can get pretty close to full credit if you arrive at the right conclusion through IRAC (i.e., plaintiff has a strong claim against the defendant for NIED), regardless of whether you fuck up the actual elements of the rule. Even when you're describing the rule statement for NIED, if you remember that it had 3 elements (or whatever) and list 3 reasonable-sounding requirements (or semi-make them up), that is highly likely to get you a passing score.
I would say the most important thing for you right now re: essays is improving your issue spotting and having a decent enough grasp of the law so that you can arrive at the right conclusion of an essay (or close to it). A secondary priority should be memorizing rules, but if you can't quite remember all the elements of slander on the the day of the exam, you should absolutely NOT freak out if you get a slander question
As for multiple choice, I think it depends a lot more for how you're doing right now on practice tests/sections. I can tell you that, for me, just watching the BarBri video for each subject has basically been sufficient. For the sake of context: I got an A- on evidence in my 3L year. I took a practice section for evidence at the beginning of summer, and got 30% of the questions right. After watching the BarBri video, I immediately started scoring in the 70% range (pretty good imo). IME BarBri and most other companies do a decent job of giving you the lay of the land, which I think is crucial for multiple choice. Just watch the lecture and then do a few sections of multiple choice for each topic. Again, just relaying what a senior associate told me so do your own diligence too
You're totally fine if you work hard starting now haha
I know someone at my firm who passed the FL Bar with about 2 weeks of study. He basically said that half of the battle (or more) is formatting a well-structured essay around IRAC. If you correctly identify the main issue of an essay prompt to be, say, NIED, then you can get pretty close to full credit if you arrive at the right conclusion through IRAC (i.e., plaintiff has a strong claim against the defendant for NIED), regardless of whether you fuck up the actual elements of the rule. Even when you're describing the rule statement for NIED, if you remember that it had 3 elements (or whatever) and list 3 reasonable-sounding requirements (or semi-make them up), that is highly likely to get you a passing score.
I would say the most important thing for you right now re: essays is improving your issue spotting and having a decent enough grasp of the law so that you can arrive at the right conclusion of an essay (or close to it). A secondary priority should be memorizing rules, but if you can't quite remember all the elements of slander on the the day of the exam, you should absolutely NOT freak out if you get a slander question
As for multiple choice, I think it depends a lot more for how you're doing right now on practice tests/sections. I can tell you that, for me, just watching the BarBri video for each subject has basically been sufficient. For the sake of context: I got an A- on evidence in my 3L year. I took a practice section for evidence at the beginning of summer, and got 30% of the questions right. After watching the BarBri video, I immediately started scoring in the 70% range (pretty good imo). IME BarBri and most other companies do a decent job of giving you the lay of the land, which I think is crucial for multiple choice. Just watch the lecture and then do a few sections of multiple choice for each topic. Again, just relaying what a senior associate told me so do your own diligence too
You're totally fine if you work hard starting now haha
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sublime
- Posts: 17385
- Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2013 12:21 pm
Re: How to pass the bar when you're unprepared
Yea, for the essays if you don't know a rule, make up one that makes sense, and apply it.
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Babum
- Posts: 210
- Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 5:55 pm
Re: How to pass the bar when you're unprepared
I also think that, if you don't know a rule for the essay, and you do end up making a rule, make sure that your rule uses most of the facts you are given. If they spend 3 sentences on a particular fact, and your rule doesn't use that, it is likely that your rule is incomplete.
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Tiredbuthappyitsover
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 8:45 pm
Re: How to pass the bar when you're unprepared
from now until the test, your best chance of passing in my opinion involves you doing TONS of practice questions and reviewing the mistakes you made. stop passively reading stuff like outlines. do practice MBE questions and practice essays, and all of that practice will serve you very well in teaching you concepts and giving your practice trying to answer questions on your own. when your practice indicates you don't know something, memorize those rules of law and move on.
for MBE, mix up all the subjects at this point when you're doing questions. for essays, focus on one subject at a time per day or something like that, but of course make sure you get to all the subjects.
for MBE, mix up all the subjects at this point when you're doing questions. for essays, focus on one subject at a time per day or something like that, but of course make sure you get to all the subjects.
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hockeyman969
- Posts: 293
- Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:17 pm
Re: How to pass the bar when you're unprepared
Certain subjects you can't BS through like article 9 and they were happy to test that last summer! Back to back with Feb 2016. I think that's becoming a new cycler.
