Category: Case Studies

Cara passed the July California Bar Exam on her third attempt. The third time was the charm.

But the stakes were incredibly high. Her third try was the decisive attempt where her life would change completely depending on the results.

Everything was on the line, all of her hopes, fears, and dreams riding on this last attempt as a third-time repeater. She was also juggling full-time work while studying for the bar exam.

💬 “I knew when the 3rd time came around, it was my last time to take this exam.  My new job was on the line and I knew if I failed, I’d be fired.  This would have resulted in me having to move back to the East Coast where I was barred because I could no longer afford to live in CA without income.  I had wasted my savings moving, the bar exam (i.e. materials galore and exam fees), and covering myself for the short period I was unemployed.  My friends were relying on me, my boyfriend was relying on me, my family was relying on me, and my job was relying on me.  I realized then that I had to make some big changes in how I approached the exam the third time, especially with what felt like insurmountable pressure.”

To transform her life in the direction she wanted, she transformed her approach first.

Continue reading “Cara Passes the California Bar Exam with Everything Riding on Her Third Attempt”

You don’t need to be a 20-something Zoomer studying in your parents’ basement to pass the bar exam.

You could be working full-time, a parent, from another country, or not even know what a Zoomer is.

Brendan, in his 50s, is a second-time passer of the California Bar Exam.

Age itself is not a defining factor in this:

I’m a little concerned that my humor resonated with a 66yo.

But I’m a firm believer that each of us is still the kid who wanted to be a grown-up (we have to GO BACK). So it’s totally fine and encouraged to get help and support from others no matter where you are in the process.

Let’s see if we can find some lessons from how Brendan approached his studies.

Continue reading “Passing the CA Bar Exam as an Older Candidate”

Grace took the California Bar Exam in July but only passed in February after forming a strategy.

💬 “Despite my bad 1L grades, I still had secured a job in biglaw. Maybe as a result of that, the threat of something not working out didn’t really set in. . . . My heart wasn’t in it and I had no strategy.

After July 2023 results came out, I was hurt but not surprised.”

She approached bar prep on her second attempt differently and even ended up reaching up to 85-90% on AdaptiBar!

How did she do it?

Continue reading “Scoring 85% on AdaptiBar in the Last Two Weeks of Bar Prep”

Passing the 2024 February CA Bar Exam on her second try allowed Esme to put this nightmare behind her forever.

💬 “I passed the February 2024 CA bar exam on my second try! Can’t tell you how thrilled I am to never have to take that test again and finally get on with my life.”

How exciting. But there’s a price to pay for this ultimate reward.

First of all, there’s way too much to know.

You also go through a range of emotions.

You go from being anxious, overwhelmed, panicked, unmotivated, stressed, incompetent, ashamed, HAPPY YOU GOT SOMETHING RIGHT, depressed, embarrassed…

Not only is there a mental toll and an emotional toll, but there’s a financial toll as well. Each attempt involves exam fees, subscription fees for study supplements (which is why my study tools come with updates for life), and opportunity costs.

That adds even more stress!

Mental fortitude is key to bar prep. “The mind is 50% of this exam.”

Esme had to learn about these tolls the hard way on her first attempt. Then she conquered herself and the bar exam by facing inconvenient and uncomfortable emotions.

Continue reading “Face Your Weaknesses to Pass the Bar Exam”