Sometimes the bar exam doesn’t go as anticipated. It is an incredibly difficult exam that tests even the most strong-minded. If you received the news that you need to retake the bar exam, know that plenty of now successful attorneys have been in your shoes.
As you move forward, remember to take a deep breath and pause. The past few months have likely been a whirlwind of emotions and you need to give yourself time to process all those feelings. Like those before you, your resilience will help you come back confident and fierce. We’re here to help you refocus and provide a few tips to ensure the next time you take the bar exam will yield different results.
Don’t underestimate the foundation you’ve created
You’re not starting from ground zero. You’ve already done a tremendous amount of work and that knowledge did not disappear. Now you have a solid foundation from which you can build.
Do an honest assessment of your last bar exam attempt
Make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and reflect upon your previous bar prep efforts. There are some questions you may want to ask yourself to help in assessing your bar exam experience, including:
- How much of your bar prep course did you complete?
- Did you focus more heavily on one area of the exam vs. another? On certain subjects?
- Did you allow time in your study plan to take care of your mental and physical wellbeing? (Self-care is so important now and always!)
- Were you present and actively taking notes during lectures?
- Did you allow yourself to truly practice and assess, or were you a little too worried that you didn’t know enough to get started?
- Did you actively write out and self-analyze practice essays against model answers?
- Did you submit essays for feedback?
Everyone’s situation is a little different. Be kind to yourself as you dig deep and focus on providing a constructive assessment of your previous efforts that will help you take a sure step forward.
Know your strengths and weaknesses
If your state releases exam information that can help you understand how you did on each component of the exam, particularly if it’s broken down by subject, be sure to get that information and use it as your starting point. Did you do well on the MBE but weren’t as strong on written portions, or vice versa? Were you rock solid in Constitutional Law but scored low in Real Property? That’s all valuable information you can use to celebrate your wins and make adjustments where needed.
If it’s possible, look at your percentile rank, or how you did versus others who took your exam, by subject. First, look at your state’s overall exam pass rate and subtract from 100. For example, if your state has a pass rate of 65%, subtract 65 from 100. This means that 35% of the people who took your exam did not pass.
In this scenario, look at the subjects in which you were above the 35th percentile and those in which you were below. Any that are below the 35th percentile are your areas of opportunity as you go into your next round of studying.
Learn more about the bar exam curve and percentile rank.
Let the three “A”s be your guide
After you have what you need from this self-evaluation, it’s time to let go of any lingering negative thoughts and focus on what will get you to your passing score on the next bar exam. You can overcome this moment and be a better attorney for it.
Use the three “A”s as your guide: Acquire, Apply and Assess.
Acquire. You can acquire new knowledge from your notes by actively listening to lectures. You will be astounded by how much more you get out of the materials now when you really think about what’s being said.
Apply. When you work practice questions, carefully review the explanatory answers for each answer choice. Grapple with and learn from each question to understand why you got that specific question right or wrong.
Assess. As you put pen to paper and start writing practice essays and performance tests, compare your answers to the model answers and study the differences. Your percentile rank by subject can provide good insights as to where you are doing well and what areas may need more of your attention.
Evaluate your study habits for optimal learning
Were there study methods and tools that worked particularly well for you in law school? Would supplemental materials such as AdaptiBar, CriticalPass and/or private tutoring help bring it all together? Would you benefit from a “kinder” study schedule that helps you find balance?
How you answer these questions will undoubtedly help you study smarter, not harder as you move forward.
Watch our webinar replay, “Retaking the bar exam”
It will be different this time. Check out this webinar replay video for more study strategies as you prepare for your next exam. We know you can pass the bar. We need YOU to know you can pass the bar. We’re here to help you go confidently.
