Here is the Laptop Bulletin for the February 2023 exam:

Laptops for the February Bar Exam

The February 2023 Bar Exam will be administered in person and can be taken on a laptop. Desktop computers are not allowed. It’s important to read and follow the State Bar’s instructions.

Laptops must meet the specifications outlined below. Applicants requiring special equipment due to medical reasons must request a testing accommodation.

Before the exam

Here are the steps to prepare your laptop before the exam:

1. Make sure your laptop meets the minimum requirements for ExamSoft.
2. Once you are issued an admittance ticket, install Examplify software and register with ExamSoft.
3. Download and take the one mandatory/required mock exam. The exam will be available beginning January 24, 2023. 
4. Upload the mock exam answer file by February 17, 2023. Once you do this, the exam files will download automatically. Failure to upload the mock exam answer file will mean you will not have the exam files for the bar exam.

Laptop system requirements

The maximum size allowed for a laptop computer screen is 17.3 inches. The specific system requirements can be found on ExamSoft’s website.

Note: Desktop computers are not allowed for security reasons. Exam software provider ExamSoft currently does not support tablets with detachable keyboards, such as iPads, or newly released laptops with Intel 12 generation processors. For optimal computer performance, the State Bar recommends using a laptop that exceeds the minimum requirements for memory and hard drive space.

Internet connectivity

Immediately following the exam, you will need Internet access to upload your answer files.

Install Examplify software

To ensure the security of the exam process, applicants are required to use Examplify software to take the February 2023 Bar Exam. The application provides a simple word processing program and is designed to be familiar to users of Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. It blocks access to non-Examplify files on an applicant’s laptop computer during the exam.

Starting on January 24, after you have received your admittance ticket and registration information from ExamSoft, you can register with ExamSoft and download and install Examplify onto the laptop computer you will be using for the exam.

Installing ExamSoft

1. If you have previously used SofTest or Examplify, you must completely uninstall any prior version used before downloading and installing the version of Examplify used for the February 2023 bar exam.
2. Go to examsoft.com/calbaron the ExamSoft website.
3. Locate the Exam Takers box in the upper left-hand portion of the page.
4. Log in using your NCBE Number which, if you cannot remember it, can be looked up here.  The password will be randomly generated and emailed to you.
5. Download Examplify.
6. Install Examplify and register your copy, after which one mock exam will become available for download. (See mock exam instructions below.)
7. Check ExamSoft confirmation emails to ensure the institution displayed is “State Bar of California.”

Do not copy the ExamSoft program from one laptop computer to another. For example, do not download the software to a desktop computer and try to manually move it to your laptop. If you move the software and exam files to another computer, an error message displays when you attempt to begin the exam. If such an error message appears, you will be unable to use your laptop to take the exam and you will be required to handwrite your answers. You may NOT download and install Examplify to more than one laptop computer.

TIP: If you have an email spam blocker, please add barsupport@examsoft.com, support@examsoft.com, and noreply@examsoft.com to your contact or safe list so that you can receive critical emails from ExamSoft before, during, and after the exam.

Take the mock exam

The mock exam process is required. Taking the one mandatory/required mock exam confirms that your laptop computer is compatible with Examplify and provides you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with procedures for opening, using, and uploading answer files prior to the day of the exam. By typing a paragraph in each window, it also allows you to ensure that there are no typing/keyboard issues with your laptop.

See the instructional videos and guides on taking the mock exams.

After you have downloaded and completed the mandatory mock exam and uploaded the related exam answer files, the files for the actual exam will download automatically. Exam files will not contain exam questions; those are handed out in paper booklets on exam day.

Five additional copies of the mock exam are available if needed to help familiarize you with the Examplify application. Internet connectivity is required for downloading additional copies of the exam file and uploading exam answer files. NO internet connectivity is required while taking the mock exams. Download additional copies of the mock exam at Examplify’s website.

Complete laptop registration

You will receive email confirmations after you have downloaded the mock exam, after you upload your mock exam answer file, and after the system has automatically downloaded your exam files. This completes the laptop registration process.

