Should You “Trust the Process”? You’re the Dean of Your Own Bar Exam Studies

Here’s something that people who pass the bar exam never say:

“All I had to do was listen to all the bar course lectures and take a lot of notes. Just complete the course 100% and you’ll pass!”

Could you imagine if that’s all it took tho

Sometimes we think “doing whatever it takes” to pass the bar exam means exhausting yourself and throwing 1000 hours and even more dollars into a black hole. (But it doesn’t have to be expensive.)

Or following some unsustainable cookie-cutter schedule (that doesn’t care if you have other responsibilities like work or family). Good luck if you fall behind by one day.

Or letting a perfectly fine morning slip through by religiously sitting through 4 hours of droning lectures. Worse, pausing lectures to fill in all the notes. Then not even remembering 99% of it.

When you thought the lectures made sense

“Trust the process.”

I remember those days. All of those things above are things I stopped doing on my second attempt at preparing for the bar exam.

Here’s what I’d do instead:

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Passing the California Bar Exam 20 Years Out of Law School

Heather graduated from law school 20 years ago. She passed the 2024 July California Bar Exam.

The last time she took the California Bar Exam was when it was a different format altogether and three days long (I took that shit twice, and it is no joke).

💬 “I’m a full time working mom, with 2 young kids at home, and diagnosed with ADHD. No one at work even knew I was taking the exam.

💬 “I didn’t need the license for my job, but wanted to pass just for me. My 2 kids got to see the whole process, and were so excited to share in the joy when they found out I passed the California Bar Exam!

Let me get this straight:

  • Graduated 20 years ago
  • Last exposure to the bar exam was several years ago at least
  • Probably forgot everything from law school
  • Full-time working mom with ADHD
  • Didn’t even need to pass and or flex on anyone (I will be flexing on her behalf)

And here you are wondering how you can get “motivated.”

Well, here’s how you can do it too.

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Why You Feel Exhausted Studying for the Bar Exam

Let me guess. Does your bar prep regimen look something like this?

  • Listening to lectures while sitting still like a statue
  • Pausing to take notes and fill in the blanks (doubling the time it takes to finish the lectures)
  • Reading giant outlines (and rereading paragraphs)

Eventually falling asleep with the lights on.

It’s like you’re experiencing the most annoying part about traveling—sitting for hours staring at a tiny screen next to someone who takes up the armrest even though they got the window seat.

And repeating this every day. Is this what Limbo is like?

(Do not invite me to “go travel”)

Words and days pass by you. You’re drained and demoralized because you’re trying to “study” but aren’t feeling a sense of progress.

Why are you trying to do this the hard way?

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What If You Failed the Bar Exam? Should You Retake a Bar Review Course?

So you find yourself in an unbelievable situation: You failed the bar exam.

Procedure in case you failed the bar exam

Reality is undeniable. You dust off your tears. It’s time to take action.

You wonder: What’s the next step?

Should you retake your bar prep course? What’s the alternative? 

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Early Bar Prep: Should You Study Early for the Bar Exam? (When and How)

Some bar takers wonder if they should study early for the bar exam (ahead of the traditional 10-week schedule), whether…

  • They got results months ahead of the next bar exam.
  • They want to get a head start on studying
  • They deferred the exam (from July to February, February to July, or even a year or more)
  • They’re waiting for bar results and want to study “just in case”
  • They have a full-time job to juggle at the same time and won’t be able to take much time off
  • It’s been a minute (or years) since they’ve graduated from law school or taken the bar exam

While there are benefits to studying early and giving yourself a lot of time, there are many traps to doing so. There are also benefits to simply waiting (if your neurotic anxiety can handle it) until study season is in full swing before deciding whether or not to study for the bar exam.

But bar prep is personal. You’re the dean of your own studies.

To help you decide when to start studying, let’s discuss all of this—who early bar prep is right for and the best way to study early and effectively—so that you’re making the most of your time and energy.

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