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Extremely Helpful Blog Post

Measuring Life, a California blogger who passed the bar on the second try, recently posted an extremely helpful blog post. It addresses the part of the bar exam I personally have the most trouble with: memorizing the rules. I am incredibly grateful to Measuring Life for posting this advice. You have helped me immensely.

Go to the Measuring Life post.

Quote: 

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Bar exam outlines

Memorizing the rules was the most difficult part of the bar exam study process for me. I would get overwhelmed at the sheer number of rules that we needed to know and I was sure there was no way I could have so many rules at my fingertips during the exam.

My strategy was to break down the subjects into the most basic rule sets. I wanted to be sure that I knew the major rules cold. I figured that I would be able to discuss the minor issues better if I didn’t spend time trying to remember or formulate rules for the major issues.

I spent a large portion of my study time with the mini outline that I created. To create the outline, I identified all of the major issues for each subject, then set out a very concise and simple rule statement, and then shortened each subject to about a half a page. The entire outline is only 7 pages. I could memorize 7 pages much easier than I could memorize hundreds of flashcards or the conviser mini review.

I created a blank template of my mini outline, deleting all of the rule statements, leaving just the headings, terms, and issues. I printed 10 copies of the blank outline and 1 copy of the completed outline. Everyday I would take 2 subjects and write out all of the rules, 10 times, by hand. By the time I finished 1 set of 10 copies in any subject, I had it memorized. Then I would move on to the next subject. In the beginning, I had to use my master sheet to just copy the rules, but after writing it 5 or 6 times, I didn’t need my typed copy. After I completely filled out the 10 copies, I printed 10 more blank copies. Instead of writing out all 10 pages for one subject, I would write out all of the subjects, one time. I did this everyday. By the end of my studying, I had memorized all the major issues for each subject and I could fill in the entire outline without looking up any rules.

My completed outline is available here and my blank outline is available here. The formatting is skewed slightly due to the limits of Google formatting. I hope this helps.

4 notes:

Unknown said...

I'm so glad to see that you're back! Out of curiosuity, what is it about memorization that you find difficult? Is it retention of information or is it being organized preceding the memorization? Best of luck to you!

legis said...

Both retention and being organized are a challenge for me, but I think it's the organization that is the bigger hurdle. By now i know what i need to study, so volume isn't a problem anymore. Even how to write essays isn't as big of a hurdle for me. It's remembering enough law to intelligently write them (and do well enough on the MBE)that keeps tripping me up.

Dewdrops said...

Hi. Have been visiting your blog regularly even though I know you have not been writing much here. hope things really turn the way you want them to be this time :) all the very best.

GC said...

Hey, I passed after many many tries. There is still hope. Don't give up.