Until you receive these email confirmations, you are NOT registered.

Once you have completed the laptop registration process, do not make changes to the configuration of your laptop.

If you do not receive the confirmation emails, you have not successfully completed the registration process for the February 2023 Bar Exam. You may check your registration status and view your download/upload history online. Log in using the Exam Takers box, click the Exam History button to review your record, and confirm that you have downloaded the exam and mock exam files and have uploaded the mock exam answer files. You should have two exam files for the essay questions and Performance Test sessions of the February 2023 Bar Exam.

No extra time will be provided to ensure that your laptop is ready for use before the exam session begins. A second laptop to serve as backup is not permitted.

You must complete the registration process no later than February 17, 2023. It is recommended, however, that you complete the process as soon as possible after you receive your admittance ticket so that ExamSoft will have the opportunity to assist you in resolving any problems you may encounter prior to the exam. If your laptop or Examplify is not operational when the exam begins or at any time thereafter, you will have to handwrite your exam answers.

Laptop computer problems after registration
If after completing the registration process with ExamSoft you experience problems with your laptop that would prohibit you from using it for the exam, (i.e., it becomes inoperable), you may ask to have another laptop registered and to download additional exam files through the “Re-Download Examplify” link after you log in with your NCBE Number and password. Read more about the re-download process from ExamSoft. Authorization will not be granted for the purpose of having a backup laptop.

Review ExamSoft’s Bar Applicant FAQ or visit the ExamSoft Support Page if you have questions on the use of the software or if you encounter technical problems during the laptop registration process, as most problems can be easily resolved through ExamSoft’s published support guides and troubleshooting tips. Should you continue to have technical problems, however, please call ExamSoft Client Support at 1-888-816-3065. Technical support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Neither the Office of Admissions nor the Committee of Bar Examiners is available to answer technical, installation, or registration questions.

Exam day information

You must read the instructions that will accompany your Admittance Ticket advising you of the items allowed in the room in which you are taking the exam. All items not listed are prohibited unless you have received written authorization in advance.

It is expected that you will demonstrate integrity, honor, and ethical behavior during this exam, and all exams administered by the State Bar of California. If you do not take the time to familiarize yourself with your laptop or with the exam software’s word processing functions, you should consider handwriting your exam answers.

You must pay careful attention to and follow all instructions provided prior to the exam. Use great care when highlighting and deleting during the exam and when using other functions that may significantly change a document. No extra time or other administrative relief will be granted if an exam file is deleted or otherwise altered, or if you experience any other word processing problems.

You must bring your own power cord to the test center each day of the exam. Your power cord can be plugged into the electrical outlets provided at the test centers. Although an electrical outlet will be available to you, be sure to have a fully charged battery in case there is an electrical problem. You will not be allowed to tape power cords into the electrical outlet, nor will you be allowed to plug any item aside from your computer into the electrical outlet. CDs, DVDs, USBs and other information storage media are prohibited in the examination room. If such items are found in the exam room or in an applicant’s laptop computer, they will be confiscated and will not be returned. Possession of unauthorized items may also subject the applicant to a sanction for violation of exam rules.

On the day of the exam, you must be seated at the test center no later than 8:20 a.m., at which time instructions for getting your laptop computer ready to use will begin. You should plan to arrive at the test center at least 15 minutes prior to that time so that you can find your seat and get comfortable. General instructions regarding the administration of the exam will commence promptly at 8:30 a.m. Exam questions will be distributed in hard copy just before the beginning of each session.

If your laptop computer is not ready to begin at the designated time, for whatever reason, you must begin the exam by handwriting. NO extra time will be provided to ensure that a laptop computer is ready for use before the exam session begins. Technical assistance will not be available.

In the event of a software or hardware malfunction or other problem, or if a power failure or interruption occurs, before or during administration of the exam, you will be required to handwrite your answers to the exam.

You are not permitted to bring additional laptop computers, typewriters, word processors, or other devices into the standard laptop test centers to use as backups.

