Five Tips for Retaking the Michigan Bar Exam

Five Tips for Retaking the Michigan Bar Exam

If you failed the Michigan Bar Exam, you’re not alone. While it can be upsetting to learn that you failed the bar exam, it doesn’t mean you need to give up on your dream of being an attorney. Many people who fail the bar exam go on to pass it on subsequent attempts and have successful legal careers — and we’ve got some tips on how to do it! Read further to see our top tips for those retaking the Michigan Bar Exam!

Five Tips for Retaking the Michigan Bar Exam

1. Figure Out What Went Wrong

If you fail the bar exam after investing time and energy into your preparation, it’s important to figure out what went wrong. Did you sacrifice sleep in the week leading up to the exam, leaving you exhausted and unable to perform on test day? Did you think you had a reasonable grasp on the material, only to find that you couldn’t apply what you knew under pressure? Whatever happened, it’s important to identify what went wrong, so you can improve when you retake the Michigan Bar Exam.

2. Learn from Your Mistakes

Now that you’ve taken the Michigan Bar Exam, you have valuable insight on what the test is like. Even though you didn’t pass the first time, you can use this information to succeed on your next try. Take a look at your score report and request your essays to pinpoint the areas that you need to improve.

3. Don’t Just Retake Your Bar Prep Course

After failing the bar exam, some students will study for their retake by simply repeating their entire commercial course. Don’t do this! It didn’t work the first time around — now it’s time to find a different approach. Explore other options or approaches to the material. You don’t need to necessarily sign up for a new bar prep company but you should change how you study and approach the material. Don’t simply go through the same steps that you did the first time.

A good place to start is taking our Bar Exam Learning Style Quiz.  Figure out how you best learn and then re-tool your studying to fit that.

4. If You Didn’t Use Real MBE Questions, It’s Time to Start

Many students don’t realize that you can use actual, released MBE questions from prior administrations to study. We highly recommend you do this, instead of using questions invented by bar prep companies. The real MBE questions will prepare you for the actual structure and format of the questions you’ll see on test day. Here are some helpful tools on real MBE questions to get you started!

5. Don’t Forget to Practice Essay Questions

If you don’t spend time practicing Michigan Bar Exam essay questions, you’re leaving valuable points on the table. Instead, invest some of your prep time in writing essay responses. It’s a great way to boost your score and put yourself in a position to pass the bar exam on your next take. Check out these timing tips for the Michigan bar exam and these strategies for how to write a stronger Michigan bar exam essay!

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