Tag: #BarExam

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Advice Daily Dose Law School

Learning From Failure: Finally Passing The Bar Exam

Sitting for one bar exam is daunting. Having to work, deal with family issues, and sit through more than one bar exam is beyond brutal. In fact, this entire experience should be added to Dante’s rings.

I sat for the Texas Bar exam 3 times and, before you read any further, let me be very clear: this is my own experience. I’m telling you what I went through and how I overcame it in the hopes that one of you wonderful examinees will make use of this information and ace your own exam. This is not a playbook to get you to pass, it’s merely an account of what I overcame (and what so many of us share) to accomplish this amazing dream.

Failing the exam doesn’t mean you’re going to be a crappy lawyer. It’s not a good measure of what kind of practitioner you’ll be at all. Why? Because the Bar exam doesn’t (and cannot) test your ability to practice the law. Instead, it’s a measure of your competency and understanding of a wide breadth of law. If you failed, pull yourself up and right the ship. Don’t keep dwelling on the failure and wallowing but, by all means, use the setback as ammunition to propel you forward on this journey. You’ll get through this. If you haven’t sat for the exam yet, and are looking for tips, I highly recommend using a few of my own.

After graduating in May of 2019, I immediately started looking for a post-bar position. I was not in the financial state to simply take the bar and then let the chips fall where they may. Landing the job of a lifetime is a major reason for why I had the luxury of sitting for the exam again after missing it by about 3% the first time. [Yeah, I said luxury. The Bar exam is a gate keeper and not a true measure of competency. We all know this, but rarely talk about it. Having the means to pay for a prep course and exam supplements, take time off from work to study, and have the bills paid is nothing short of a luxury.]

Here’s the list of what I changed about my study plan and techniques to give myself every advantage to ace the Bar exam.

Analyze The Scores.

Knowing where I faltered was crucial to my progress. Determining which areas needed more dedication was imperative. I took the time to create an excel spreadsheet with my scores broken down into each subcategory for the exam. This extra step worked wonders when picking apart the subtopics for my own review and Bar prep.

I scored abysmally low on the Property and Evidence sections of the MBE. It was bleak, y’all. As one clerking for an expert real estate attorney, this was a specific slap to my ego and I made sure to deep-dive into these subjects first to work on learning the black letter law. What I’d done wrong, in my opinion, was flying through these questions and thinking in terms of what my boss would do with a client in that situation. But, what we do in practice is not necessarily what the NCBE is questioning. Instead, I needed to take a step back and look the question objectively, recognizing the point of law being tested, and then answering the question. What we end up practicing is not a perfect world scenario. If we honestly tried, each of us could make some sort of argument for each answer on the multiple choice questions. However, that’s not the point of the exam. The point is to read efficiently and answer proficiently; no more, no less.

When combining the score report analysis with my Adaptibar practice exam (cold-turkey 100 questions), it was surprising to see the correlation. In the plainest language possible: I was “doing too much” when I should have slowed my roll and answered the damn question.

Create YOUR Study Plan.

Studying during a pandemic was rough. Worrying about the Board of Law Examiners meetings and whether or not they were going to change the content (which happened), the date of the exam (yep, also happened), and the type (again, yes — this changed, too) took up more of my headspace than I care to admit. Since I’m a type-A creature with the need to assert control over virtually everything, the easiest way for me to handle my study time was to create a study plan.

I think I should also mention that, in addition to dealing with the pandemic, student loan deferment requests, and losing both of my grandparents in a matter of months, my husband and I also found out we (mostly me) were expecting our first kiddo in January. Studying while pregnant? Extra fun.

With the difficulties of nailing down time to study, working in doctor’s visits and pregnancy naps [yeah, those were unexpected and non-negotiable], especially with the change of dates and my hectic work schedule, I decided on a six week timeline. Making the plan was step one. Executing it and working through each topic was another beast entirely. [Remember, the naps?]

The changing framework and timeline in preparing for the exam made studying feel awkward and even more challenging than usual. Plus, all the random pregnancy experiences that I didn’t count on when I initially setup my plan. I was a mess, mentally and physically fatigued, and working like a mad woman to realize my dream.

In total, I utilized over 400 hours of study time. However, I’m pretty sure that was only possible due to the change in date (from July to October), and the fact that I started reviewing my outlines incredibly early [as in, May…a week or so after receiving failing results].