Uploading answer files
The exam file contains your answers to the five essay questions and the performance test question. Upload the exam files as soon as possible after the exam and no later than the deadline: February 23, 2023, at 12:00 p.m.

Verify the successful upload of your answer files by launching Examplify to see that you have uploaded all your answer files. Read more from ExamSoft.

Do NOT delete or uninstall Examplify or any Examplify Program Directory Files or Folders until results for the exam have been released.

As a courtesy, emails will be sent indicating if your answer files have not uploaded, however, it is your responsibility to ensure that your files are uploaded by the deadline. If there is a problem with the uploading of your answers, you  may be required to contact ExamSoft for assistance in retrieving the file remotely or to physically provide your laptop to ExamSoft or to the Office of Admissions so that efforts can be made to retrieve the encrypted backup copy of the exam answer(s) from your laptop’s hard drive.

Rented laptop computers
If you rented a laptop to use during the exam, you should not return it to the rental company until results for the February 2023 Bar Exam have been released.

Any attempt to disable or tamper with Examplify’s security features is prohibited. If it is discovered that tampering has been attempted, this information will be reported to the Committee of Bar Examiners for whatever action it may deem appropriate, which could include disqualification for admission to practice law in California.

Hello everyone!

Whether you’re taking the Cal Bar or the UBE, I wanted to wish everyone good issue spotting, solid outlining, and analytical (and not conclusory!) analysis.  You can do it!

Arrive early.  Masks optional, but if you bring one, no writing on it.  Stay on time during the test.  Bring your admission ticket without writing on it.  NEVER USE YOUR CELL PHONE IN THE EXAM ROOM!  Good luck to everyone!

Steven

Hello y’all!

Friday before the Bar Exam, and today is all about the mock exam.  Today is the last day to get your mock exam done.  The first ability is availability!  They won’t let you in the room without it.  Triple-check that you’re in good shape.  Today’s the day!  The link to the mock exam is:  https://bar.examsoft.com/mock-exam/.  Remember the password is mock123.

Mask update:  The Cal Bar’s July 22 update indicates that you can bring a mask if you want.  It’s optional.  Final answer.  If you bring one, make sure it doesn’t have a valve.  I would recommend an N95 or KN95 (if you’re going to wear one, make sure you wear a good one).  And make sure there’s no writing on it.

One important update from the Cal Bar:

ExamSoft recently shared that new Windows laptops containing Intel 12th generation chipsets are not supported and may not be used to take the July 2022 bar exam.

Doublecheck your laptop!

Here’s the information from ExamSoft:

Hello friends.

Please note the following message from the NCBE regarding the July 2022 UBE exam, and regarding the MBE on the July 2022 Cal Bar Exam:

 JUN 24, 2022

NCBE Statement on SCOTUS Decisions

If you’re taking the Cal Bar, please know that the Cal Bar approved the questions for this exam in late April, even prior to the leak of the draft decision in Dobbs.  You could see an abortion issue in a Cal Bar Con Law essay.  Unlikely, but possible.  If you see this come up, mention that it was a fundamental right before June 24, and subject to rational basis review afterwards.  Maybe you get a bonus point as a result.

Link:  https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/admissions/Examinations/July-2022-Bar-Exam-Admittance-Ticket-Bulletin.pdf

Of note:  in person exam.

