National Jurist - February 2009 - (Page 26)

Bar exam diaries Recent bar exam takers talk about how they prepared Preparation for the bar exam is always key. Obviously. But there are the basics and some new ways law students prepare for the grueling final exam. The National Jurist asked three recent law school graduates to chronicle their preparation for taking the July 2008 bar exam. Here you’ll find what courses and quirks helped them get through it. One even survived her first earthquake during the exam. Talk about an eventful day. For comparison, a school-by-school guide on page 28 offers you pass rates from the latest compiled July bar exam for first-time takers. And don’t forget to visit www.NationalJurist.com for details on the July 2009 bar exam, including dates, fees and essay subjects for all 50 states. a . me to do extr motivation up rd does motivate oup actually ly, I have a ha Study gr ortunate questions. Unf ion. I’m ry of ss dia s an d ll two-ho ur se practice exam The bar exam hool Los Angeles graduate t p.m. is cus for the fu ying after eigh keeping my fo la Law Sc time 2008 Loyo rson, so stud an d cal Barnes a night pe r Exam minutes early eek in the lo definitely not California Ba eet tw ice a w y of BarBri 20 e seat e. We m most delicio us y first da I settle for th ells like the akin to tortur I ar rive for m d er her ch always sm already taken. , whi r. At our thir bing ov seats are & Noble Café hing-or-othe requires clim all the go od ocolate so met ographer. It e cashier tells ch l. Th ass sten the stage. freshly bake d out the smel next to the cl a nice view of in an d ask ab again. As ocolate chunk ho ol all over eeting, I give the triple ch ent, but offers m equipm y of law sc ooling over ting been dr the first da er yone is chat y one. me that I’ve It feels like on seems like ev oice but to bu de to cut back the ro om, it see anyone I . I have no ch co okie lo ok around e exam, I deci faces, I don’t I a of 200 w ith tually do ing eek until th udy I’m ac . In a se With one w planne d to st I rnt out that w ith a friend ns that , the friend I feeling so bu realize that if Unfortunately ast, which mea tice exam. I studying. I’m know. the exam. the East Co r equent prac subs ro ugh ove back to e California Ba re d to get th worse on each deci de d to m eparing for th I also ng on ight be to o ti the fun of pr each day, but ing, I’m studyi rest now, I m don’t time be studying d she is spared that, for the few ho urs of r vacation an a means y post Ba I still put in Exam. It also iends, plan m r h w ith fr r cat. ost difficult Ba go out to lunc my own. of the sban d an d ou is, one of the m x on day one he ba d news is considered me w ith my hu spen d ti t, I’m up at si “California er begins. “T the lectur eepless nigh L.A., the road in co untr y,” Follow ing a sl rd time. Even exams in the he dule. at the exam e do or in reco ning. I ar rive este d study sc ue.” am an d out th ex that’s tr in the mor ew the sugg s y exam ro om eekend y at 6:30 ee ds to revi easily find m y calendar, w is nearly empt He then proc an ho ur early, e provided stud at th than to begin. day of the Just lo oking location more t for the exam Ever y single contracts tiny black ink. udying n while I wai fi been st vere d in a race-horse an d eat a muf ach. I’ve only essay three, included, is co stom realize that the utes into a knot in my I lo ok up an d whelmed. As About 45 min calendar puts s gins to shake. y I feel over It’s sw inging ro om be min d drift , an d alread l chan delier. of IRAC, my question, the ep for 20 minutes a giant cr ysta e many joys takes er I should ke un der eaker es on to th t sure wheth I am seated . A second sp lecturer mov d forth. I’m no uccino maker of the ro om, only thing an e new capp From the back violently back -State, but th to my bran d e proctor out the Multi der the table. ?” “Shhhh,” th e to tell us ab ping or dive un , coffee. ty do the stag t should we do en d ffee, coffee acuate d, so I ts, “Wha t an d sp s about is co go ing to be ev so meone shou cord time, ea my brain care r at we’re not it ho me in re stops. I can’t e fo ing ize th I make ally, the shak tline to prepar warns. I real After lunch, e evidence ou typing. Eventu oice ssion en ds, best to keep w multiple-ch urs reading th first exam se my a few ho When the to tr y a fe the very first out lo ud. cture. I deci de e majority of tions an d my help laughing to mor row’s le that I get th at I e essay ques t th ed thre disappointed ith the though I have surviv er questions. I’m eer myself w ng. All togeth uake. rong, but I ch e. earthq three days lo my scor questions w s to improve ithout any a Bar exam is an d 200 w sts e month The Californi t ho urs a day rfor mance te e have two mor , spen ding eigh the day, essays, two pe alize that th to me. During y three, I re the days go by there are six As ld take ck. gins to get tions. By da wou ce ques teraction be es not chat ba as long as it multiple-choi real hu man in the cat. He do t . My back last precisely those crazy ca f chatting w ith om exhaustion is designed to exam collapse fr ming one of I find mysel co mors that ch day e person to ry that I’m be me by six ea have heard ru for the averag s. I begin to wor t heavy an d I an d co mes ho abou the restro om elids are ately, my husb in my stories eakdowns in aches, my ey la dies. Fortun erupts igning interest ng nervous br om e havi go od at fe is over. The ro tions I trie d. examinees ar an d has gotten at, the exam e. practice ques dI en, just like th cture or the ding down an me to celebrat And th ri is w in head ho the day’s le d applause. I udie d. On g of July, BarB in e st into cheers an By the beginn e of what I’v been since retaining so m feel like I’m lowest they ’ve finally are the p to keep my stress levels a study grou July fifth, my deci de to jo in ying. I I starte d stud on Jessica Mah 26 THE NATIONAL JURIST February 2009 http://www.NationalJurist.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of National Jurist - February 2009

National Jurist - February 2009 Contents Entertainment: Get Organized! The Firm Report: The Part-Time Lawyer News: Keeping Ethics Intact, New Law Deans, Latest Survey Findings Seattle Law Students Secure Asylum for East African Women Laptops in the Classroom Attorneys Dissect Health Law Law Students Contribute to 2008 Election Process Remembering Professors Obama and Biden Bar Exam Diaries How Well Balanced are Law Students? How to Choose a Summer Program Career Hotline Linguistic Gymnastics Disturbing the Peace

National Jurist - February 2009

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