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September 6, 2020April 2, 2021 - No Comments

“We’re all in this together”?

What do you think of this…

“We’re all in this together”
“You’re not alone”
“With everyone gathered together, we finally stand a chance against the final boss”

All very good? I guess?

Feeling like you’re part of a crusade against “them” can be uplifting and inspiriting.

I don’t say these things out loud, but I’m basically guilty of it. Trying to make the prepping process more palatable for you. Feeling like I did something helpful when you tell me things like “I needed this today.”

But I have mixed feelings about letting comforting words wash over you like a warm shower TOO much. The bar exam is considered difficult for a reason.

And you know me… I live in practical reality. The more you make the exam a priority (see MTYLT rule #3), the more I’m willing to help. I don’t JUST want to tell you what you WANT to hear.

Here’s what you NEED to hear instead:

August 15, 2020May 23, 2021 - 4 Comments

Bar Preparation Is Emotional Preparation: How to Turn Your Emotions into Something USEFUL

The bar exam might be the dryest subject on the planet, but it’s also full of emotions.

Joy when you pass. Sorrow when you fail. Frustration, hopelessness, anxiety, and overwhelm in between.

Naturally, this can be a new and unique life challenge!

The thing is, these feelings are all temporary.

When you pass, you’ll celebrate for a day or two. You’ll probably forget how much you struggled and despaired. You’ll start to worry about other first-world problems like how to get sworn in, or finding and keeping a job, keeping clients happy, and so on, as life goes on.

You might even excitedly thank me and say that you’ll do anything to repay me, that you’ll give me feedback, that you’ll donate essays… then never respond again when I ask for a simple writeup. The high will wear off very quickly.

That doesn’t mean these powerful emotions you’re feeling now are useless while they’re happening. How do we leverage them (especially in the times of corona)?

May 10, 2020December 29, 2024 - 12 Comments

Taking the Bar Exam Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

“Why is bar prep so expensive? Can I study on a budget? Big box bar review courses are a scam!” You cry out into an echo chamber.

It’s socially acceptable to dunk on math in America. It’s politically incorrect to dislike “travel” or “dogs.” And it’s considered weird to not sign up for an expensive bar review course when you’re studying for the bar exam.

I have a lot to say about all of these, but let’s address that last one about bar review courses. Look at this article from Business Insider:

"If I tried to take the bar again, the cost for a class and the test itself could be up to $3,000, which I just can't afford — so I'm stuck with the debt of law school without the prestige of bar membership."

No! It doesn’t have to be this way just because you want to practice law!

Or how about this Reddit post:

Luckily, you’re already in the right place if you want strategies to maximize your chances of passing the bar exam.

Do you notice the insidious assumptions above?

First, you might assume you should pass if you do “everything you’re supposed to.” This is not true. I’m at least one example of someone who followed the plan exactly and failed the first time.

Second, you might assume that you NEED to enroll with a bar prep company to pass the bar exam.

The question gets framed as “what’s the best bar exam prep course?” rather than “should I take a bar course?” After all, you were bombarded with offers from the usual suspects (Barbri and the gang) since day one of being a law student.

So it’s not your fault that no one exposed you to the idea of alternate paths such as self-study. Also, at the same time, there’s nothing wrong with using a course, as long as you use it properly.

Huh, not everything is black and white in this world. Go figure.

It’s just that you don’t NEED a course (by default). You don’t NEED a tutor (unless you want personal guidance). In fact, nowadays, you can ask AI to explain the law like you’re a child! Bar exam fees are high enough already.

You don’t have to spend $10,000 or $3,000 or anything close to that (besides registration fees) every time you take this test just for the chance to become a licensed attorney.

I’ll show you how below, unless you want to victimize yourself to make the news.

"Simple math told me it was cheaper to take and retake the [bar exam] 3-4 times using ... 'non-traditional' decent-priced materials ... than to spend an outrageous $6,000 on the BARBRI Prep Course (also apparently not made for anyone working full time)."

Again, I’m not wagging my finger saying you must or mustn’t enroll in a bar prep course. I’m just saying you can think about it and consciously decide for yourself.

That could involve using a course to guide your studies. That could involve developing your own curriculum. The right tools, approaches, and investments for you will pay off.

The point of bar prep isn’t transcribing video lectures or completing a course 100%. It is to learn how to answer questions.

There is a way to pass the bar other than with big box bar prep courses.

Start by checking for any internal narratives you may have about what you need to spend your money on to prepare for the bar exam. (Below, I’ll share my take on how you only really need just THREE things for effective bar preparation.)

I’ll help you reexamine the default assumptions born from “big bar” lobbying by answering these questions:

What are the costs of taking the bar exam?
What are the drawbacks of “big box” bar programs? What can you do instead to address these drawbacks?
What are the benefits of big bar courses?
Should you sign up for one? (It depends)
How do you prepare for the bar exam without a prep course or a big budget?

February 29, 2020May 22, 2024 - 12 Comments

Passing the California Bar Exam with the “Tripod Approach” (Just Triage These Areas)

Let’s say you have an overwhelming amount of material to learn for the California Bar Exam with limited time. (Who doesn’t?)

Or when one door opens, another door closes. You’re not consistently scoring well on the essays. You’re getting a 55 on some. You know you can get a 65 or more if you had more time. Or you just need a little push to get to a 1390 scaled score on the MBE, but then you feel like you’re sacrificing the written portion.

There are a couple of approaches focusing on a few key areas (rather than spreading yourself thin) that could bring you over the hump to pass the California Bar Exam…

This is the basis for the Tripod Approach (click to scroll directly there), which is a minimally effective approach to get the largest return for your efforts in preparing for the California Bar Exam.

January 11, 2020June 15, 2023 - 7 Comments

Quick and Simple Ways to Improve Your Bar Essays

A big complaint about essays: “Essays are so freaking subjective!”

Sure, the MBE is more “objective.” There’s only one right answer on the MBE.

But it depends on your interpretation of the question, the hypo, and most important, the answer choices. Yes because X? Yes because Y? Where’s the option for “yes because Z”? FML!

That’s a question for another day.

This is to say, let’s not agonize too much over the essays just because the MBE has objective answer choices and you think that’s somehow advantageous.

Let’s instead use the subjectivity of essays to your advantage. We’re going to take advantage of the impatience of a human who has thousands of shitty essays to read.

This is great because if you know how to write better on one, you’ll know how to write better on ALL of them. How many points is that worth to you?