Only the following items are allowed in the exam areas without prior approval. All items are subject to inspection at the test centers: 1. Government-issued ID 2. The admittance ticket with no writing on it 3. Silent analog watches 4. Prescription medications (does not include cough drops) 5. Cash (must not have extraneous writing on it) 6. Credit/debit cards that might be needed for the lunch breaks 7. Keys 8. Face masks without valves (with no patterns or extraneous writing on them) 9. Protective gloves (latex or rubber only) 10. Nondigital pens (standard blue or black ink), nonmechanical pencils (with eraser incorporated; no separate erasers), pen-style highlighters (must not be used on answers), rulers and paper clips 11. Nondigital timers and nondigital clocks measuring 4”x 4” or smaller. 12. Eyeglasses (no cases or sunglasses) 13. Foam earplugs (cannot be wireless and must not be connected to any mechanism or device) 14. Menstrual products 15. Inhalers 16. Diabetes-related items and equipment (does not include food or drinks) 17. Eyedrops in single-use vials 18. One back support (without a cover) 19. One orthopedic cushion (without a cover) 20. One standard-size pillow (without a case) 21. One bookstand 22. One footrest 23. Splints, braces, casts, crutches, wheelchair 24. Hearing aids 25. TENS units 26. Disability-related items that have been approved through the testing accommodations petition process 27. Separate keyboard, mouse (wired or wireless), laptop riser/stand no higher than 4 inches and a solid color mouse pad with no writing on it. During the MBE sessions, the items listed above are allowed in the exam room, except pens, highlighters, back supports, orthopedic cushions, pillows, bookstands or footrests, and laptops or laptop accessories. If you need any of these items due to a disability, you must request them through the timely filing of a Testing Accommodations Petition. 3 Applicants who will be handwriting their exam answers, or who are required to handwrite in the event of a laptop/software malfunction, must bring their own standard blue or black ink ballpoint pens. Applicants must also bring their own pencils for the MBE portion of the exam (several sharpened pencils are recommended). Mechanical pencils are not permitted. Pencil sharpeners and separate erasers will not be allowed into the exam room. Please note that applicants cannot bring wallets, tissues, lip balm, cough drops/throat lozenges, gum, candy, or other food or drinks in the exam room. Water and tissues will be available nearby at the test centers.

Hello everyone,

This morning, the FAQ document for the July 2022 exam was removed and in its place shows the following.  It is the Clear Health Pass App and mask mandatory information… copied/pasted from the February 2022 exam.  Yup, including the dates (as in, January/February 2022 – see below).

This APPEARS to indicate that you will need to download the Clear Health Pass app and that masks are mandatory for July 2022.  But let’s wait until the dates are updated to see how official this is.

Link:  https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Examinations/California-Bar-Examination/July-2022-Bar-Exam-FAQs

July 2022 Bar Exam FAQs

Hello everyone!  Happy June!

Graduation season has already begun.  I’ve heard from students who got COVID during this time.  And graduation season will continue for elementary school, middle school, high school, and undergrad levels, and even some law schools will have graduations.  And mask wearing will be spotty at best.

We’ve had Memorial Day – mask wearing isn’t at an all-time high.

Father’s Day?  I don’t know how many mass celebrations will be happening then.

But then, of course… July 4 – bad news for COVID positivity rates.

So the big question for Cal Bar Exam applicants:  will applicants be required to wear masks on July 26-27?  Sure seems like it.

Why?

UCLA and Cal Poly SLO have already reinstituted mask mandates.

Alameda County (home to the Oakland Cal Bar Exam testing site) reinstituted an indoor mask mandate on Thursday, June 2.  Per the San Francisco Chronicle:

On Thursday, Alameda County broke ranks by once again implementing an indoor mask mandate “to limit the impact of increasing COVID-19 cases on hospitalizations.” The mandate, which takes effect June 3, applies to most indoor settings, save K-12 schools and the city of Berkeley, which sets its own health protocols. The state lifted its school mask mandate earlier this year.

Indoor mask mandate.  Not indoor mask mandate for events with more than 500 people.  Indoor mask mandate.

There’s more.  Note what the Los Angeles Times said on June 2:

With coronavirus-positive hospitalizations in Los Angeles County continuing to rise, officials said the nation’s most populous county could be poised to see a new universal indoor mask mandate later this month if the upward trends continue.

“Our weekly case rate and the rate of increase in hospital admissions are of concern,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday. “If we continue on the current trajectory … we’re likely to move into the CDC high [COVID-19] community level within a few weeks towards the end of June, indicating increased stress on the healthcare system.”

L.A. County health officials have already said once the county enters the high COVID-19 community level, that will trigger a local requirement to wear masks in indoor public settings.