The key is to craft a schedule that works for you. Whatever works for your schedule is the most important aspect for a healthy study and learning experience. There’s also the theory of diminishing returns to consider — it does my brain absolutely no good to study for 13 hours straight. I felt like Barbri videos and reviews, combined with Adaptibar, and Crushendo on a daily basis was just too much for me to handle.

Instead, I made time to study, workout, and spend allotted time with my family. Up until month 5 of my pregnancy, I was walk-jogging 5 miles a day and enjoyed a standing Sunday brunch with my family (this is still very much a weekly ritual, too). This time I was determined to find a happy balance between studying law and living my life and, in my opinion, I was all the better for setting (and keeping) this goal.

Chunking up my time and studying in smaller increments was incredibly helpful to my success this time around. That’s the benefit of starting early and spacing out your study sessions. By setting up this schedule, I didn’t feel like I was cramming information during the final week or two leading up to the exam. I knew I’d put in the required effort and was much more confident walking into this examination. In fact, with closer to 13 weeks of study time, I ended up using my study plan and then dedicating time to more essays leading up to the exam date. I worked through approximately 1500 MBE questions on Adaptibar (and about 200 more using Emmanuel’s and practice with my tutor), 8 MPTs (I re-worked several of the same ones at the recommendation of my Bar Readiness professor), and more than 60 essays questions.

Use the NCBE Topics List.

The first time I sat for the Bar, I followed the Barbri plan. I read through the entire outline for each subject and honestly thought I was “getting it.” But what was actually happening is that I was reading it and not actually taking it in and sitting with the material.

This time around? I took the NCBE outline and matched it up with my Barbri book outline. Then, I scratched out every single topic in the book that was not on the NCBE topics list. I refused to fill my mind with excess information. There’s already too much to review, no need to add extra crap.

After removing the topics that weren’t going to be tested, I read through the table of contents and the outline itself. Making notes here and there in terms of how the outline was organized, as well as highlighting exceptions or minute rules that I didn’t know or remember.

Once I read through each outline fully, I started in on practice MBE questions. No more than 33 per day, typically (see the schedule, above). While working through each question, I read through the answer choices, picked the one I felt was best, and then would flip to the section in the outline where that answer should be and confirm my choice. If I were wrong, I took the time to write the proper rule of down on a notepad and make a note of the page number where I sourced that rule.

I spent 1/3 of my MBE time practicing the questions and 2/3 reviewing outlines and the actual law behind the answers. I highly recommend this method. It came in handy when I worked with my tutor, who would consistently change facts and ask me whether a slight change in circumstance would end in a different result, making another answer choice more likely. Taking the time to really sit with the rules made my approach to the MBE that much stronger.

Hire a Tutor.

That job of a lifetime I mentioned…well, this is where it came in clutch. My boss also happens to be an amazing mentor and he really kept me centered and grounded through this stressful year. When I failed in February he let me know that he didn’t want to start over with another clerk, and that he believed I could pass this exam. I felt entirely crushed after receiving those results, but he helped me keep my head above water and I will be forever grateful. He also convinced me to utilize a tutor for Bar prep. If he hadn’t set this up and made the introduction for me, I’m not sure I would have considered it a viable option.

Working with Keith made the biggest difference in my Bar prep. I had a weekly check-in with him, where I was expected to have reviewed the material and work through practice MBE questions. Keith was my accountability partner, in a matter of speaking, which was exactly what I didn’t know I needed. I asked him to not only help prep me with question review, but also to create study aids to help me work through subject areas, particularly those more nuanced exceptions in the NCBE topic list.

Unlike working through questions with friends and other examinees, Keith kept me on my toes and forced me to analyze questions from multiple perspectives, constantly changing the fact patterns and asking me to explain my rationale. He helped me improve my MBE score by more than 15 points, and ultimately helped me improve my overall exam score by more than 50 points, which made all the difference in overcoming this career hurdle.

Block Out Virtually Everything & Everyone.

My biggest impediment studying for the Bar exam also happened to be my loudest fans and support system. My family went through a whole helluvalot this past year. We lost both of my grandparents to cancer, months apart. Their treatments were harsh and witnessing them slip away was awful for each one of us. Losing them nearly broke me, but studying for the Bar exam and making them proud was the singular focus of my Bar prep life. At least, it was until I found out I was pregnant — then I knew I just had to pass to support this little nugget.

With all the worldly chaos, I had to set boundaries with my family members. I was explicit with my time and autonomy, even going so far as to demand that no one visited our home unless invited. I drew a line in the sand and explained exactly what I needed from them. Thankfully, despite the harsh step I took, they listened. I was granted the space to study, free from the constant messages and calls from them at all hours.

