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First try, no "professional" study materials, here are some great websites for those who are going to try to do it before law school:

Up to date thread:

http://www.intelproplaw.com/ip_forum/in ... 321.0.html

old questions:
http://mypatentbar.com/
http://patentbarquestions.com/Main_Page

Free audio course (I listened to this for about 3 months in my car while driving, good advice):
--LinkRemoved--

The exam I had was heavy on appeals and a little light on PCT compared to a lot of others, also had to know a bunch for 102(e) dates. If you have questions feel free!

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Congratulations... I'm taking it on June 10.

I haven't studied at all, but I think I have enough time, right?

That might be pushing it :S I studied for 2 months for approx 4-5 hours a day. If you're set on June 10th I would start studying tomorrow. Start with 03 tests and download the MPEP then try to answer the questions by looking in it. It will allow you to become familiar with it and know generally where stuff is. Note the current revision being tested and the newest version are DIFFERENT, so when you download the MPEP from the USPTO website make sure you're downloading the right one.

lostjake wrote:That might be pushing it :S I studied for 2 months for approx 4-5 hours a day. If you're set on June 10th I would start studying tomorrow. Start with 03 tests and download the MPEP then try to answer the questions by looking in it. It will allow you to become familiar with it and know generally where stuff is. Note the current revision being tested and the newest version are DIFFERENT, so when you download the MPEP from the USPTO website make sure you're downloading the right one.

Yeah, I'm going to start tomorrow... I've planned on 6 hours a day until the exam, and since I haven't registered yet (I'm waiting so that I have two opportunities within the 3-month span), I'll probably do that tomorrow, too. Since I'm still (albeit stupidly) considering a transfer, despite my abysmal grades, I want to make sure I can at least throw "passed the patent bar" on my resume...so, I'm allowing for june 10 and july 11 tests.

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congrats and thanks for the advice. i hope to be in your shoes soon!

Really not that hard I'm sure.

You have to have a technical degree to be eligible for the patent bar?

Dead Ringer wrote:Really not that hard I'm sure.

lulz

Big Shrimpin wrote:

Dead Ringer wrote:Really not that hard I'm sure.

lulz

It really isn't.

LateNight wrote:You have to have a technical degree to be eligible for the patent bar?

The USPTO requires that all those applying for registration (agents or attorneys) meet three requirements: (1) good moral character, (2) legal, scientific and technical qualifications necessary to render valuable service, and (3) competence to advise and assist patent applicants in the presentation and prosecution of patent applications.[10] The registration exam primarily addresses the third requirement. The second requirement is typically met with a bachelor's degree in a recognized technical subject; the USPTO calls this "Category A" eligibility. These fields include biology, chemistry, computer science,[11] most engineering disciplines,[12] and physics. Two other options are available to satisfy the second requirement: having enough semester hours of specific science courses ("Category B") or passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam ("Category C").[13] Note that the requirements for Category B eligibility are considerably more onerous than for Category A—not only must the candidate provide official college transcripts, he or she must supply a copy of the official course description, concurrent with the year that the course was taken, for each course used to establish eligibility for the exam.[14]

So no, you could go pass the FE and take it or you could under category B.

Current pass rates are slightly under 60%

Interesting. I won't be taking it, not interested in Patent Law. Good to know though.

lostjake wrote:First try, no "professional" study materials, here are some great websites for those who are going to try to do it before law school:

Up to date thread:

http://www.intelproplaw.com/ip_forum/in ... 321.0.html

old questions:
http://mypatentbar.com/
http://patentbarquestions.com/Main_Page

Free audio course (I listened to this for about 3 months in my car while driving, good advice):
--LinkRemoved--

The exam I had was heavy on appeals and a little light on PCT compared to a lot of others, also had to know a bunch for 102(e) dates. If you have questions feel free!

Congrats! But wait, you can take the patent bar before law school???? Did i read that wrong?

(No, I won't be doing it, just never knew that.)

Hey, how long does it take from applying to take the test, to when you actually take it. Can I do it before September if I apply right away.

Desert Fox wrote:Hey, how long does it take from applying to take the test, to when you actually take it. Can I do it before September if I apply right away.

You get a letter authorizing you to take the test, but only for a specific period of time, like 2 months, and you have to schedule the test within that time frame. I don't recall the time line though.

Leeroy Jenkins wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:Hey, how long does it take from applying to take the test, to when you actually take it. Can I do it before September if I apply right away.

You get a letter authorizing you to take the test, but only for a specific period of time, like 2 months, and you have to schedule the test within that time frame. I don't recall the time line though.

Ok cool, also how much does it cost?

Desert Fox wrote:

Leeroy Jenkins wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:Hey, how long does it take from applying to take the test, to when you actually take it. Can I do it before September if I apply right away.

You get a letter authorizing you to take the test, but only for a specific period of time, like 2 months, and you have to schedule the test within that time frame. I don't recall the time line though.

Ok cool, also how much does it cost?

like 2 benjys? +another ~400 for the registration at thompson prometric

Leeroy Jenkins wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

Leeroy Jenkins wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:Hey, how long does it take from applying to take the test, to when you actually take it. Can I do it before September if I apply right away.

You get a letter authorizing you to take the test, but only for a specific period of time, like 2 months, and you have to schedule the test within that time frame. I don't recall the time line though.

Ok cool, also how much does it cost?

like 2 benjys? +another ~400 for the registration at thompson prometric

Damn. I guess I got to if it has a chance of helping for hiring.

Desert Fox wrote:Damn. I guess I got to if it has a chance of helping for hiring.

imo it don't do shit

From when I mailed the letter requesting to take the test to the USPTO it took about 2 weeks to get the test allowance and then you get 3 months from that point. I think Leroy is the only one I've heard suggesting not to take it, I don't think its going to hurt anyone's chances by any means.

lostjake wrote:I think Leroy is the only one I've heard suggesting not to take it, I don't think its going to hurt anyone's chances by any means.

Um...I have never suggested either way.

Hey, just passed the Patent Bar yesterday.

I got the Bullseye materials online that cost about $30, and then I just used the free websites that had already been referred to. I studied about 3-5 hours a day since about mid-march and the test seems easy - only if you study for it. If you walk into the thing assuming that you'll find the answers in the MPEP, you're mistaken.

As for jobs, I just graduated with my PhD in Chemistry and I'm attending law school PT at Temple Univ. in the fall, I've already been contacted by a recruiter and a major law firm who told me that they were only interested in me if I passed the patent bar. I was previously looking for Technical Specialist jobs but I was told that they're really hard to find in this economic climate. I was told that I'd have much more success looking for a patent agent/technical specialist job at a smaller law firm that's willing to take a chance on somebody without claims experience.

But again, I think if you pass the patent bar and have a BS or are not an EE I think the chance of it helping you right away is fairly slim. But if you're going into IP law, you might as well get it out of the way before law school, since you'll never have to take it again.

I'm studying for it and planning to take Aug 10ish. Glad to know it's not as hellish as people say if you study properly.

FYI it is $40 app fee + $200 exam fee to USPTO and $150 exam fee to Prometric (3rd party administering the computerized exam). Also, you get a 90 day window after approval from the PTO in which you must register and take the exam. I was a Category A applicant that got wrongfully rejected and had to jump through hoops to have it cleared, and approval took 6 weeks instead of the usual 2. So I guess you shouldn't wait TOO last minute, just in case...

More details for applying for the exam can be found here:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/dcom/olia/oed/grb.pdf