How to Pass Your Bar Exam in 2022

If you’re a fresh law school graduate, then congratulations, you’ve made it! Now, if you want to become a lawyer, all you have to do is go back to studying. 

Wait, what? Well, this shouldn’t be news to you – after all, this is the standard road for aspiring lawyers: law school and then bar exam. Although, in some states, you can take the bar exam without having to graduate from law school first (but these are exceptions).

Still, regardless of your current situation, if you are allowed to take the bar exam, it means you have to start preparing for the big event. We’re sure you already know you have a lot to learn, but we have a few tips to help you increase the odds of passing the exam on your first try (who would want to take it again?).

#1: Be Selfish with Your Time

First thing first – you can’t cram everything down two weeks before the exam (unless you have some sort of unique, amazing memory). You need at least a couple of months to go through all the study materials and learn everything. 

Plus, these two months before the exam you have to let everyone know you can’t do anything else. You are learning for the bar exam and this is going to be your main priority. No parties, no outings with friends, no seeing your cousin’s baby, and so on. 

Next, learn to be efficient with your time by practicing active focus. What does this mean? Well, in a nutshell, it means that when you’re studying, you don’t do anything else. Don’t talk with other fellow students about studying, don’t pretend you’re studying when in fact your mind is elsewhere – actually study!

#2: Use Memorisation Tricks

I’m sure you know a few already, but this time, you’ll have to retain a lot of information, with difficult topics, in a short period of time. To do so, it helps to have access to well-structured information, which is why you should take a look at these Bar prep courses. 

Also, a good memorization trick is to read the long outlines you can usually find in every bar prep course bundle and write your own (but shorter). Compress the information into a review and write it down, pen-on-paper style. This tricks your brain into paying attention and it will help you remember things later on. 

Lastly, use a repetition technique. For instance, the material you read today should be reviewed once in two or three days, and again in five or six days. And, if you feel you still don’t have a good grasp on it, review it again in a couple of days. 

Do this with every new material you have to memorize and you’ll see it gets easier with each review.

#3: Work on Your Writing Skills

Writing is an important skill for an aspiring lawyer, but it’s even more important if you have to take the Multistate Performance Test (MPT). Usually, those who take the bar exam in a Uniform Bar Exam jurisdiction will have to take the MPT portion as well, but there are other non-UBE states that require it (California, for instance).

To prepare, it helps to take any class that will help you sharpen those writing skills. Also, it helps to take an internship with a law firm (if you’re not already hired by one) and practice writing. Lastly, here are a few tips that may help you improve your legal writing skills as well. 

Wrap Up

So, make sure to give yourself time, use the time you’ve got wisely, and work on your weak points. Also, allow the people who are part of your support system (your family, friends, colleagues, and so on) to help you and be there for you. This is a tough time and you need all the help you can get.