As November comes to a close, many students begin transitioning into full bar prep mode for the February administration. To help structure an effective study plan, BarMD is sharing five key strategies that can improve performance on the essays, the MBE, and the Performance Test.
1. Structure Your Bar Exam Study Time Effectively
During the early phase of bar prep, examinees should be completing approximately 20–25 MBE practice questions per day, six days per week. As the exam approaches, that number should increase to about 34 questions per day.
For repeat takers in particular, passive review—such as watching extensive black letter law videos—should not dominate study time. Active practice is far more valuable. This includes writing essays, completing PTs, and working through substantial MBE sets.
2. Diversify Your Civil Procedure MBE Practice
Civil Procedure was added to the Multistate Bar Exam in 2015, which means there are only about 60 real, released Civil Procedure MBE questions. Most additional Civ Pro questions are written by third-party prep providers.
BarMD recommends using Mastering Multiple Choice for Federal Civil Procedure by William Janssen to expose students to additional rule variations and testing formats. Students often notice strong differences between Civil Procedure questions on Adaptibar and UWorld, making variety especially important. (BarMD’s shop carries both the newer and older editions for students who want budget-friendly options.)
3. Don’t Overcorrect Based on Past Bar Exam Scores
Repeat takers sometimes overcorrect when reviewing prior results, devoting excessive time to one exam component at the expense of another. For example, a student who previously performed well on the MBE may shift almost entirely to essay practice—or vice versa.
Instead, students should maintain a balanced schedule. If one area is weaker, a ratio like 55/45 or 60/40 can help, but it’s important to keep strengths strong while improving weaker areas.
4. Strengthen the Areas You Tend to Avoid
Avoiding certain subjects or tasks—such as essays that feel uncomfortable or multiple-choice questions that seem difficult—can hold students back. Discomfort is a signal that more practice is needed, not less.
When reviewing incorrect answers, students should look beyond the rule they missed. Did they overlook a key fact? Misread an answer choice? Struggle with understanding the explanation? A critical part of bar exam preparation is knowing exactly why each incorrect answer is wrong. If a student cannot clearly articulate the reasoning, that topic requires deeper review.
5. Avoid Cognitive Overload in Your Bar Prep
Students should pick a small set of reputable resources and stick with them. Different bar prep companies may phrase rules differently, but the substance remains consistent.
It’s also essential to match the right materials to the right tasks. MBE flashcards aren’t designed for California essay practice, and PT materials won’t help much with MBE rule memorization. Using component-specific resources keeps studying efficient and prevents overwhelm.
Students with questions about study plans, course recommendations, or bar exam preparation strategies can reach BarMD at hello@bar-md.com.