Should I start studying early for the bar exam?

Who should start bar prep early?

There are many reasons that it is a good idea to start bar prep early. We’ve talked about it in prior posts and we will talk about it in more depth here.  If you are planning on taking the bar exam this coming February or July, you may want to consider preparing for it early.

Why do students choose to start bar prep early? Some students feel that they need the extra time to learn and internalize the massive amount of material that needs to be learned for the bar exam. Other students do not need the extra time, but feel much less anxious knowing that they will be one step ahead by starting on bar exam preparation earlier than their peers. They feel less anxious going into the exam and more secure about receiving a passing score.

We have helped several students get a head start on bar prep and we can say that without exception, those who start bar prep early virtually never regret the decision.

Who should start bar prep early?

You might be wondering whether early bar prep is right for you.   Early bar prep might be right for you if you:

• Graduated near the bottom of your law school class.
• Struggled a lot in their first-year courses.
• Did not take a lot of bar exam-specific courses during your second and third years of law school.
• Plan on working (or if you have a similar time-consuming obligation) during bar prep.
• Are anxious about the bar exam and simply desire to get a head start.
• Have failed the bar exam in the past.

Are you unsure whether early bar prep is right for you? Please feel free to contact us using the contact form below.

One thing you can do (for free!) to start bar prep early is to sign up for our early bar prep email campaign! We send you tips and practice questions to help you prepare for the bar! We keep your email completely confidential.

How early should I start bar prep?

How early you begin preparing for the bar exam will depend on your schedule, how much you struggle with the bar exam material, as well as the other factors mentioned above.

Many students start one month early (July takers start in April and February takers start in November) but we have had students start much earlier than that (we’ve even had students start an entire semester earlier than their peers!). The one risk of starting too early is that you will burnout before the traditional period starts. But, we find that through a detailed discussion, we can determine the ideal time to start where you maximize your efforts, maximize your confidence, and minimize the risk of burnout.

So, if you are wondering if early bar prep is right for you, please contact us! We can discuss what is right for you and come up with a schedule together.

What should I do during this early bar prep period?

You can either start on your own or contact us and we will help you come up with a plan!

If you start on your own, it is a good idea to review subjects you struggled with in law school. If you found Contracts very difficult, for example, start learning it on your own during early bar prep! You can also start memorizing highly tested topics! One great way to do this is to purchase a supplement like our MEE One-Sheets if you are in an MEE jurisdiction (or UBE jurisdiction) and commit them to memory. You will have a huge leg up if you do this!

If you want to begin tutoring early, contact us! We will create a bar exam program that is tailored to your individual needs. Typically, for those who start one month early, we are able to go over a couple of major and difficult multistate topics and some state subjects as well. The amount we cover is on a case-by-case basis. It’s based on how much time you have, how much you struggle with the concepts, and your motivation to start early.

Or, join our early bar prep series to get MBE questions right to your inbox!

We generally cover topics that students feel most anxious about first. This way, you can take your time with those subjects and get them out of the way before the traditional bar prep period starts.

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