Bar Prep Marathon Begins

July Bar Prep is starting in many jurisdictions.  The Bar Exam in general is a tough test, and the MBE seems to be getting tougher.  However, don't let the difficulty psych you out in the first week.  This is a marathon not a sprint.  Pace yourself so you keep your energy up throughout bar prep. 

Many bar prep companies will start with MBE workshops or a few MBE questions.  Don’t worry if you don’t get many questions correct.  No one starts out acing the MBE.  The diagnostic test is the baseline to improve from.  If you follow a good plan, complete the MBE questions throughout the summer, and thoroughly review the answer explanations, you should improve your scores significantly.  Stay positive now because you will need it later.

My biggest suggestion is to develop a good strategy for each MBE question.  Hone that strategy and stick to it throughout bar prep.  MBE questions include irrelevant facts and distractor answer choices.  You will fall victim to some of the tricks if you passively complete MBE questions.  Attacking the MBE with the strategy from your Academic Support professor or bar review company is critical.  Practice your strategy on every question.  One of the most exciting moments I remember while watching basketball was game 6 of the 2013 NBE finals when Miami was losing to the Spurs with less than 20 seconds.  Miami's fans were leaving.  They didn't want to see their team lose the NBA Championship.  Lebron James missed a 3 point shot and Ray Allen was in the paint going for a rebound.  Ray didn't get the rebound, but when Miami teammate Chris Bosh did, Ray backpedaled behind the 3 point line.  He caught a pass, drained the 3, and the game went to overtime.  Lost in the story is what it takes to make that 3.  Many people think Ray Allen was born a brilliant 3 point shooter.  He would argue otherwise.  He said in an interview that he practiced that exact type of moment thousands of times over the years.  He didn't need to think about what to do because he practiced it so many times.  Practice is what made him great.  Answering MBE questions is the same way.  Practicing a strategy on all the possible questions will make exam day manageable.  Practice a winning strategy throughout the summer to excel in your biggest moment on your biggest stage.  

The bar exam is a grueling test.  Remember to tell yourself every morning that YOU HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITY TO PASS THE BAR!!!! Now just execute.  

(Steven Foster)