Why Do Repeat Takers Fail The Bar Exam?

Why Do Repeat Takers Fail The Bar Exam?

You’ve checked the pass list multiple times and scoured your brain for where you may have gone wrong. You’ve ensured that no mistakes were made by the examiners and that your essays weren’t accidentally switched around. Sound familiar? If so, you’re likely one of the thousands of examinees who failed to pass the bar exam. Accepting the fact that you did not pass the bar exam is a tough but necessary pill to swallow. The good news? You now have the opportunity to learn from your mistakes. To help you prepare for the exam and increase your chances of success, avoid making these common mistakes that help repeat takers fail the bar exam.

Why Do Repeat Takers Fail The Bar Exam?

Failing To Make A Plan

After previously taking the Bar Exam, many repeat test-takers don’t feel the need to create and adhere to a plan. This is a huge mistake! You need to create a plan to tackle the exam and help you stay motivated and focused during the process. Generally, repeat test-takers have to balance life outside of the Bar Exam on top of the rigorous study and preparation. This can be a detriment to many repeat test-takers who operate without a dedicated study plan. The Bar Exam is a major part of your legal career and should not be underestimated. Check out some of our other posts on how to create an effective plan to tackle the Bar Exam.

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Ignoring The Exam Report

Whether you’re a Bar Exam veteran or a first-time repeat taker, preparation for the exam is crucial. Many states release exam reports to unsuccessful examinees after the release of results. Do not simply glance at your exam report and move on! The reports contain a bevy of helpful information that you can use to your advantage while you study and prepare. You may “think” that you know where you need to improve but the exam reports are definitive. Think of your exam report as the key to identifying your strengths and weaknesses. How are you logically supposed to improve if you don’t know what to focus on? Answer: Your exam report.

Taking The Same Approach

This is an incredibly common trap that many repeat test-takers find themselves falling into. Do not simply repeat the process you followed on the previous administration of the exam! If it didn’t work before, trust us, it likely won’t work this time either! Here are 5 more tips for more to pass the bar exam as a repeat taker!

Avoid using all the same materials, answering the same MBEs, and doing the same essay questions. Doing this will result in you circumventing other resources that can be incredibly helpful to repeat test-takers. In addition, avoid watching the same lectures over again and using the same study materials the same way. In short, the great Albert Einstein summed it up best. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.”

Favoring One Subject Area Over Another

It’s important to review your exam report and prepare accordingly but don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Far too often we hear of repeat test-takers who review the exam report and focus only on their weakest subjects. Don’t ignore subject areas that you performed strongly in just to focus on your weaker topics. The fact that you performed well in certain areas is awesome but maintaining that performance is important. Focusing time and effort on weaker subjects will increase your performance but be sure to practice and maintain your strengths!

Doubting Themselves

Everybody doubts themselves. Everybody. No matter how famous, powerful, wealthy, or smart someone appears, doubt has certainly crept into their mind at some point. Doubt has its purposes in life but left unmanaged and unchecked it can consume repeat test-takers. Do not let self-doubt become a hindrance during your preparation for the exam. You are no better or worse than someone who passed the exam. Like we mentioned above, thousands and thousands of people fail the Bar Exam. Something we didn’t mention above? Thousands and thousands of people go on to pass the exam as repeat test-takers.

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