Failing the bar exam is financially, emotionally and professionally exhausting. If you’re taking the bar exam again, the goal is simple: pass it on your next attempt. And that requires a different strategy than the one you used the last time.
We’ve helped thousands of repeat bar takers pass, from second-time takers to those who’ve struggled for years but finally crossed the finish line. We’ve seen score jumps of 50+ points, and we’ve even helped students who didn’t attend law school pass on repeat attempts.
No matter where you’re starting, your score can change dramatically with the right approach.
Here are five essential tips for repeat bar takers who want to turn things around.
- Change your approach.
Most students who fail simply try again with the same materials, the same schedule and the same course (especially if their commercial course gives them a “free repeat”). But if it didn’t work once, it won’t work now. If you want a different score, you need a different approach.
Some other students try to cobble together a prep plan with outlines from here and questions from there. They think in terms of “I only need X more points to pass.” The problem with this mindset is if you study as if you need only, say, five points, you may find yourself in the same position again next time. The truth is you need a full strategy shift.
One of my students failed the bar seven times and was always within a few points of passing. When he finally came to me and changed his approach on his seventh attempt, he passed. He could have saved himself years and thousands of dollars by doing that earlier.
- Use your score report and experience to your advantage.
Repeat takers are not at a disadvantage. If anything, you have a strategic edge. As a repeat taker, you’ve seen the test environment, you know the timing pressure, and you have real data from your score report.
Take the time to examine your score report to see what you actually struggled with. Look at how you scored in each subject (if available in your jurisdiction) and on each portion of the exam.
Make sure to review your essays if your jurisdiction makes them available. This data is invaluable in helping you craft a study plan for the next exam.
When you are done looking at your performance on exam day, consider your study habits leading up to exam day. Most students who fail weren’t memorizing enough, weren’t reviewing their work deeply, or seemed to merely study rather than study for the exam. Taking the time to honestly reflect on your study habits can make a huge difference in how you prepare for the next exam.
- Don’t assume you’re not smart enough.
Some of the smartest lawyers I know failed the bar exam multiple times (and so have very successful celebrities) . The bar exam doesn’t test intelligence. It tests how well you can perform a very specific, formulaic task under time pressure.
The bar exam rewards sticking to the facts, not thinking outside the box.
It also rewards simplicity. Sometimes passing requires turning down the complexity in your writing and following a strict format that the examiners favor. That skill is learnable.
- Invest wisely.
Every bar exam attempt comes with huge hidden costs: exam fees, travel, time off work, months spent studying and delayed income as a licensed attorney. Many repeat takers spend thousands of dollars retaking the bar while refusing to invest a fraction of that in a better course or tutoring.
If your approach failed, a small investment in the right resources can save you months or years of repeated attempts. Having a smart bar exam strategy matters.
- Success comes from discipline, not motivation.
If you’re waiting to suddenly feel motivated to study for this exam again, you’ll be waiting a long time. Instead of waiting for motivation, get to work. Create a clear plan with new materials, new habits and daily tasks. Memorize intentionally. Practice in a structured way. Review your work. Get feedback on your essays and performance tests. Once you start studying differently, you’ll see different results and motivation will follow.
Many people wait to feel motivated to get started studying. But motivation typically comes after you start studying, not before.