Also note that several counties with Cal Bar Exam sites are already in the high community level:

Nearly 1 in 6 Californians live in a county with a high COVID-19 community level. The affected counties are Santa Clara, Sonoma, Solano, Marin and Napa in the San Francisco Bay Area; Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado in the Sacramento Valley area; and Monterey, Mendocino, San Benito and Del Norte counties elsewhere in Northern California.

As you are aware, Santa Clara and Sacramento counties have Cal Bar Exam sites.  San Diego and Orange County are already in the middle community level.

The Cal Bar has not updated its FAQ document (originally issued April 14).

The current momentum of this crisis strongly suggests that at least one county with a Bar Exam site will require masks on exam day.  Things could change, of course.  But you don’t know that.  And I don’t either.

So what to do?  Simple.  Assume that masks are required on exam day.  Wear a mask, EVERY SINGLE DAY, SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK, for 3- to 3-1/2 hours every day.  EVERY DAY, until the Cal Bar guarantees that you won’t have to wear a mask on exam day.

So, if the Cal Bar says on July 15 that you don’t have to wear a mask on exam day, you can laugh while taking off your mask.  But if you hear on July 15, July 20, even July 25 that you have to wear a mask on exam day.  How will you prepare for that?  You can’t.  Unless you start wearing masks.  NOW.

You’ve been warned.

Applicants will find this to be of interest:

The overall pass rate was 33.9%.

The Percentile Table shows us some relevant info:

45% scored higher than 1340.

40% scored over 1355.

35% scored higher than 1382.

30% scored higher than 1400.

The overall pass line is 1390, and you need more than 1350 to get a re-read.

So… roughly 32.5% passed on the first read.  About 10% of the applicant pool got a second read, and the second read appears to have increased the pass rate by roughly 1.4%.

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!

The February 2022 Cal Bar (and to some extent, the UBE) applicant pool are wondering about the impact of the Omicron variant on the administration of the February 2022 Bar Exam.  Here’s what we know:

The Cal Bar has issued four updates to its FAQ document since October 1 (12/1, 12/14, 12/17, and 1/3).  The updates have mainly focused on what kinds of testing applicants need to take to take the exam in person (e.g., as of 1/6:  vaccination by 2/8, negative PCR test between 2/20 – 2/22, or negative antigen test between 2/21 and 2/22).

To date, as of 1/6, the Cal Bar has not changed a syllable of its FAQ #1, which indicates that we are returning to normal (e.g., party like it’s 2017, in person exam, paper materials for essays and PTs, scratch paper).

However, the big question is whether the Cal Bar will indeed remain an in-person exam for February 2022.  If the Cal Bar decided to go remote a la October 2020/Feb. 2021/July 2021, when would it need to make this decision?  Who approves this decision?  And how does a student prepare with all this uncertainty in the meantime?

Here’s what we know for now.  Disclaimer:  at Cal I was a history major, not epidemiology, immunology and not public health.  And no, don’t rely on this blog post to your detriment.  Your exam, not mine, personal responsibility, folks.

The lay opinion from a history major suggests that everything around us looks terrible in terms of trends from the Omicron variant.  Examples:

• Omicron numbers are doubling in LA county every 2 days per the LA Times
• LA County is suspending criminal trials for two weeks per the LA Times
• 8 UC campuses have delayed in-person classes and have gone remote for 2-3 weeks (for now).
• My law school (UC Hastings) announced on December 23 that we were going back in person on January 10. Seven days later, on December 30, Hastings announced that we were going to have most courses on Zoom for 3 weeks, with in-person classes currently slated to resume on January 31.
• 8 Cal State schools have delayed in-person education and will begin school on Zoom, per the LA Times. Long Beach State, for example, will begin school on January 20 and operate via Zoom for 3 weeks.  That means in-person operations will begin no earlier than February 10.
• Requirements for return to in-person operations have intensified, not reduced. For example, students and staff at many schools are required to have booster shots, not merely one or two shots as appropriate, to set foot on campus.
• More than 70% of coronavirus cases in LA county were among adults younger than 50 for Dec. 22-28, per the LA Times.
• Rates among youngest adults (18-29) are 8x higher than they were one month ago. Adults in the 30-40 year old range are 6x as high as per the LA Times.  Guess what the ages are of the typical Cal Bar applicant?
• The Grammy’s (an indoor event with a lot of people seated near each other for a few hours) were cancelled.
• Sporting events have been postponed