My brain appreciated the time to step away from the family drama and concerns, just for a few weeks. They probably didn’t find the ice-out comical, but…it was necessary.

Focus on the Effort, Not the Time.

The amount of time you study does not matter. Time is relative. I can say I studied for 13 hours and make someone else feel like crap when they only got 9 hours in. How insane does that sound? What you do has no real bearing on what Cindy does to prepare for the exam. She can smoke you on exam day and the amount of time she put in does not necessarily correlate with her likelihood to pass or fail. Sure, there’s always someone who says they only studied for 2 weeks and passed, but the likelihood is that most people put in about 10 weeks of prep time to get through this exam. None of that time matters though if you’re just going through the motions or checking off a box.

The effort you put into the study is what truly matters. I got more out of effective, short-burst studying than I ever did with the marathon sessions using Barbri. I found myself actually sleeping through the night, experiencing fewer night terrors (maybe two or three, where I overslept and missed the exam entirely), and feeling less overwhelmed about taking the exam. I was literally growing a human and focusing on my health first, this exam second. I hadn’t prioritized myself that way before and gosh did I notice the change.

I focused on getting through what needed to be reviewed, sat and took the time to understand the material, and refused to shovel down as many questions as I could handle. That militant study style simply does not work for my study habits, and why I attempted to do that previously is a testament to what I was willing to buy into (stupid bar prep companies) without any regard for how I handled my study time in law school.

Getting the material down, truly understanding it, is key to passing this exam. You’re shooting for minimum competency, which doesn’t sound so hard, but it’s much more difficult than one might think.

Focusing on improvement is much better than setting a goal of 80% or better in each subject for Adaptibar or whatever other Bar Prep course you’re using. I set my sights on achieving a comfortable balance with my health and my study efforts. I think I placed too much emphasis on the idea of studying the first time I took the exam, without any regard to what my actual take-away was. This time around, I made sure to speak about what I learned to my husband, out loud to myself and the bebe, and then again to my tutor. The effort was incorporated across multiple avenues and the material really stuck in my mind. I cannot tell you exactly how many hours I studied, but I can sure as hell tell you I used those hours to my advantage and made each one of them count.

Review & Practice!

I think the key to succeeding on this exam is to keep reviewing and churning through the material in different ways. Look at the MBE questions from different angles and think through the problems. Don’t simply try to memorize the fact patterns, you’ll just end up pissed off and dizzy.

There is a way over the hurdle, but it takes patience and a metric ton of hard work. Don’t let anyone stand in your way. Focus on yourself, your needs and, more importantly, this goal. Set your sights high, friends. You can pass the Bar! I look forward to welcoming you into this amazing profession.

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Daily Dose

Life After The Bar Exam, But Before Results

Passing the time while waiting for bar results is pretty damn miserable. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about MBE questions or the amount of time I put into the prep this summer (…and fall, and what felt like forever this bar season). Since my mind clearly needs to be occupied, I compiled a list that works to pass the time.

1. Binge-Watch A New(ish) Show

I resolved that I would not start any new shows while studying for the Bar exam. And then, quickly amended such resolution when my husband dragged me waist-deep into the first season of Yellowstone.

Aside from this one show — which we finished weeks before the Bar — I didn’t venture off on the search for new content. Rather, I took breaks by watching segments of movies or shows I’d seen many times over: Harry Potter, The Martian, Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, Mission Impossible Saga, A Discovery of Witches, and so many other favorites. I took the time to relax my mind after 10-hour study days and I think my productivity during those long stretches of concept review was re-invigorated.

Now that the exam is behind us, I highly recommend taking in all the down time you can. There’s not much point in dwelling on the results, because that will just make you feel like you’re spiraling. We’ve got almost 2 months to go for those results here in Texas, friend. Don’t do that to yourself. Enjoy this time to re-group, re-center, and re-focus your energy into something that makes you happy.

Happiness, in October, for me means lots and lots of Halloween Movies. I’m a HUGE fan of fall movie lists and have compiled several of my favorites. Over the years, October became the start of all my favorite holiday traditions. From decorating to snuggling on the couch with tea and crumpets, this season is sure to be made all the better with shows and movies I’ve been so excited to see.

