<<First Name>>,
You're a couple weeks away from the bar. Did your heart sink a little?
Told you this moment would come. But I'm pleased that we stuck all the way to Email #13 together. Consistency is worthwhile. No occasional pursuit turns out extraordinary.
Since it's crunch time, I'm going to give shortened one-paragraph answers to 21 common questions. This is an email exclusive. It's not being posted on the blog.
But this will have to last you for the next two weeks. I won't be bothering you next week, so that you can prepare.
Pick and choose the parts that you’re interested in:
1) I feel lost. What do I do?
2) How to stop negative self-talk?
3) How do I get motivated?
4) I can’t find time to practice because I’m not done with review! What do I do?
5) How do I prepare for the MBE?
6) How do I master the concepts for the essay portion?
7) How to get feedback on essays without paying a grader?
8) What about performance tests (PTs/MPTs)?
9) Where do I even find essay and PTs to practice?
10) How do I memorize rules?
11) Should I memorize everything?
12) When should I memorize?
13) I’m exhausted. What do I do?
14) What do I do in the final two weeks?
15) What are things you did wrong for your first attempt at the bar?
16) How would you do it in the shortest amount of time for maximum benefit?
17) I'm falling behind! What do I do?
18) I'm scared. I'm gonna puke.
19) What should I be doing every day?
20) When is all this going to click and make sense?
21) Am I screwed?
22) Ask me anything.
1) I feel lost. What do I do?
Practice and feedback (self-critique). You’re not going to learn to ride a bike by reading about it. Trying and falling on your face and solving problems—doing and correcting course—will bring you greater clarity than using only that intellect you’re so proud of.
2) How to stop negative self-talk?
Say “I get to do this.”
3) How do I get motivated?
Find momentum.
4) I can’t find time to practice because I’m not done with review! What do I do?
Solve problems from previous exams even if you aren’t fully ready, and fill in the gaps by working backward and reviewing the relevant rules. You’re training now to become ready. The past is guiding your future.
5) How do I prepare for the MBE?
Keep track of your worst three subjects. Do more questions for those subjects. Review and understand each of the answer explanations for every question, whether you got it right or wrong.
6) How do I master the concepts for the essay portion?
Knowledge of issues: Use issue checking. Approsheets will help you set up the issues.
Knowledge of rules: Be able to recite them and apply them to the facts. You’ll have a panic attack on the bar if you’re merely familiar with the rules.
Presentation: Clear presentation, organization, and IRAC formatting.
7) How to get feedback on essays without paying a grader?
Self-critique. Use:
For CA bar: selected answers from past exams (last 7 years) or graded answers from BarEssays.com (use code “MTYLT25” for $25 off)
For UBE: MEE questions and analyses from NCBE (free) for 2009-2013.
Also, check this page for selected answers going back to 2000 for both CA and UBE jurisdictions.
8) What about performance tests (PTs/MPTs)?
This is one area where quantity and exposure to variety are going to be helpful. Do some objective (memo) and subjective (brief) types.
9) Where do I even find essay and PTs to practice?
Take a look at this new page I put together where you can download CA essays and answers going back to 2001 and find places to download MEEs and MPTs.
10) How do I memorize rules?
The problem is not how to memorize rules. It’s whether you can recall and use them on the exam. To that end, use them in context of practice essays and MBE questions so that you know how to apply them instead of just knowing them in theory.
11) Should I memorize everything?
This is not necessary or feasible. Yes, there will be a couple of never-tested concepts, so at the very least, get familiar with your outlines. What's been tested before is more of a priority because it's most likely to be tested again in this closed universe.
12) When should I memorize?
Best time to plant a seed was yesterday (or as soon as you started studying). Next best time is now.
13) I’m exhausted. What do I do?
Set up sleep rules. Take measured breaks. No distractions. If you're enrolled in Mental Engines, see Module 3 (on motivation and productivity) for how to make these things happen.
14) What do I do in the final two weeks?
