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Bar exam during COVID-19

published January 30, 2021

By Author - LawCrossing
Published By
( 15 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.
To say this is not the best year to be a law school grad would be an understatement. Bar exams are stressful enough in normal circumstances, let alone in a global pandemic. As the COVID-19 outbreak has completely shaken the legal profession, many states are still struggling with making the right decision in terms of time and place for administering the bar exam.



Some states are postponing the exam to September. Some states have announced the bar will be administered online. Some states have greenlit diploma privileges, while others plan to administer the bar in July as if nothing has happened. On top of all, a growing number of states are issuing a COVID-19 waiver.

We know. It's a mess.

This is definitely a challenging time to be finishing law school. The current uncertainties likely add to your anxiety, which was already going through the roof.

Breathe.

You are overwhelmed by so many things at the moment. For the past couple of years, you worked so hard, you did everything right, and invested so much. Now, you feel like your legal career hangs by a thread. You are not alone; a lot of law grads prepping for the bar feel the exact same way. At this point, there is only one universal truth: focus on the things that you can control.

As Gandalf of Lord of the Rings would put it, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

So, what you can do is, try to be as rational as you can and start prepping for the bar as if nothing has changed. Even if you are taking the bar in September, act as if the exam is in one month.

As the bar exam varies among states, it is impossible to have a one-size-fits-all approach to bar prep. You can prepare yourself to pass in any state on the first try by taking an organized and diligent study approach.

Here are some basic tips that might help you navigate through the bar prepping process during these unprecedented times.

Focus on all the highly tested areas of law

Don't rely on prediction or intuition. You don't want to exclusively focus on something that you think is coming up. You should not omit anything from your studying schedule and focus on all the highly tested areas of law. This is especially true during the pandemic because it's especially harder to make any predictions. Therefore, try to focus on all law areas, so you won't be thrown off while you take the bar exam.

Study in 3-hour blocks

The individual session of most bar exams takes around three hours. Try to limit your study sessions to three hours without a break so that you can get used to focusing for that length of time. Avoid distractions. Have everything you need at hand before you start to work; pads, books, old exams, pens, pencils, coffee. Focus on what you are reading. If your mind wanders, get up, walk around, stretch, sit back down, and return to work by rereading the material.

Take notes

Buy the lined paper used in law school. The margin is almost in the middle of the page. To the right of the margin, make notes of materials read; write lecture notes to the left. Read and take notes on the materials for the day's lecture. Listen to the lecture and answer an essay question on the same subject matter. Reread your answer and compare it to the sample answer. Take an MBE/multiple-choice test on the same topic. Review the topic, then do an outline.
 
Set up a retention schedule

Ensure that you set up a retention schedule, especially if you are taking the September bar exam and decided to start studying early. The risk with prepping for the bar ahead of time is forgetting some information. You don't want to learn torts in week one and then forget everything you've learned one month later. What you should do is set up a retention schedule so that you can regularly review what you've learned. Try to set up a plan so you can look at the outlines regularly after you've learned them. For example, if you've learned torts in week one, look it again in week two and week three. You don't have to spend hours on this. Still, it's important to review the material and make sure that you are retaining information. This review plan will ensure you won't forget anything. You can also put a week in your schedule when you simply analyze the material without learning anything new.

Test your knowledge

BarBri is offering a 70-question Baseline Assessment for free, and you don't have to be signed up for BarBri's bar prep course to take it. After taking the Baseline Assessment, BarBri sends you a report with information about areas of strength and parts that you need to prioritize for improvement during your bar studies.

Take breaks

You have a lot on your plate. You are likely studying seven days a week without a break, and you still feel like you are going nowhere. Studying without breaks is counterproductive as you will burn out and are likely to halt the process. So, take as many breaks as possible. Go for a run, meditate, do yoga, meet with friends, take a day or a weekend off. To learn more effectively, you must find a way to vent.

Focus on what you can control

You likely have a lot on your mind, as it's not easy to study for the most stressful exam in your life while worrying about the future of your career, your loved ones, and everything else. It's perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed by the uncertainty that looms over everyone living through the pandemic. But if you try to eliminate all the 'what ifs' that paralyze your focus, you can study better and focus on something you can control. While you can't control what's going to happen with the bar exam and what your state is going to do, you can control your study schedule; you can control how you will approach this during the pandemic. So, don't dwell on things that are out of your control, and focus on what you do best.

In addition to these tips, we have listed special considerations for students taking an online bar exam and those taking an in-person bar exam.

For those taking an online bar exam

Set up everything ahead of time

Double-check your wi-fi connection and make sure your connection isn't finicky. States offering an online bar exam require a video recording to prevent cheating and monitor any irregularities, so check if your video camera works properly. Some states like Indiana require an external webcam with a desktop stand. So, make sure you have all the needed information about your state's requirements. Figure what laptop or desktop you are going to use. Suppose your computer tends to freeze regularly, or you have keys that always stick. In that case, you might consider borrowing or even buying a new laptop. Some states also allow exam takers to use "loaner" laptops if they do not have their own functional laptops. You can check with your state board if this is the case!

Try to get this all set up early so that you can anticipate if there's going to be any problems during the exam. It's better to know now than a day before the exam. You don't want any unpredicted connection breaks or tech issues that will undoubtedly add to your stress.
 
Mimic the exam!

Most states offering online bar exams prohibit scratch paper and instead provide a digital option — so try to practice in this manner. Review and mimic test conditions ahead of time.
 
Set up your room

Some states are very strict with their requirements of what is — and what is not — allowed in the room. For example, California does not allow any items in the testing room, including but not limited to clocks, digital timers, watches, scratch paper, books of any kind, food, beverages, stereos, radios, etc. Also, no one other than you are allowed in the testing room, including animals. Examinees are prohibited from having any study materials, notes, outlines, or cell phones in the room.

See if you can set up your room that follows the requirements ahead of time. The last thing you want is to be disqualified from the exam because a prohibited item was inadvertently left in the room!

For those taking an in-person bar exam

Review the rules ahead of time.

Make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules ahead of time and stay informed about your state's executive orders.

For instance, if you are traveling to the state in preparation for the bar exam, a state may require you to quarantine for two weeks or a specific period. This would require an extended visit to the state. Therefore, it is much better to be prepared for this ahead of time!

Keep up with the bar examiners' orders and announcements.

Make sure you have the appropriate materials.

You will be required to wear a mask. Therefore, when you study for the bar exam, wear a mask and see how it goes. If you don't feel comfortable, try out different masks to see what works the best for you. You don't want one that is too loose or too tight or one that makes it too difficult to breathe. If your state requires you to wear gloves, try different pairs also.

Stay safe!

This is too obvious to say, even if you are not prepping for the bar exam, but here it goes, your wellbeing is paramount. You don't want to get the coronavirus or any kind of virus, for that matter. Make sure you follow your state's social distancing rules and stay at home as much as possible just to be sure you won't get the virus. Some states like Florida will be performing temperature checks and rejecting students with fevers to take the exam. Therefore, make sure you stay safe.
 
See also:
 

published January 30, 2021

By Author - LawCrossing
( 15 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.