If you need some help choosing, I highly recommend these to start:

  • Enola Homes, Netflix
  • Blacklist, Netflix
  • Halloweentown Trilogy, DisneyPlus
  • Hocus Pocus, Netflix
  • Little Fires Everywhere, Hulu
  • The Bold Type, Hulu

2. Learn to Craft

I find it difficult to keep still for too long, unless I’m reading – in which case my mind entertains itself with building up worlds and characters so, I guess my first thought here stands true.

As I prefer to keep busy, over the years I picked up a variety of hobbies that I tend to cycle through when I find myself “bored” or unsure of how to spnd my time.

Some of these pursuits tend to be athletic – like training for a half marathon, or grabbing a volleyball and the hubs for a quick set. But for times like these, where my mind wants to keep falling back to essays and questions that I found particularly difficult, I think it best to focus my pursuits on arts and crafts. Personally, the focus and energy required to master an art (or even attempt to be decent at it) is cumbersome. That said, art tends to melt everything away. I can lose myself in painting, embroidering, lettering, or scrapbooking.

Any of these options are excellent for both occupying your time and utilizing your entire focus ability. Plus, you get something gorgeous as an end-result!

3. Find a Book Club

One thing I always wanted to do was take part in a book club. Staying mentally stimulated is, in my opinion, difficult to do if you don’t make the time to converse with others.

In late February, a small group of friends and I began a book club; meeting roughly every six weeks to discuss our chosen piece of literature. We’ve read a variety of genres and take turns choosing books. It’s been so much fun and, truly, a great way to catch up with friends.

Make the whole event extra fun and setup each club meeting as a themed experience — the drinks, food, decorations, or desserts. Enjoy the time with your excellent company!

4. Hone Your Culinary Skills

For those of you that want to practice your brulée skills, or maybe take the time to prep for Thanksgiving, there’s no better time than now!

All this waiting means my friends and family benefit from the stress-baked sweets and homemade tortillas. Throw in the fall weather and my need to bust out soup and stew recipes? Gosh! The stove over at our place has seen quite a bit of action lately.

5. Gear Up for A Virtual Race

Sure, I get it – you’ve been in yoga pants or gym shorts for the better part of this year while dealing with the changing exam dates and the stress of over-eating and fewer workouts – but right now is the PERFECT time to focus on your health. Why not set yourself up for a couch-to-5k?

Admittedly, I’ve had a difficult time getting back into the swing of my workouts. The start and stop of bar prep definitely did not help. But, here we are again — with just the perfect time to get back on the #WorkoutWagon. Why not get back into the saddle, or get started for the first time?

It’s really better to release this stress and tension rather than keep it all bottled up. So, figure out what works for you…rowing, running, walking, swimming — do whatever makes you happy and get moving!

6. Visit Local Landmarks

Living in your city does not mean — I’ve learned — enjoying all the beautiful and quirky aspects of that locale. In Dallas, there are so many not-so-hidden gems that I’d been yearning to visit. During my study breaks, I took the time to enjoy a few of them. I highly recommend you do the same. Visit a new park, savor new flavors by picking up a meal and supporting your local eateries, or drive through a new coffee shop and clear that head of any RAP or Civil Procedure deadline rules. It’s imperative you take the time to re-center yourself. The effort you put into studying (and parenting/working/budgeting/life) these last 5 months has been brutal. You need the break. Take it.

If you need some inspiration in Dallas, follow me over at @cerebellumchef on Instagram. There’s plenty of ideas for art exhibits, chocolate runs, bakery finds, and hidden gems in the city.

7. Visit Your Friends & Family

I’m a HUGE fan of brunch. I can eat breakfast for pretty much any meal and love hosting at our home. That said, after weeks of studying at my own kitchen table, I fancied seeing other family and friends…as well as being taken care of for a change. Too much efort goes into planning, so this is the time to relax as much as possible and relish your family and friends.

I’ve enjoyed Halloween cookouts and am looking forward to our yearly “Friendsgiving.” Some days I feel like I’ve crammed so much into each minute that I just might not have time to spare a second on those exam questions constantly buzzing in the background of my headspace.

8. Organize Your Space

I walked into my house after Day 2 of the Bar Exam and saw it clearly for the first time in ages. Sure, everything was “put away” and clean [save for a basket of gym clothes and sweats that needed to be washed], but there was so much disorder that I felt completely overwhelmed.

I took to Pinterest and discovered these excellent ideas to both save space and provide order to the chaos. I mean, batteries and medicines need their own space – right?

Now that everything is in order, I feel infinitely better! Maybe a little order to this chaos of emotions is just the ticket, eh?