If you created a flexible macro schedule per the approach that I linked back in Email #3, refer to it. If not, here's a basic structure you can use to consolidate in the final weeks: 1) Get a bunch of essays and MBE Qs for each subject. 2) Work through several essays on one or two subjects (cover as many issues as you can) and at least 20-30 mixed MBE Qs (1.5 to 2 hours total for answering and reviewing). 3) At least one PT/MPT every Tuesday. Keep your worst subjects at the beginning and end of this two-week period. Notice memorization is not explicitly mentioned. That's because memorization is part of the review process, not a prerequisite. Set up a calendar or list so you know what to do every day. The first win of the day is knowing what to do that day.
If you have Passer's Playbook 2.0, I've updated the sample schedules to include a two-week "scramble" schedule that you can plug and play (more details in the update email I sent few days ago).
15) What are things you did wrong for your first attempt at the bar?
Too many lectures. Relied too much on Kaplan and its one-size-fits-all study schedule. Practiced too late and without a clear approach (nor knowing how to IRAC or identify issues reliably -- see question 6). Drove to take the exam from home to save money on hotels.
16) How would you do it in the shortest amount of time for maximum benefit?
Feedback and adjustment in the face of failure are where improvement comes from. Get uncomfortable, struggle, and fail at solving problems now so that you don’t fail later on the real thing. This is how AI will take over the world.
17) I'm falling behind! What do I do?
Revise your schedule so that you cover the subjects/portions you want to cover. Adjust to give yourself more time for your worst ones and less time for the ones that you're more confident about. It's good to correct your schedule as you go, but stick to it this time. If you go over time, move onto the next one so you don't fall behind anymore. Constraints force you to get creative and efficient with your time .
18) I'm scared. I'm gonna puke.
It's OK. Feel the fear. It's a sign that whatever it is you’re fearing is actually important. Some of your greatest victories in life likely came after that fear or resistance that you worked through.
19) What should I be doing every day?
Preparing. Not relying on a lucky break. Setting yourself up to "trust your legs" so that you can take chances on the exam.
20) When is all this going to click and make sense?
One day. Probably (and hopefully) the days before the exam as your brain pushes itself to the brink to find the answers. Like life flashing before your eyes. Enjoy the exciting process of attempting, failing, and getting "aha" moments. You may one day find that you surpassed your goal.
21) Am I screwed?
Maybe. Less so if you use the coming days well. I can't predict your future, but I can try to help you get to the outcome you want. It's about 10% luck if I'm being honest. But it's at least 90% preparation. Preparation can mean different things: the P+F loop from Q1, memorizing rules and issues, developing mental resilience, enabling focus, taking care of logistics (hotel, food, transportation, ExamSoft), setting expectations with others. It's not just about "studying"; it's about preparing yourself to pass. You are capable. If you can graduate law school, you have it in you to pass the bar.
22) Ask me anything.
Did this help you get back on track? Get you to pull up your britches?
Ask me your one burning question (that hasn't been answered here). Maybe I'll give you a one-liner answer. Maybe I'll film a one-minute video for you. Who knows. Maybe you'll feel better dumping out your worries even if I don't answer you (Mental Engines students will recognize this as the "hot letter"). I'll be here in this cyber confessional box listening to all your secrets.
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***
No email next week so you can focus on preparation. Star this email so you can read it when you're lonely or stuck. See you next next Saturday with some last-minute tips.
Brian
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Stop getting overwhelmed. Focus on practice and memorization with these condensed rule outlines organized in logical groups and indentations.
Approsheets (essay approach checklists and flowcharts)
Go from blank page to finished essay/outline. Identify all the relevant issues with these attack sheets so you don't leave any points on the table.
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Step-by-step blueprint, study schedules, cheat sheets, guides, and other tools designed to help you orient yourself and propel you toward improvement. Passing is inevitable if you continue to improve.
A course on dealing with the mental and emotional aspects of bar preparation, to take you from overwhelmed to focused, unmotivated to productive, and anxious to calm.
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