6 answers
myla
Student
Farmington, New Mexico
1
Question
Asked
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what makes the BAR exam difficult?
I wanna be able to know how difficult it is to pass the BAR exam. I wanna be able to become an attorney when I'm older, and what the chances are to become what I want,
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6 answers
Lora Bartlett
Administration
16
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Lora’s Answer
Hi, Myla,
Well, the difficulty lies with the beholder! Short answer - the Bar Exam depends on your education and how prepared you are to answer the questions based on the law. Having said that, I think you may be asking about the LSAT? That is the test you take to get accepted into law school. It is designed to test your logic skills. Those type of tests can be very challenging. indeed, but with practice, you can succeed!
Good luck!
Well, the difficulty lies with the beholder! Short answer - the Bar Exam depends on your education and how prepared you are to answer the questions based on the law. Having said that, I think you may be asking about the LSAT? That is the test you take to get accepted into law school. It is designed to test your logic skills. Those type of tests can be very challenging. indeed, but with practice, you can succeed!
Good luck!
DENNIS BREEN
Lawyer
148
Answers
Cary, North Carolina
Updated
DENNIS’s Answer
Hi Myla:
I was admitted in several States with different bar exams. The exam was tough because it is a multi-day test covering ANY possible legal topic. You need to be up on all the topics to be prepared. Also, sometimes it's not the right answer but the closest answer to right! Strange but true. The test also tests your ability to spot issues and then analyse them in a rational way. You may see a valid arrest in a question. Guy sitting next to you may see a violation of a constitutional right. Both have the right - duty - to support their position with a cogent legal argument. Adding to the stress is the fact you have to wait months for the results and those results dictate if you can practice law in that state.
Despite these comments, it's kinda of a neat challenge. You work hard, study hard, worry hard and in the end it makes you a better lawyer by forcing you to focus on the issues. Clients come in all shapes and sizes. You never know what issue they are coming into your office with. You need to be ready to handle the crisis - whatever it is. People don't go to lawyers with a tooth ache - they come in with a life ache and want you to fix it.
Don't be worried - the fact you asked this question tells me you'll be more than ready when the time comes!
I was admitted in several States with different bar exams. The exam was tough because it is a multi-day test covering ANY possible legal topic. You need to be up on all the topics to be prepared. Also, sometimes it's not the right answer but the closest answer to right! Strange but true. The test also tests your ability to spot issues and then analyse them in a rational way. You may see a valid arrest in a question. Guy sitting next to you may see a violation of a constitutional right. Both have the right - duty - to support their position with a cogent legal argument. Adding to the stress is the fact you have to wait months for the results and those results dictate if you can practice law in that state.
Despite these comments, it's kinda of a neat challenge. You work hard, study hard, worry hard and in the end it makes you a better lawyer by forcing you to focus on the issues. Clients come in all shapes and sizes. You never know what issue they are coming into your office with. You need to be ready to handle the crisis - whatever it is. People don't go to lawyers with a tooth ache - they come in with a life ache and want you to fix it.
Don't be worried - the fact you asked this question tells me you'll be more than ready when the time comes!
Amber Lee
Tax Associate
41
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Amber’s Answer
Hello Myla,
I myself took (and passed!) the bar exam not too long ago, so the experience is still fresh in my mind. As many have pointed out already, the bar exams are tough, but they are completely doable. When you go to law school, chances are you will learn to adjust your study style and figure out what works best for you, and you will take that and apply it during bar prep.
What makes the bar exam difficult? To answer your question:
(1) It's a race against time. You are given very limited time to read, digest, and answer a lot of questions.
(2) You are tested on a wide variety of topics. Unless you take bar topic classes in law school, sometimes you may not have prior exposure to certain topics when you start bar prep (for example, I did not take family law while in law school, and it was tested during the exam).
The good news is there are a few commercial bar review courses that are very helpful even in topics you have never taken in law school. Also, the majority of jurisdictions have adopted the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), New Mexico included. If you are planning on taking the bar exam in a UBE jurisdiction, that means you won't have to learn state-specific laws for purposes of the bar exam (some states like New York still require a state-specific exam to be completed in addition to the UBE, but that exam is administered a few times a year separately from the bar).
I would not worry so much about the bar exam right now--focus on getting good grades in your undergraduate courses and do your best to prepare for the LSAT/GRE. All the best!
