National Jurist - February 2008 - (Page 32) HELP!From recent grads Recent exam-takers talk about how they prepared BY URSULA FURI-PERRY, ESQ. Preparing for the bar exam has been described as a marathon and not a sprint. Students who start with the understanding that they need to pace themselves will find the process much easier. Erik Laakkonen took about eight weeks off to prepare, studying six to eight hours per day, six days a week. The 2007 graduate of Thomas Jefferson School of Law learned to study without becoming overwhelmed, he said, and took Sundays off Beth Wilson Hill, who teaches a bar course at Pace University. Students who just can’t devote two full months to bar prep must compensate for it, Hill said, by beginning their preparation months earlier than others. “The earlier they can begin their preparation, the better their chances will be,” Hill said. “At any school that offers a [bar prep] class, students should definitely take advantage of that.” early,” he said. “The course got us prepared for what to expect on game day.” Nikon Limberis started his bar preparation even earlier. As part of the New York Law School Comprehensive Curriculum Program, the evening student and 2007 graduate took core bar subjects in his third and fourth years, focusing on substantive law, issue spotting, and essay writing. “I was constantly “I did some multiple choice in the morning or memorized for a few hours, then I wrote out essays.” —Yuliya Ivanov, graduate, Thomas Jefferson School of Law completely to spend time with his wife. “The first couple of weeks or so, I was spending a lot of time [studying] in addition to class time,” Laakkonen said. “I started to feel burnt out.” Experts agree that devoting time solely to bar study is key to success. “The absolute biggest problem we find is students not taking those eight weeks off before the exam,” said adjunct professor With serious work commitments at the New York State Police, Robert Meyers wasn’t able to take off the recommended eight weeks completely. So the 2007 Pace Law School grad compensated by using every available resource. Meyers first took Pace’s Advanced Analytical Skills course in his last semester. “The number one thing that got me through the bar successfully was starting getting information PHOTO BY CARMINA CABALLES that was on the bar exam,” Limberis said, rather than taking electives that aren’t tested. Working a day job on Wall Street, Limberis studied for four hours every night for eight weeks after graduation. Then, he spent two full weeks before the exam on studying, averaging 100 multiple choice questions in the mornings. In the after- Bar exam guide Bar exam time is just around the corner. But before you panic, The National Jurist is here to help. Below is just a sampling of what is available on our web site www. NJPLOnline.com. Find details on the exam dates, fees, essay subjects and pass rates for all 50 states. State New York Summer 2006 state bar pass rates 69% Bar Exam Dates July 29-30, 2008 Final Deadline 30-Apr-08 Cost $250 Web site www.nybarexam.org Essay Subjects Agency, Commercial Paper, Conflict of Laws, Corporations, Domestic Relations, Equity, Estate Taxation, and more. 32 THE NATIONAL JURIST February 2008 http://www.NJPLOnline.com http://www.NJPLOnline.com http://www.nybarexam.org
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