9. Pack Your Bags & GO!

Right now may not feel like the *best* time to travel, but I think getting away for a weekend trip to the lake in a secluded cabin, or a quick trip to enjoy the mountains may be exactly what you need. Take a few friends, or go solo; the time away from your study space (especially if you spent the last 4 months studying at home) will do you wonders — trust me.

May the time pass quickly and results be in our favor!

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Daily Dose Law School

Things You Should Tell Yourself Before Taking the Bar Exam

Pondering my first go-around with the Texas Bar exam, I thought these tidbits might be useful to others. Right now, you’re gearing up for what feels like your brain’s most intense battle. If you’ve never taken this exam, just know – it may be worse than you think. If you’ve taken it once before – you already have what it takes to make it through the week. Trust yourself and your abilities.

Leave the Phone.

In prepping for the exam days, you should know that your support system wants you to win, but their encouragement may be too much for you to handle at 7am. Leave your phone – turned off – in your vehicle or at the hotel. Their messages will be much better received at the end of each day, rather than the beginning. Go into the exam with a clear head and heart. Trust me, you’ll need both of these things to fight your way through each day. I say this to you while desperately trying to heed my own advice.

This is one exam. It will NOT break you.

You made it through law school and can handle this one exam. I’m not sure how many times I’ve said this to myself over the past few months. Everything felt harder this time around, from gearing up to study, making it through the practice problems, and getting to sleep. The stressors that accompany this exam manifest themselves in physical form and that’s a heavier burden than I expected.

A wonderful friend of mine sent me this message and it’s spot on:
Remember this is just a test. You’ve taken 1000 tests before. And you have got this. Just see each part of the exam as a separate test instead of one big one. You have my support and you will be an attorney. But also this test does not define who you are. You have people around you who love and care about you regardless of what this next week brings.

So, be kind to yourself and remind your inner awesomeness that you can handle this rodeo.

Failure can happen.
Just remember to fail forward.

The worst thing that can happen is you fail. That’s it though. You study again and come back for the exam a second (or third) time. But, the worst thing is that you don’t pass. In the grand scheme of it all – failure is just an opportunity to do better next time. It’s not as big of a catastrophe as you think (or, as you thought it would be when you were a fresh law grad, saying this wouldn’t happen to you the first time you took it). If you fail, you will still be ok. You will get through it. It’ll suck, but you’ll be alright.

Sleep is overrated.
Pass List is Forever.

Yes, you’re exhausted. Hell, you’ve seen better days – of this I’m sure. You haven’t worn makeup in weeks, your wardrobe has pretty much existed of yoga pants and oversized sweatshirts. None of this matters. Just keep pushing yourself through these next few days.

You can deep sleep when it’s over.

For what it’s worth, just remember that you’re phenomenal. You’ve studied. You’ve got this. You’re a bad boss babe and you know. your. shit.

Good luck on the Bar exam!

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Reviews

Stella Nova

Coffee is a main staple in my life. Thankfully, there’s plenty of great options in Dallas. Since I’ve been working hard through this #BarExam review process, I was in desperate need of caffeination.

Enter: Stella Nova.

This new coffee shop in Snider Plaza is across the street from SMU Deadman School of Law – exactly where it needs to be! Law students need all the coffee, lordt knows our legal minds deserve it.

There’s plenty of natural light, comfortable seating, and a lengthy menu. The downside though is that there are few outlets, which means studying here for any real length of significant time isn’t entirely possible – unless you can figure out a way to share an outlet with someone else. Womp, womp.

The menu at Stella Nova is extensive and so is their pastry case! Holy crepes! I tried a the cinnamon roll and it is every bit of perfect, ooey-goodness. I was actually pretty sad I only ordered one, because the hubs helped himself to half of it. >.<

My coffee order consisted of the Smores Latte and Vanilla Latte. Personally, I think their coffee beans were burned, and a bit too bitter. That said, they didn’t over-sweeten my coffee, which I appreciated. The Smores Latte was not my favorite cuppa joe, though. It was slightly toasted, which I felt may have had some potential, but then the coffee itself needed some work. I’m not sure if the barista double brewed it, but the flavor lacked luster.

The rockstar here is the cinnamon roll. Next time I visit, maybe a plain drip is in order.

I haven’t tried everything on this menu yet – that kind of dedication takes time, y’all. However, there’s some excellent options in this cute coffee shop. Sure, there’s similar choices you might find at your local Starbucks but I think the Stella Nova ones taste a million times better. Make sure you pop in and try a few flavors – from coffee to sweets. This new shop is going to become a fave of mine. I’m hoping this location is here to stay.

