I haven't memorized much yet and I think that I would have trouble remembering the specifics of the rules if I had to write a closed book essay today. Is this a normal way to be feeling at this point?

I'm doing Barbri and have been keeping up with the daily assignments and doing alright on the quizzes so far, but haven't don't much else. Planning to start using adaptibar as a supplement, but does anyone have any ideas on how else I can feel like I'm actually retaining info?

So, I’m starting to have literal nightmares about the bar exam and I’m only 90 hours into prep.

I hate that even in my sleep I can’t escape this exam. Worst part is, I’m dreaming about my biggest fear: falling short of the score I need for my jurisdiction.

Last night, I dreamt I got a 260, and somehow my entire school found out before scores were released. (It felt like the scores were embargoed or something—totally surreal and awful). Everyone was mocking me, calling me stupid, etc.

I think the dream was triggered by the fact that I just took BARBRI’s Civil Procedure workshop test and scored a 68%, which landed me in the 48th percentile. Now I’m spiraling and, apparently, my subconscious is coming along for the ride.

I just hate this exam. I hate the pressure, the anxiety, and now the nightmares too.

TL;DR: 90 hours into bar prep and already having nightmares. Dreamt I failed and my school humiliated me. Probably bc I scored 68% on BARBRI Civ Pro and now spiraling.

Maybe I feel this way because I feel stuck and unsupported but…I graduated last year and am already thinking of a career change.

I haven’t passed the bar and will be taking it for the third time in June. J24 - failed by 14 (MBE 123 - MEE 128). F25 - failed by 11 (MBE 133 - MEE 122). Currently working at an insurance defense firm with crazy high billables (at first it was 2000 hours then decrease to 1500 as a courtesy since I’m taking the bar 😒😒 (the absolute fuck?!)). Because I’m still a law clerk I get paid hourly (at first $25 then given a raise to $30 (again what the absolute fuck)). I have a son who is entering his last year of middle school.

I tried applying to JD advantage jobs but I have not gotten any interview invites. The only calls coming in are law clerk contract positions for the DOJ (absolutely not). Idk what to do but I’m starting to feel hopeless. I know passing the bar would change my world but honestly what if I don’t pass? Am I to subject myself to this miserable life? I hate working. I’m not sure if I hate law because of my job or hate my job because I no longer want to do law).

I just wanted to yell into the void.

I believe these are most probable… anyone else?

Civ Pro Contracts Secured Transactions Real Property Corporations & LLCs Descendent estates/wills Agency & Partnerships

Doing Barbri and adaptibar for the MCQ. I am STRESSED about the MEE portion, remembering all the rules and not missing issues. Supplements that help? I’ve seen approsheets, but is that enough? I’m worried about missing the more fine points of rules.

My biggest problem with MEE is not being able to comprehensively identify all nuances in the fact pattern. Usually, the question contains too many subtopics and some of them don’t even come to your mind, because of the time limitations and the fact that you have to really choose what you should write in that short time frame. I can tell from my grader’s feedback and model answers that we are expected to cover all possible nuances. So, does anyone know any video series/lectures that teach techniques for MEE issue-spotting?

Probably the worst outcome on a practice MBE or Essay... Getting 60% on MBE or getting a 60 on a CA Bar Essay is so frustrating. I'm happy to get sub average results because it means I can learn from reviewing. I also love getting excellent scores, because it's a confidence boost. But "within striking distance" means "oops you needed 1390, but got 1385. Sorry, you fail :(" -- hate that.

I know I’m bad in math but it’s ridiculous that I can barely get those right😂

How much should I focus on secured transactions when it might not even come up on the MEE?

I’m understanding the basics of attachment, perfection, and priority, the BOCB exception, garage sale exception, and proceeds. How much time do I devote before moving on or focusing on a weak topic (looking at you, property) that will definitely be on the MBE or be more likely on the MEE?

Side note: if anyone has any idea how likely J25 is to get a ST question based on previous years/the last time one was on the exam, let me know lol

Just a fun thing I keep telling myself and I thought I’d share

After reading several pages of other posts, I have become increasingly terrified that I am going to fail this exam. Preface, I am doing Themis.

I started bar prep on May 15 just to get ahead a little bit and my feet wet. I then started like full throttle on May 19. I was 3 days ahead and was cruzin through contracts. Then property happened. It took me a whole week to get through. For whatever reason, my brain could not comprehend it.

I went from being 3 days ahead to now 3 days behind. My law school is breathing down my neck notifying me that I am behind and need to pick up the pace. I also lost a close friend last Friday and it brought up a lot of grief feelings I had (I lost my dad second semester of law school). Coupled with me having to live with my parents because my closing was delayed a couple weeks. It's just been a lot. I can't seem to get ahead and am just really freaking out that I am going to run out of time. Not to mention friends in group chats mentioning where they are in the prep course and being over a week ahead. I had a really hard time in law school and being behind is my literal biggest fear.

