STUDY TIPS for CA Bar Exam Forum

[NVCAatty]

So, I am a 6+ year attorney who passed the CA and NV bar back in 2011 and 2012 respectively (each on my first try). Even though it has been many years since I took these bar exams, every July I am always reminiscent of the "wonderful" time I had preparing for the exams and the "joy" of taking them...... NOT. Anyways, as someone who knows all too well the daunting task that lies before those of you about to plunge into the muck and mire and final exam that will determine whether you get practice law - here are some quick practical tips/caveats on preparation for the exam (especially if you are taking the CA bar):

1. First and foremost, AVOID BURNING YOURSELF OUT. Many of you most have one question that is on your mind constantly - "How much time should I put into studying for the exam?" Some people say study 6 months in advance while others say 4 months, 3 months, 2 months, etc. Some people say that you should study at least 8 to 10 hours a day while others say 4 to 6. Even bar tutors and "official" study guides give a range of advice on this. The fact is, there is no "one-size-fits-all" rule here. Like anything else with what you do in preparation of the exam it is QUALITY over quantity. While cramming a week or two before the exam is obviously not prudent, there is such a thing as studying TOO MUCH; meaning, that if you over-study, there is a real danger of burning yourself out.

So, my advice - study as much as you feel is necessary. While that may seem vague and cliche; I assure you, that if you really think about what is necessary for you to absorb and understand material, you will find your answer. For example, for me, I found that I was much more productive in the mornings than the afternoons, and that my limit of actual practical studying was 4-6 hours. (In fact, the longest uninterrupted period of studying in a single setting I did was 6 hours; and my average was about 3-4 hours a day (6 days a week for about 2 months)). Keep in mind that you are not a machine - you are not perfect, and I promise you that you absolutely will not be able to learn everything you need for the exam. One of the most maddening and depressing realities you will face is that it will feel like your mind leaks like a sieve wherein you will actually forget things you learned just a couple of weeks ago. Do not be alarmed - it just means you are human and that you have limitations. And the exam is designed to test those limitations. Accept this reality and find out what works for you.

2. YOU CANNOT MEMORIZE EVERYTHING (Nor should you). As stated above, you are not a machine, and your memory banks have leaks in them that you cannot close up. You are only human. While the exam is testing your knowledge of the law, that portion of it is only skin-deep. The real thing that separates those who pass from those who fail is the ability to APPLY the rule/law and think like a lawyer. As previously discussed, it is guaranteed you will forget things you studied/memorized weeks earlier. So, learn as much as you can, but do not freak out if you forget things - because it will happen. Even if you forget the exact elements to a rule/principle, if you can take a stab at it and apply the logical reasoning/argument in IRAC form you will get points for it. Thus, your focus should not be memorizing the seemingly endless amount of topics/rules/exceptions you need to study for the exam - it needs to be on honing your skills to apply what you learned (which brings me to my next point below).

3. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE... The most important thing you can do with your time to prepare for the exam is to PRACTICE the exam. There is a huge difference between studying/memorizing/learning the material versus practicing with the material. I promise you, the bar exam is like nothing you ever experienced before. In fact, once you take it, you will soon finding yourself thinking that law school final exams were a piece of cake. This exam is not a sprint, it is a marathon. You need to train for it like it is a marathon, and any long distance runner will tell you that if you never practiced a 10 mile run before, then you should not sign up and compete in a 10 mile run.

So, practice MBEs, practice PT's and Essays until you condition your mind to mentally prepare and organize your thoughts on how to take a specific question or issue before your pen hits paper. (As a guideline - I would suggest for the first month, at least 1-2 practice essays every other day and 1-2 PTs every week, untimed. Then the 2nd month, you should increase this to 3+ practice essays every other day and 2-3 PTs every other day.

4. THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY TO STUDY - many people get freaked out when preparing for the exam, because they will have outlines/lists while their friends have hundreds of flash cards. Everyone's mind works different. Whatever worked for you studying in law school will work for studying for the bar exam - trust me. Do not change how you study/memorize things just because Joe Smith (top 5% of the class) is preparing flash cards or huge outlines to study. Use what works for YOU.

Obviously, I could probably go on and on about the Do's and Don't's. But that would be counterproductive. So, hopefully, the 4 tips/caveats outlined above will be helpful to some extent. Above all, have faith in yourself and remember that you are only human. This exam is not testing you to be perfect; it is testing your limits as a human being and how you are able to handle yourself under pressure.

GOOD LUCK!

[Angel66]

Thank you so much for your advice! Just to clarify - did you actually mean to practice 2-3 PTs every other day? Wouldn’t that be too much for PT?

[NVCAatty]

2-3 PTs every other day was advice for the final month (or final weeks) before the exam; and of course, just a guideline. However, that was also based on my memory of the exam (which was 3 days with 2 PTs). Now that the exam is only 2 days with 1 PT, 2-3 PTs every other day probably not necessary.

Notwithstanding, it really depends on what you believe is necessary and depends on your own personal strengths and weaknesses. So if you are pretty strong on PTs, then obviously you do not need to focus a lot of time on them. However, if it is not a strong area, you should spend a significant time practicing them.

Hope that helps!