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Found a brain-dump email I wrote from 2013 after taking the #BarExam and wanted to pass along a few nuggets of advice to those still scheduled to take the Exam this week, particularly those taking the #NCBarExam 1/x
IMO, learning how to take the exam was more important than memorizing dozens of outlines. One example of employing strategy over rote memorization that I found helpful was to have 4-5 sentences' worth of generally applicable material on every NC-specific subject... 2/x
...in case I got an essay prompt for which accurate issue-spotting would have been too time-consuming, or even impossible (looking at you, Secured Transactions). 3/x
The only thing I looked at the week of the Bar Exam, at least in terms of trying to memorize anything else this late in the game, was a good outline that covered all subject areas and included high-level, quick tips and tricks from my test-prep provider. 4/x
If you have an MBE (or UBE-equivalent) tip sheet containing notes on patterns in old questions, that would be helpful to focus on. Again, for me personally, I found near the end that focusing on exam-taking strategy paid greater dividends than trying to memorize... 5/x
...any new material or take another gosh darned practice exam (and then inevitably feel terrible about whatever I had scored, even if it would have been a passing one). When I was studying, we were told repeatedly that the NCBLE likely would fold Civ Pro sub-issues into... 6/x
...multiple NC-specific essay questions, and that if possible, we should memorize NCRCP rule numbers. But really, if I had to pick my #1 piece of advice, it's that even if you have no idea what the 'right' answer is for one of the essay questions, go back to the basics... 7/x
...I wrote as many cogent sentences as I could about the subject matter, general rules + exceptions. I picked the issue I thought the question was testing, and then analyzed it to death, hoping that even if the conclusion wasn't entirely correct, I'd still score some points...8/x
...for analysis. Since I took the Bar Exam in NC and passed the first time I sat for it, I was not given access to my score, so I can't tell you how I did other than that I "passed." So, take all of this FWIW, which may not be much. 9/x
But one thing I do know for sure is that at some point, you just have to call it and then let the chips fall. The day before the exam, I did not so much as even glance in the direction of my Bar Prep materials. I did everything in my power to relax, eat good meals... 10/x
...get a good night's sleep, watch trash TV. I also booked a massage the night before (obviously it's not safe for you to do this last part right now, so I don't recommend that) which helped to calm my nerves. Whatever you do, try to find peace and accept that... 11/x
...you've studied hard, all summer long (or even longer), for this exam. Trust yourself and have faith in your abilities. If you have time, drive to the facility where you'll be sitting for the exam, so that you know the lay of the land in advance and won't have any.... 12/x
...unwanted surprises the morning of. As for taking the exam during a pandemic--putting aside for a moment how ridiculous it is that an in-person exam still is happening--I'd suggest that you simply focus on the things you can control. 13/x
Your own PPE, your distance from others, your breathing, your hand-washing/sanitizing habits, taking all the precautions you can possibly take to be safe in an unsafe situation. And then, as much as you possibly can (and I know this is a big ask), put it out of your mind. 14/15
I know you haven't seen the best of the legal profession and its leaders (though some have been a shining light) this summer, but there are many of us who are rooting for you and share your bewilderment re: how this all has been managed. Good luck and godspeed. 15/15.
