How Should You Prioritize Each Section of the Bar Exam? (When Studying for California, Legacy UBE, and NextGen UBE)

There are a LOT of things to study for the bar exam. But they’re NOT all equally important.

With limited time to prepare, you want to focus your efforts where they’ll make the biggest difference to your score.

NO I DON’T MEAN SCAVENGING FOR PREDICTIONS 4 MONTHS BEFORE THE EXAM

So which portions of the bar exam should you prioritize?

Here’s how I’d rank them for the California Bar Exam, the legacy Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), and the NextGen UBE.

Continue reading “How Should You Prioritize Each Section of the Bar Exam? (When Studying for California, Legacy UBE, and NextGen UBE)”

Reviewing July 2026 Bar Exam Score Reports (California, Legacy UBE, NextGen UBE)

Ever wonder where everything went downhill in your life?

I can point to the exact years and decision points where things went wrong in mine. I can never go back…

But fortunately, if you have a score report from your previous attempt(s) at the bar exam, you can figure out the truth. And once you know the truth, you can do something about it.

There’s information in score reports that reveals where things went right and where things went wrong. You can use this information to hold onto that grip over your future.

I’ll go over two score reports from California takers, two from UBE takers, and one from a NextGen UBE taker. I’ll take you through how to think about the numbers and next steps to consider.

  • CA score report 1: 1335, high written, low MBE
  • CA score report 2: 1330, low written, high MBE
  • UBE score report 1: 256 Illinois, high written, low MBE
  • UBE score report 2: 258 New York, low written, decent MBE
  • NextGen score report: 600 Maryland

These reviews will be especially valuable to retakers, but anyone can take away insights about where to put their efforts. I encourage you to read the comments for every score report even if it’s not for your jurisdiction. Maybe you’ll get some ideas for your own preparation.

Continue reading “Reviewing July 2026 Bar Exam Score Reports (California, Legacy UBE, NextGen UBE)”

Redditor Goes from “Negative, Anxious, and Depressed” to Passing the Bar on 3rd Try

A Redditor (who wants to be anonymous) passed the California Bar Exam on her 3rd try.

She was going through a difficult period in her life where people around her were passing away, and she had no money or job.

On top of that, she was being dragged down by her own negative thoughts about herself and from the past.

No wonder. We’re driven by our hearts. You know how difficult it is to focus when you’re heartbroken. 

But she reframed obstacles and overcame her self-doubt. And with a proper approach to learning and retaining—and conquering her mental and emotional blocks—she finally blew the exam out of the water!

Despite her anonymity, she sent me a juicy story 🙏🏻 So let’s get right into it.

Continue reading “Redditor Goes from “Negative, Anxious, and Depressed” to Passing the Bar on 3rd Try”

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? 

Continue reading “What If You Failed the Bar Exam? Should You Retake a Bar Review Course?”

Secrets Your Bar Review Course Won’t Spill

A bar review course can make you wonder whether trying to finish it has somehow become a second bar exam.

You’re stuck in an overwhelming hellscape of cookie-cutter schedules, droning lectures, singing professors, outlines, workbooks, assignments…

Completing every assignment may give you a sense of accomplishment, but it doesn’t mean that you’re developing the skills needed to earn points on the bar exam (and pass).

You do NOT get extra points on your exam for completing 100% of the course.

You have more flexibility than your course’s schedule might suggest. You’re allowed to skip lectures when your time would be better spent practicing, adjust your daily assignments, and spend additional time on subjects that need attention.

Does it even make sense that you and everyone else taking it have the exact same program? Or that the course assumes the same learning style? Watching yet another three-hour lecture at 1.5x speed and hoping your brain was listening may not be the most productive use of your afternoon.

Your course provides the raw materials, but their curriculum is simply a suggestion. In fact, you are the dean of your own studies.

Here are five things to consider before letting Barbri or Themis dictate every hour of your life.

Continue reading “Secrets Your Bar Review Course Won’t Spill”