What do you think of Dallas’ new coffee spot?

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Advice Daily Dose

What Happens When You Fail The Bar Exam

1. You Feel Unequivocally Alone.

The short version? You failed the Bar and are now living on the tiniest one-person island. Drifting aimlessly, helplessly, in a sliver of existence you never knew you’d be trapped within. And it sucks so damn much.

The long version:

People suck. You failed the Bar and now, suddenly, many of the people who were cheering you on and trying to encourage you through the long wait before the pass-list posted are now nowhere to be found. Not all of those individuals are law grads, either. Sure, you can tell yourself that those “friends” don’t know what to say, and that’s why they haven’t called to check on you because they’re speechless.

Well, let me be the first to say – FUCK THEM.
Friends stick around. They’re the ones who say, “Well, shit. That’s crappy news, but I’m here whenever you need me.” Or, “I don’t know what to say, but I love you and this test does NOT define you. I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but it’s going to be alright.” Even a sincere facebook post is better than not saying anything, jeez.

Friends are there, for the good AND the bad.

If you found yourself alone, adrift, and feeling like you’re the dumbest person in the world right now because you failed the Bar exam – you are NOT alone. I failed. I missed the mark by 3.5% and I must say, what a spectacular fail that was. In Texas, the Board of Law Examiners sends out 1 email if you passed and 2 emails if you failed, usually within just a couple of minutes of each other. I received one email and waited nearly two hours for a second one. I thought I was safe, but when I opened my message from the BLE, after several hours of technical difficulties and even a removed login button on the site to keep it from crashing, my letter said:

FUCKING SPECTACULAR TUMBLE DOWNHILL, right?

Yeahhh, I don’t quite know if I’ve ever gone from feeling elated to what appears to be my rock bottom in a nanosecond. I couldn’t help but cry. The tears came up hard and fast and the sobs that racked my body felt like they would never stop. There’s a gaping hole in my ego now. Maybe I needed it, deserved it even. Maybe one person is not allowed to be so incandescently happy. I went through every “maybe” I could muster, every maybe except the one my deep-dark critic wanted answered: “maybe I didn’t work hard enough…”

I posted my failure publicly because I knew that I wasn’t the only person in Texas to fail and just couldn’t bear the thought of someone feeling this lonely without knowing they can reach out to someone who’s going through the same thing. Because let me be clear: you’re going to feel alone for a while.

Even my husband didn’t know what to do or say. He held me and let me cry for what felt like forever. After a while, I finally said “I think I’m done. I need to stop crying.” 

And his response was “why?” 

So I said, “because it’s stupid. Crying isn’t going to change anything. I need a plan.” 

And this man said, “you need to acknowledge how you feel. Just feel all of it and then we can move forward.” 

So — feel this failure. Take a beat and re-set. Then, when you’ve grieved this setback in your career, start your preparations to tackle this mountain in the next go-around. We will get through this; even though it feels like it right now, I promise you – you are NOT alone.

2. You Get Unsolicited Advice.

Some people want to help, so they’ll encourage you. Those individuals have a special place in my heart because that small kindness and daring to say “hey, I love you even though you’re not a lawyer yet and can’t really help me with anything” truly melted a bit of this self-loathing away, ultimately making it easier to step out of this bleak reality of having to mount up for a second attempt at the hardest exam of my life.

But then there’s nitwits who can’t argue their way out of damn cardboard box – who passed the exam – and want you to know how much better they are for passing on the first try, so they have to give you their study advice. The kind of cringe-worthy tips from people who probably don’t know you, your study habits, couldn’t tell you where you sat in class, and are just trying to tout their success in your face. To all those jerks – you can go shave your back now. Yeah, I’m looking at you, classmate.

You need to remember this: there’s all sorts of reasons why someone fails the Bar exam. You could have given that exam everything you had, but still failed because some subsection of your mind refused to focus on family law spousal maintenance rules because you were terrified about your grandfather’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Or, you might have been worried about the results before you got through day one, trying to calculate what passing or failing might do to your life; putting a wedding on hold, adding a little one to your family. Quieting your mind may be a herculean task. There’s a litany of causes for a bad exam day. Don’t feel like you have to take the advice being hurled your way, because you may have done everything right and still faltered. Just do your best to push past the bullshit advice some people give you and hold tight to the nuggets of wisdom that make you feel better, which encourage you in the right direction to passing the exam next time. I want you to remember how truly shitty this feels, so that when you do pass the bar, you don’t become one of the assholes giving out fudgiscles of “advice.”