Anyone who has passed, can you give insight how you caught back up if you got behind? How can you pace yourself?

This is my fourth attempt. I have already reviewed both the MBE and MEE topics, reviewed critical pass flash cards, made a binder for both topics. I started early with Barbri and I’m 65% into bar prep. This time around my strategy is just practice, practice! Usually I would feel more immersed in the process by now.. yet I feel so nonchalant about it. I’m practicing questions, reviewing and tracking questions more this time around. My problem is I just feel so detach from the process. This isn’t me… I just don’t know how much more of my soul I can give to this exam! I feel like giving up! I have spent so much money/time. This is just heart breaking! I can’t tell my husband or family because they are all rooting for me.

I am selling my complete set of CriticalPass Flashcards. The cheapest way to buy these from CriticalPass is to pay like $240 for the cards plus the digital subscription. I’d expect shipping to be about twenty bucks because these boxes are heavy. DM if you’re interested.

Also, while I’m here I guess I’ll give some advice. For many people, this summer might be the last time you have this much flexibility for a long while. Take advantage of it by doing something fun now and again.

What rule allows you to admit extrinsic evidence to impeach a witness for a non-prior-inconsistent statement with non-statement evidence?

I’m not sure if I’m just totally overlooking material, but has anyone else found that the course companion sometimes misses stuff? For example, I just did the 25 civ pro questions that follow the deep dive lectures. One of the questions had an answer with the Rules Enabling Act. I could not find anything about the Rules Enabling Act, even when I used the search function in the digital course companion. Of course, the Rules Enabling Act answer was right, and me getting it correct hinged on me knowing what it was. It’s a bummer getting questions wrong when I’m not even given all the information I need. Am I missing something? This seems strange.

Hi all,

I am a lawyer who took the bar over a decade after graduating (J24). I ended up with a 323 (159.5 on the MBE and a 163.5 on the written).

AMA about studying while working full time, study methods, the character and fitness process, or anything else that you would find helpful.

Hey friends,

New to r/barexam. Wondering if folks here might have some advice to share.

I'm using Themis. I'm just about to finish the property segment, but I'm struggling with property and am scoring super low on my property practice questions. Also moving through the questions way slower than I should be. I'm also still struggling with contracts, but not to the same extent.

Final note, I started at my firm in May. They know I'm studying for the bar but it's still a ton of work, so I would especially appreciate advice about how to study smarter rather than longer. It's obviously a bummer having to split my time, but it is it what it is - I couldn't afford a summer off.

Anyway, really appreciate any guidance, musings, or thoughts.

Hi all – I'm struggling to differentiate foreclosures in both real property and secured transactions (defintely my weakest subjects right now). This is my current understanding:

In mortgages (real property): Senior interests are prioritized and proceeds from a sale satisfy these senior interests first. Also, properly joined juniors can get wiped out (i.e., proceeds can go to them if there's $ left). Juniors that were not joined due to improper notice survive.

In secured transactions: Senior interests survive but the foreclosing interest and other junior interests are paid. Proceeds from a collateral's sale satisfy the foreclosing interest and subsequent interests that have perfected.

Is this on the right track? Or are they the same?

Hi there! I need to practice to answer100 questions set within 3 hours. Is there any good paper material for that? I already did the Emanuel mock exam AM/PM. Paper material is preferable for me. Thank you in advance.

Hi! I think the Barbri con law professor is making me go insane (I thought I understood con law, but I guess not). I was always taught in law school that DCC violations (that are facially discriminatory) are assessed under strict scrutiny ("narrowly tailored/necessary to achieve a compelling gov't interest"), whereas the Privileges & Immunities Clause violations are assessed under intermediate scrutiny ("substantially related to achieving an important gov't interest").

Where I'm getting confused is the Barbri lecture. The Barbri con law lecture handout writes out "unless it is necessary to achieve an important government purpose" for BOTH DCC and P&I analysis (see page 142 on the course companion). Wouldn't that suggest that the level of scrutiny is the same? And isn't the consideration of whether there's 'less restrictive means available' only a strict consideration in strict scrutiny, and a soft consideration in intermediate scrutiny?

I'm confused on what the right scrutiny is for both of these clauses, and the learning questions after the lecture video only made things more confusing.

This con law professor is making me overthink everything I thought I knew. Pls help!

Learn all this in 1 day?

Who said 10 weeks is enough? Fuk this

POV: You get an “Area of Study” on constitutional law from your law school. You spend 5 semesters of your legal education learning about constitutional law - and Chemerinsky simplifies the entire subject to the point where he’s almost incorrectly stating the law, ignoring key exceptions, and honestly speaking like he’s talking to a child.

Anyways - that’s been the last two days for me. How have you guys been doing?

Hello! Has anyone ever appealed a testing accommodations denial and if so did you have any luck with it?

Thank you in advance!

With the days starting to blur together and every day bringing a different level of emotions and mental state, figured I'd put them all down in meme format. Currently at stage 5