That said, is Omicron less serious than the prior surges of COVID-19?  Seemingly.  Yes, Omicron is far more transmissible than prior forms of COVID-19.  But cases generally seem less severe.  Fewer deaths.  Hospital beds aren’t filling up as quickly.  According to the LA Times, Omicron appears to be “more infectious to the airways, but less infectious to lung tissue, where infections contribute to respiratory problems and death.”

And as reported on January 1 in the LA Times, COVID-19 patient hospitalizations jumped 48% from a week prior, but those 5,433 patients are a fraction of the 20,640 who were hospitalized in early January 2021, and the all-time peak was 21,938 on January 6.  Hospitalizations have risen most dramatically in the last month in So Cal and in the Bay Area (double the rate), while Sacramento’s count increased 30%.

According to Bob Wachter from UCSF, supposedly Omicron should peak around mid-January and then recede relatively quickly.

Note the recommendations from state and local officials.  Per the LA Times on January 1, state and local officials “have indicated no need for new orders closing certain businesses or mandating people to stay at home, but they have looked at bolstering requirements in certain settings for vaccinations or negative coronavirus tests.”

And the California Department of Public Health, really the final arbiter in our state on decisions about in-person v. remote events, announced a new order on December 31 that requires “those at indoor events with 500 or more attendees to show either proof of full vaccination or a recent negative test to enter. The order will go into effect Jan. 15. Currently, only indoor events with 1,000 or more attendees are subject to the requirement.”

In other words, businesses aren’t shutting down.  People aren’t being forced to stay at home (except for undergrad and grad students at certain California schools).

So… what are the logistics moving forward?

My guess is that if the trends continue that the Cal Bar Exam COULD be moved to a remote exam and not conducted in person.  That’s my guess, and that’s not informed by any inside information.  I think if the move to a remote exam occurs, it would need to occur between January 15 – 31 so that students can find places outside their home (if needed) to take the exam.  Living in a loud area, too many people living with you to realistically take the exam in a quiet area, internet not reliable at home, etc.  Law schools would need to prepare to allow former students to take the exam there as needed.  Etc.

The Cal Bar would need to consult with the California Dept. of Public Health (especially if the CA DPH forces the exam to go remote), the Cal Bar must make a recommendation to go remote, and ultimately, the Cal Supreme Court must issue an order to hold the exam remotely.  I hope that these entities are already consulting with each other and that a decision is made soon about what to do.  Students deserve to know as soon as possible if the exam is in-person come what may, or if the exam will be remote.  A January 15-31 window is responsible.  A Valentine’s Day surprise would be difficult to implement logistically I would think.

As a Bar applicant, what should you do?  Prepare for both options NOW.  The registration deadline has passed.  So that means if you’re taking this exam, you have an exam site.  If the exam site is in person, great.  If the exam goes remote, what are you going to do?  Where are you going to go?  Start developing that plan NOW.  Take the exam at home?  Going to a law school?  Taking the exam at a hotel?  Local law library?  Public library?  Figure it out.  NOW.  Don’t wait.

What about practicing exams?  For MBEs, take some questions online for practice.  For essays, you can get exams online and practice them online from the Bar’s site or my stie.  Same with the PTs.

Don’t wait until the last minute.  Have plans for in-person vs. remote about where you’ll take the test.  Practice on hardcopy and online so that regardless of how you’ll take the exam, it won’t be a shocking event to you.  Stocks going down 20 points, not 2000 points.

Hang in there!  Happy 2022 everyone!

It’s difficult, but not impossible.

Here are my best tips to help you pass the bar exam on the first try.

