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Tag Archive for: California Bar Exam

Why the California Bar Exam Is So Hard

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Why the California Bar Exam Is So Hard

With both the October 2020 and February 2021 California Bar Exams steadily creeping closer, many students are stressed out with bar prep. They are plagued with the same question, wondering why the exam is so challenging and has such low pass rates. By now, you’ve probably heard from all sorts of people about their experiences and why they felt the exam was difficult. You won’t know for certain until you’ve sat down and taken the exam for yourself. With that in mind, below are a list of objective reasons explaining why the California Bar Exam is so hard.

UPDATE: California passed an order on January 28, 2021 that allows examinees who narrowly passed the California Bar Exam between July 2015 and February 2020 to be admitted to the state bar after completing 300 hours of supervised legal work (no second bar exam is required).

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Get out of your bar exam rut! Lessons learned from Marie Kondo

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Get out of your bar exam rut!

Lessons learned from Marie Kondo

If you are feeling overwhelmed with the bar exam and need to get out of your bar exam rut, it may be time to take some advice from Marie Kondo’s new book, Joy at Work. These tips on decluttering and tidying up your workspace (or in this case, study space) will help you get motivated and get out of your bar exam rut!

This book is specifically focused on work but we found that many of Marie’s tips are applicable to law students and bar exam students. Here, we tell you a few tips borrowed from Marie Kondo. Read more

How To Consistently Outline Bar Exam Essays

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How To Consistently Outline Bar Exam Essays

One of the keys to a successful bar exam essay is solid organization.  For each fact pattern in an MEE, you essentially have 30 minutes to read the pattern, read the questions, and write a clear and cogent answer to each question. A typical MEE fact pattern has three or four questions, and each answer is basically a mini-essay.  This is a lot to do in a short amount of time.  However, if you strategically outline each answer before you start writing, you’ll put yourself in a good position to work through each question efficiently and effectively.

In this post, we’ll show you a fool-proof way to outline bar exam essays to maximize your points.

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What Is Baby Bar Exam Day Like?

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What Is Baby Bar Exam Day Like?

After you have learned all about what is tested on the baby bar and spent weeks studying with our recommended resources, it is time to focus on what to expect the day of the test. Even if you are fully prepared, we understand that you might still be anxious about walking into the testing center. To help combat some of that anxiety, we explain what to expect on baby bar exam day and how you can best position yourself for success.

*Note, this information applies for a typical administration but may be disrupted due to COVID-19. For the latest Baby Bar updates for the 2020 administrations of the exam, check out the State Bar of California’s website for any changes.

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Essential Tips For The October 2020 California Bar Exam

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Essential Tips For The October 2020 California Bar Exam

On July 16, 2020, the California Supreme Court instructed the State Bar of California to develop a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) guide pertaining to the online California bar examination on October 5−6, 2020. Are you looking for tips on how to tackle the October 2020 California bar exam based on the recently released FAQ guide from the California State Bar? Below we will provide you with tips on how to approach the California bar exam based upon the information included in the FAQ guide. Please note the FAQ guide will be updated based questions received by the State Bar, so please continue to review the guide for additional information periodically.

UPDATE: California passed an order on January 28, 2021 that allows examinees who narrowly passed the California Bar Exam between July 2015 and February 2020 to be admitted to the state bar after completing 300 hours of supervised legal work (no second bar exam is required).

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Huge California Bar Exam Updates For October 2020

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Huge California Bar Exam Updates For October 2020

Huge California Bar Exam Updates For October 2020: On July 16, 2020, the California Supreme Court provided long-awaited news about the fate of the California bar exam. Not only did the announcement reveal the cancelation of the September bar exam, but it also postponed the exam to October 5-6, 2020, extended the registration period for the exam, permanently reduced the passing score from 1440 to 1390, and authorized a provisional licensure program. Each of these key points will be discussed in greater detail below. Keep reading for our analysis of these California Bar Exam updates.

