Preparing for the bar exam can feel overwhelming — especially if you’re taking it again. At BarMD, we’ve seen that the students who improve the most between attempts are the ones who focus on deliberate, consistent practice.
If you’re repeating the bar exam, you should be focused on practice.
Focus on Active Practice, Not Passive Review
Practice means writing essays — closed note and timed — doing multiple-choice questions, and writing performance tests (PTs).
You shouldn’t be spending most of your time watching black letter law lectures or rereading outlines. As a general rule of thumb, don’t spend more than about one-third of your daily study time on passive review.
How to Approach Practice Essays with Precision
When you’re writing practice essays, check for precision.
- Did you spot the right issues?
- Did you use the right facts in the right places?
- Did you apply the law appropriately and explain how it fits the facts?
Our EssayRx program is a great tool to help with issue spotting and improving the quality of your written analysis.
Getting More Out of Multiple-Choice Practice
When you’re doing practice multiple-choice questions, examine every answer option.
- For each answer choice, can you explain why it’s wrong without looking at the explanation?
- If the rule is incorrect, can you explain how and why it’s incorrect?
- If the answer states a correct rule but it doesn’t apply, can you explain when that rule would apply?
- If you chose the wrong answer, can you pinpoint exactly where in the fact pattern you went off track?
This is where our Mastering the MBE course can help you strengthen both your rule knowledge and your reasoning.
Making Practice PTs Count
When you’re writing practice PTs, ask yourself:
- Did I use the right cases and authorities in the right places?
- How deep is my analysis? Am I really explaining, not just quoting?
- Did I include counterarguments where they belong?
Your goal is not just to finish the task, but to show clear, organized thinking that mirrors what bar graders want to see.
Next Steps in Your Bar Exam Prep
We hope these tips help guide your next round of study. If you’re ready to focus on active practice, explore our free study resources and free webinars on YouTube to build a study plan that works for you.