3. You Either Start Planning or Start Panicking.

I’m a planner. But I have some friends that are freaking out. Either reaction is valid. I needed to feel more in control, create a hit list of things to review, practice, and make corrections moving forward. With everything going on in my life at the moment, I do not have the emotional bandwidth to freak out. For me, I go wiiiiide and the panic just becomes a cacophony of never-ending reasons why I’m not good enough to make it through this exam. So here’s my new mantra: You already did. Taking the Bar exam again is completely surmountable.

4. Your Finances Might Take A Hit.

I think the most terrifying aspect of failing the Bar is the simple fact that I won’t be able to begin paying down my loans for several more months. My budget got a whole helluvalot tighter and I’ve had to add the stress of prepping for the February Bar on top of making calls to my student loan lenders (because, private school loans are a beast), hoping against hope they will grant my extra forbearance.

For those worried about whether they can do this again, I suggest you take a hard look at your bills and other needs. Prioritize what you can, make calls for those loans, and apply for a bar exam loan. Look at every option at your disposal and tackle the problem. You are brilliant. You are educated and fully capable of getting yourself through this shitstorm of an experience.

5. Everyone Is Awkward Around You.

Everyone. Your mom. The Professors. Friends who passed. I’ve been walking around in a foggy mess, trying to save myself, all the while pretty much ignored by some of the people who I felt I needed most. I say felt because I’ve made it this far without some of you and I don’t plan on begging for a friendship that obviously wasn’t important enough for you to reach out. Adios, pseudo-friends.

The awkwardness goes away when you approach it head-on. Take that with a grain of salt. I’m not trying to fight anybody, but the second my intelligence was questioned for this failure I stepped to that plate right damn quick. This exam is not the great equalizer. As my mentor told me, “there are plenty of shitty attorneys that passed the Bar.”

Failing this exam does not make you lesser. Some people are awkward around us because they are trying to figure out what they would want to hear. I mean, what the hell do you tell someone who’s entire vision for their life and career was just up-ended in splendid fashion? You can’t send a meme. You sure as hell can’t laugh it off…not yet anyway. To all those people struggling to figure out a way to help re-takers through this haze, I implore you: offer a hug, a smile, or a text with a simple “I’m here for you.”

Do something, damnit. Even if you can’t find the words.
Those small actions can go such a long way to making us feel like we aren’t alone. Knowing we have someone rooting for us, after this setback, means everything.

6. You Put Yourself Through It Again.

I want to be a licensed attorney. I know you do, too. So here’s the thing – we’re going to do the damn thing again. Only this time? We’re going to pass. Set yourself up to study more efficiently and effectively. Practice more questions. Do whatever you need to do and correct your shortfall. Meet with your Bar Readiness professors, even if seeing them makes you feel bad about yourself. Just go. Put yourself on the best path to ace the Bar next time. Make the necessary adjustments and then smoke it like a cheap cigar.

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Daily Dose Law School

Surviving Day Three of the Texas Bar Exam

This monster of an exam is nothing short of a hat trick. Truly. Day one lulls you in, and if you feel good about your performance, it’s almost like the Bar tees you up for a spectacular tumble downhill on Day numero dos. But Day three? Friends, Day 3 of the Texas Bar exam is the State’s Legal pièce de résistance

Day three is the Texas essays. If you’re not afraid, you should be. The sheer amount of law covered on these 12 (yes, twelve) essays is behemoth. I worried about this part of the exam. I kept thinking I wasn’t prepared, and there was just no way I would ever feel prepared. Without an eidetic memory, there’s just no way to guarantee you’ll memorize everything on each essay. Plus, sometimes your brain just freezes. Mine stuttered in the middle of typing a Business Associations essay and – I swear to you – I knew what I wanted to say, but suddenly experienced this Broca’s aphasia of sorts and typed “It’s a special suit, only a shareholder can file…” and that was it. I got frustrated and wasted several precious seconds just praying I would remember the freaking legal term. By the time I got through the last subpart of this particular question, I remembered the term: derivative.

