I have been getting a lot of hits on my blog from bar takers. It is getting to be that time of year. And based on the searches that have led some bar takers here, I would say people are starting to get nervous. I remember when I was preparing for the bar, and I would do those late night searches for "failing the bar exam," or "percentage passed Micromash" and I would be led to blogs where people recounted the hundreds and hudreds of hours they had studied, and I would feel totally inadequate, and panic.
Following one of the searches that led to my blog, I came across another blog where the person said they had studied for 630 hours. Wow, that is a lot of studying. I kept track of my hours for work, because the hours I "billed" to studying for the bar counted as "investment time" (which means counted not at all, really, but that is the subject of yet another imaginary post). I billed about 200 hours to studying for the bar exam, including the days of the actual exam. I think that is a lot. I worked very hard. But it is still only 1/3 of what that other guy did. And I passed by a quite comfortable 23 points. 1 point, 23 points, they're both passing. And I'd rather have had the extra 400 hours. Some people need to study more, some need less, but I actually think if you study TOO hard you can undermine yourself, cause yourself too much stress and anxiety. The test is a mental endurance test as much as anything, so you've got to keep at least a little fresh.
So if you are freaking out about the bar exam, you are probably studying plenty, and you have LOTS of time left. And keep it in perspective. It is a test. It is only a test. It is not a measure of your worth, or your intelligence, or your abilities as a lawyer. So relax a little. Don't freak out. Don't panic. Just keep plowing ahead, you'll make it. Don't focus on what you still have left to do, just keep moving forward at a steady pace. As Dorry said in Finding Nemo "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming."
Hello,
I agree with you that studying for the bar exam does not have to consume your life in order to pass. The more you study the more stressed you are going to be. My hubby is a super genuis and studied for months before writing the exam and had to do it twice.
Not sure how different the US exams are from Canada but I took a different approach and spent my time organizing and getting familiar with what each statute dealt with. When it came time to write the exam I didn't have the answer memorized but I knew where to find it. It worked for me!
That said, I am in no hurry to do it again! I have been non-practicing since my call to the bar 5 years ago and would need to write the exam again if I went to private practice. I don't think I ready just yet.
Great blog, keep posting!
Posted by: Crafty Canadian | June 24, 2007 at 03:55 PM
ha! i did find your blog hunting for some information about bar passage and where i should be on my MBE score right now. i wasn't necessarily looking for others' experiences. but i've found yours to be very reassuring. i'm 36, 6.5 months pregnant with a 23 month old at home. my wife and i tag-team parent w/o childcare. needless to say, i've not been studying like the other kids in my class are studying. and up until today, i felt fine about it. don't know why i felt a bit panicked today. but your posts have helped me calm a bit - so thank you. i know it's a long road ahead - but it's only that.
Posted by: amelia | June 25, 2007 at 10:23 PM