I myself took (and passed!) the bar exam not too long ago, so the experience is still fresh in my mind. As many have pointed out already, the bar exams are tough, but they are completely doable. When you go to law school, chances are you will learn to adjust your study style and figure out what works best for you, and you will take that and apply it during bar prep.
What makes the bar exam difficult? To answer your question:
(1) It's a race against time. You are given very limited time to read, digest, and answer a lot of questions.
(2) You are tested on a wide variety of topics. Unless you take bar topic classes in law school, sometimes you may not have prior exposure to certain topics when you start bar prep (for example, I did not take family law while in law school, and it was tested during the exam).
The good news is there are a few commercial bar review courses that are very helpful even in topics you have never taken in law school. Also, the majority of jurisdictions have adopted the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), New Mexico included. If you are planning on taking the bar exam in a UBE jurisdiction, that means you won't have to learn state-specific laws for purposes of the bar exam (some states like New York still require a state-specific exam to be completed in addition to the UBE, but that exam is administered a few times a year separately from the bar).
I would not worry so much about the bar exam right now--focus on getting good grades in your undergraduate courses and do your best to prepare for the LSAT/GRE. All the best!
Nancy Sommer
Lawyer
7
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Nancy’s Answer
Hi Myla,
Bar exams vary by state; most take place over 2 days, there are still one or two states that take place over three days (e.g. Nevada). Depending on state, the bar exam can cover a broad range of topics; for that reason, some bar exams are considered harder than others (e.g. New York and California). There are lots of bar preparation programs available, and I would encourage you to sign up for one of those. Those programs set a pretty rigorous schedule of reading new material, reviewing previously studied material, and taking practice exams. Treat it like your job, and put in the time -- it's only for a limited period of time (6 weeks or so). My philosophy was, I am only going to take this exam one time, so I am going to put in the time now to ensure I pass. It was worth it: I took two bar exams over three days, and passed both on my first try. Good luck!
Bar exams vary by state; most take place over 2 days, there are still one or two states that take place over three days (e.g. Nevada). Depending on state, the bar exam can cover a broad range of topics; for that reason, some bar exams are considered harder than others (e.g. New York and California). There are lots of bar preparation programs available, and I would encourage you to sign up for one of those. Those programs set a pretty rigorous schedule of reading new material, reviewing previously studied material, and taking practice exams. Treat it like your job, and put in the time -- it's only for a limited period of time (6 weeks or so). My philosophy was, I am only going to take this exam one time, so I am going to put in the time now to ensure I pass. It was worth it: I took two bar exams over three days, and passed both on my first try. Good luck!
Terri R
Professor
27
Answers
Saint Petersburg, Florida
Updated
Terri’s Answer
The bar exam may seem like a daunting task, though its level of difficulty and pass rate can differ from state to state. But don't worry, there's a wealth of resources at your disposal when you are preparing for the exam to aid you in your preparation. A majority of law graduates opt for a commercial bar review course, and numerous law schools provide courses and post-graduate programs specifically tailored to help their students pass the bar.
You will likely find yourself dedicating months to prepare for the bar exam, treating it basically like a full-time job. It might sound intense, but many graduates have found that by crafting and adhering to a study schedule, the task becomes much more manageable.
Remember, there are countless attorneys across the country, each with diverse educational journeys and backgrounds, who have triumphed over the bar exam! Best of luck!
You will likely find yourself dedicating months to prepare for the bar exam, treating it basically like a full-time job. It might sound intense, but many graduates have found that by crafting and adhering to a study schedule, the task becomes much more manageable.
Remember, there are countless attorneys across the country, each with diverse educational journeys and backgrounds, who have triumphed over the bar exam! Best of luck!
Joanna Yarnell
attorney
3
Answers
Scarsdale, New York
Updated
Joanna’s Answer
It's a matter of staying concentrated and committed to spend 2-3 months before the bar preparing for it. It's a lot of repetition of material that was already covered during law school, so it should not be new or too new as it's the basics from law school. If you go through law school, just get motivated and organized for 2-3 months and you can do it. The bar exam in many ways is not about getting the answers perfect as it's a fast paced exam, covering a lot of material, so it's about getting the main ideas across and be concentrated and keep moving during the exam.