UPDATE: California passed an order on January 28, 2021 that allows examinees who narrowly passed the California Bar Exam between July 2015 and February 2020 to be admitted to the state bar after completing 300 hours of supervised legal work (no second bar exam is required).

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Five California Bar Exam Tips For Foreign-Trained Lawyers

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Five California Bar Exam Tips For Foreign-Trained Lawyers

Many examinees for whom English is not their first language have difficulty with the written portion of the California Bar Exam.  In this post, we discuss some tips to alleviate the challenges the written portion poses to foreign-trained lawyers and non-native English speakers.

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July, September & October 2020 Bar Exam Results Release Dates by State

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July, September & October 2020 Bar Exam Results Release Dates by State

Wondering when the July/September/October 2020 bar exam results will be released in your state? In this post, we tell you:

  • When examinees find out their bar exam results;
  • How examinees find out their bar exam results;
  • Statistics and Pass lists for the bar exam;
  • A passing score for the bar exam;
  • Whether you will see your bar exam score;
  • Whether your bar exam will be regraded or whether there is an appeals process; and
  • Where you can find more information about the bar exam.

POPULAR POST ALERT: Kim Kardashian gave us a shoutout for our personalized bar exam questions! See her shoutout and read some KKW-themed MBE questions here. (We will update this Post Alert every few days!)

If you failed the bar exam (or are worried you will!) please check out our free guide on what to do if you failed the bar exam, and our free guide on hiring a bar exam tutor. 

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California Performance Test Frequency Chart

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California Performance Test Frequency Chart

Here, we have a California Performance Test frequency chart! If you are wondering what has been tested on the performance test portion of the California Bar Exam, this should help clarify it!

Note that beginning July 2017, California changed the format of its bar exam from a three-day exam to a two-day exam. Prior to July 2017, the California Bar Exam contained two three-hour performance tests. However, since July 2017, the California Bar Exam has tested only one 90-minute performance test. (This performance test more closely resembles the performance tests administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE).) Read more

COVID-19 Bar Exam Checklist

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COVID-19 Bar Exam Checklist

If you are taking the bar exam during the COVID-19 pandemic, keep in mind the following items on our COVID-19 bar exam checklist. We have listed special considerations for students taking an online bar exam and students taking an in-person bar exam. These are some important things to consider as the bar exam nears. You don’t want to be scrambling at the last minute to make sure you are complying with the bar examiners’ rules! Instead, you will have a less stressful experience if you prepare ahead of time for the bar exam that will be offered during this COVID-19 pandemic! Read more

Essential Tips for the June 2020 First-Year Law Students’ Online Exam

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Essential Tips for the June 2020 First-Year Law Students’ Online Exam

Are you looking for tips on how to tackle the June 2020 First-Year Law Students’ Exam (FYLSE) based on the Supreme Court of California’s April 27, 2020 news release announcing that the exam will take place online rather than in the traditional in-person format? We will provide you with tips  on how to approach the First-year Law Students’ Exam based upon the information about testing conditions that the State Bar of California sent to examinees on May 18, 2020. For your convenience, we have included the instructions to the examinees below (but we have omitted the form that must be acknowledged and returned to the Examiners no later than May 25, 2020, at 5 PM  Pacific Standard Time). Read more

How might the coronavirus affect swearing-in ceremonies?

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How might the coronavirus affect swearing-in ceremonies?

As state bar exam results are flowing in, bar exam takers are anxious for swearing-in ceremonies. However, the coronavirus (COVID-19) may halt this process, or at least change its format. It is important to note that every state has different rules for swearing-in ceremonies, so it is imperative that you check your state court’s website for the most up-to-date information.

In this post, we cover some thoughts and information on how the coronavirus might affect swearing-in ceremonies.

UPDATE 5/6/20: it appears most states are holding swearing-in ceremonies online, including Michigan.

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