I just passed the February 2017 CA Bar Exam on my second attempt following an attempt in July 2016. I know that I would not have been able to pass without participating in Steven Harris’ tutoring program; it was instrumental in helping me to achieve a passing score for many reasons.
The first time that I studied for the Bar, my approach was to memorize as much law as possible in the hope that this would be enough to pass. When I received my scores, it was clear that this was ineffective. On my first phone call with Steven, he explained that memorizing the law was one piece of the puzzle, and that I likely needed to improve my issue spotting and writing abilities. He was absolutely right, and his comprehensive approach helped me to round out my skills in these areas. His book The Trigger List highlighted issues that I may have missed in my own writing or outlining of an essay so that I would not miss them the next time around. Over the course of my preparation for February, my issue spotting improved dramatically as a result of utilizing Steven’s issue spotting techniques. Further, the essays that Steven assigns are carefully curated to ensure that his students have the opportunity to practice writing all of the essay types tested over the last 25 years.
My approach for Performance Tests during the July Bar was disorganized and inconsistent despite doing every PT recommended during my Bar preparation program. Steven’s tailored approach was game-changing. On the days of the PTs on the February Bar, I felt confident that no matter what the task was, I would be able to put enough into my response to accumulate points. Steven’s approach is methodical and consistent, regardless of the type of PT or the volume of information. Before Steven’s program, I felt exhausted even thinking about completing a PT in time. After his program, I felt energized and confident before even starting, because I knew I had a plan to succeed.
Overall, the most helpful characteristics of the program are its structure, volume, and pacing. Every day was carefully planned out, but never too overwhelming. The pace ramped up appropriately at the end, so that I felt I was going into the test at the peak of my knowledge, but without the burnout that I experienced in July. The amount of practice and reading is perfect to learn the right amount of information without feeling overburdened with an onslaught of law and resources. Here, I found WINNIN’ TIME! to be the best resource I could have ever used. The Bar preparation program I used had confusing charts, paragraphs, and diagrams that were impossible to digest and sometimes conflicting. Winnie’ Time is concise, accurate, and manageable.
I would recommend Steven’s program for tutoring, the PT class, and books without reservation to anybody preparing for the Bar Exam. Steven is invested in his students’ success, and is approachable with any question or hurdle that comes up during prep or during the three days of the Bar. Knowing that you have someone on your side is incredibly helpful during the more difficult days that inevitably arise while preparing for the test. With his approach, a test that I thought I could never conquer was no longer impossible.
Thank you, Steven! — Shar Giridharadas, Esq., passed the February 2017 California Bar Exam