I’m not going to lie. In the midst of my freakout, I prayed. Full on Our Father + Hail Mary because I couldn’t think of anything else to do and the image of my grandparents praying over me via face time on Monday was the only calming thing I could think of. If you’re prepping for the Bar in February, I strongly encourage you to have one thing, just one, that will instantly calm you. This exam pushes your brain to the brink of its limits, and then teases you to push yourself just a bit further. There are exceptions that I laughed about knowing because my brain was saying, “yes girl. Type that answer.” But really, my inner voice was questioning where the hell that knowledge was coming from. Turns out – because, yes, I sure as hell checked my answers when I went back to my hotel after submitting the exam – those ‘shots in the dark’ I thought I was taking, were 100% accurate. It’s amazing how much knowledge your brain can store in three years + 8 weeks of busting ass and studying.

Day three was stressful, but not nearly as terrible as Day 2. Multiple choice questions, especially on legal topics, are the shittiest way to test your knowledge of the law. I absolutely loathed giving multiple choice questions when I was teaching, and I detest them even more as a student. Give me a chance to apply myself any day. I felt much more in my element on day 3 and, if you’re a stronger writer, I imagine you’d be in the same boat.

In addition to making it through the Bar exam, I witnessed someone begin the process of tanking her legal career. Let me tell you – the Board of Law Examiners is not here to deal with your bullshit. They are tasked with ensuring that people who pass the Bar are, in fact, able to competently serve the legal community. So, when they tell you not to bring in study materials, effectively violating the honor pledge, they REALLY mean it. After three years of law school, on top of the undergraduate (and possibly master’s degree) you’ve earned, you should be well versed in exam etiquette. A student broke the rules and likely lost her Bar card in the process. Word to the wise: don’t be that student. Put the time in and study, hard. There’s no reason to attempt to cheat your way through this test. Like I said, there’s just too much damn material. Study it and do your absolute best. Don’t be the idiot who tries to cheat and loses their chance at a Bar card.

Just don’t do that.

Now that the Bar is over — as I write this advice from my airplane seat, a mere 3 hours after finishing my exam — do your best to stop thinking about the exam. I know, it’s really hard to do. But, try nonetheless. Enjoy spending a few days doing something you love. Take a trip (I wrangled 10 friends and we’re headed to New Orleans for the weekend), or lounge by the pool. Hell, spend time with your family and all the individuals you ignored this summer to study. Check in on those who encouraged you and supported you these past ten weeks. Do something that makes you happy.

You’ve earned this time. You can get back to working, clerking, or whatever you plan to do while waiting for results (which, ever so rudely do not get released until November). Let’s hope for passing scores and the opportunity to clink champagne flutes in a few months, friends!

Categories
Daily Dose Law School

Getting Through Day 2 of the Texas Bar Exam

Holy smokes. Today was…

We got wrecked. Anyone who says otherwise is [I’m fairly certain of this] lying. Those six hours were brutal and I know I must have looked like crap walking back into the hotel because, without saying a single word to her, one of my classmates said “yeah, girl. we all feel that way.”

Seriously, if you know someone taking the Bar Exam this week, please, for the love of all things holy, send them some love. This test really effs with your mind. It’s so easy to talk yourself into the wrong answer because yeah – the Board of Law Examiners likes to test the finer points of law and wants to try and trip you up. I caught myself arguing my way into a certain answer and then, after bubbling in the response, realizing I’d read the fact pattern too fast and the answer was actually something entirely different.

I walked out feeling like I’d been hit by a freight train…and that was only after the first half of the day! I opted to grab lunch and eat in my hotel room while sifting through a few more criminal law topics and torts issues that I felt I didn’t know quite like I should. I didn’t decompress. There was no time to prattle on or chat with my guy (who I kindly told to leave me alone so I could review). Maybe I should have — but I chose to run through my outlines again, just to refresh my brain. A choice I’m sure I will repeat again tomorrow.

There was so much reading. 100 questions in the morning and another 100 in the afternoon. The BLE was not playing, y’all. Those fact patterns were lengthy. I read pretty damn fast and found it difficult to get through them all. Ugh. The migraine resulting from today was spectacular. But you know what? We made it through Day 2!

I’m incredibly proud, albeit a few inches smaller.

Overall, I expected Day 2 to be harder than Day 1. As hard as it actually was? No. I didn’t think it would be that bad. If I fail the Bar, it will be because of this day. Let me be real honest here. The MBE section was tough, and I’m feeling properly blundered. Thankfully, the MBE section is scaled. So, let’s hope for that good ol’ curve!

Tomorrow is the last day of the Bar Exam.
My advice to you (and me) is this:
Thinking about how you did so far, is fruitless. Study up, rest up, and then have a damn good breakfast and show that Bar who’s boss tomorrow! You’re gonna write amazing things!

Do great work! I’m rooting for each one of you. <3