You’ve finished law school, but the journey to becoming a practicing attorney isn’t over yet. Before you can hang out your shingle and start passing around business cards, you’ll need to pass the bar exam.

You’ve probably heard horror stories of friends and classmates who had to take the bar exam two or three (or more) times before they finally passed. Isn’t there a way to speed this process up?

Despite what you may have heard, it is possible to pass the bar exam on the first try. You just need to know a few tips.

As a law professor and tutor for more than 20 years, you could say I wrote the book on the California bar…literally. Allow me to give you a few tips on how to pass the bar exam quickly so you can get to work.

1. Prep Ahead Of Time

Success, like a sourdough starter, doesn’t happen overnight.

You have to lay down the groundwork within your first few semesters of law school if you want to give yourself the very best chance of a winning score.

Yes, it’s possible to pass the bar with only two weeks of hardcore study (I’ve seen it happen). But no one can goof off through all three years of law school and pull out a passing grade on their first stab at the bar exam.

By the end of your first semester of law school, you should be writing outlines and taking practice essays. Get your head in the game from the get-go.

2. Get Rid of Distractions

If you truly want to pass the bar exam on your very first try, you need to be laser-focused on that goal. Put everything else on the back burner.

If you’re single. Stay that way. Don’t start a relationship during bar review. You’re committed to the exam. If you’re with someone, don’t break up with them. It’s impossible to study with your emotions in turmoil.

Don’t allow yourself to develop any addictions during this time, either. Alcohol, cocaine, even caffeine pills are not your friend. You have no idea how addictive substances and behaviors can quickly become the most important thing in your life.

Right now, passing the bar is the most important thing.

3. Learn How to Study

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Making flashcards is not studying!

The best way to understand material is by condensing it down again and again until you’ve reached the core principle. After that, everything else will fall into place.

Remember this, kids. Studying isn’t about cramming facts into your head. It’s about understanding what they mean and being able to apply them in real life. This is true whether we’re talking about science, literature, or the law.

4. Find a (Great) Program

I can’t tell you how many people have failed the bar exam after being so confident that they had it in the bag.

The bar exam is not law school. The bar exam is not a practice essay. The bar exam is its own animal.

The best way to pass the bar exam is by seeing how others have done it. Take a course, listen to a lecture, start a program. But remember that not all bar prep courses are created equal.

Some only cover one or two phases of the exam, rather than all three. Some just give you a “thumbs up” on your practice essay without ever telling you what you did right or wrong. Most don’t customize their content around the areas you need to work on.

I created my own system of bar prep by systematically analyzing the bar exam year after year until I developed a method that just worked.

But I don’t just have one system. Oh, no. That would be too easy for me and too hard for you.

For a quick, “oh-crap-it’s-the-night-before-and-I-have-no-idea-what-I’m-walking-into” approach, read my books, The Trigger List and WINNIN’ TIME! Or, sign up for my next free webinar. For a more in-depth dive, take one of the many courses available on my website.

And for the most dedicated tutoring that’s individually suited to your struggles and schedule, I offer 1-on-1 private tutoring from anywhere in the world. (Oh yeah…I’ve got three versions of this plan as well!)

If You Don’t Pass…Don’t Stress

As much as it pains me to say it, not everyone will pass the bar on their first try. I didn’t. Even Michelle Obama didn’t.

You won’t be the first to fail on your first try and you certainly won’t be the last.

But the secret is not to let yourself wallow in misery and “woe is me”-ism. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and ask yourself what else you can try the next time.

I guarantee that, by the time you’ve built a successful and lucrative career as an attorney, you won’t even remember which questions you got wrong.

Need Help? I’m Here!

No matter how many times you’ve taken the bar exam in the past, my system can help you.

Between my books, courses, and my private tutoring programs, I offer the most useful bar prep of any other program in the country. In fact, I’m one of only three bar exam tutors who focuses on all three phases of the exam 1-on-1.

Whether you need a quick-fix solution or have four months until the next exam, I can give you the tools, the knowledge, and the support you need to pass the bar exam.