Vacation during bar study Forum
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Vacation during bar study
Current 3L here. I'm taking the bar after graduation, but an opportunity came up for a free vacation for a week in early June (family is paying for it). Would I be crazy to miss a week of studying to go on vacation? As of right now, I am planning on going on the trip and just studying 4 hours or so each day, which hopefully won't put me too far behind. Am I being naive by thinking I'll be OK to take this trip? (Not the CA bar).
Please don't quote. Posted anonymously because I've discussed this issue with other law students and don't want to out myself.
Please don't quote. Posted anonymously because I've discussed this issue with other law students and don't want to out myself.
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Re: Vacation during bar study
If you feel like you'd be ok, you'll probably be ok. i'd do it; in early june i wasn't studying more than 4 hours a day anyway. bring flashcards, do some MBE questions, enjoy.
- SmokeytheBear
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Re: Vacation during bar study
If you fail the bar, you don't want to look back and think "if I just had not taken that vacation."
Everyone has their own study habits and aptitudes. I know many incredibly bright people, some who did the whole BarBri/Kaplan/Themis program who failed, some who just crammed the last month and passed.
Stakes are too high to take chances. You'll have other opportunities for free vacations in the future.
Everyone has their own study habits and aptitudes. I know many incredibly bright people, some who did the whole BarBri/Kaplan/Themis program who failed, some who just crammed the last month and passed.
Stakes are too high to take chances. You'll have other opportunities for free vacations in the future.
- njdevils2626
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Re: Vacation during bar study
I took a week-long vacation first week of July and felt fine. That said, I only get results in like 3 weeks so don't take my word for it just yetAnonymous User wrote:Current 3L here. I'm taking the bar after graduation, but an opportunity came up for a free vacation for a week in early June (family is paying for it). Would I be crazy to miss a week of studying to go on vacation? As of right now, I am planning on going on the trip and just studying 4 hours or so each day, which hopefully won't put me too far behind. Am I being naive by thinking I'll be OK to take this trip? (Not the CA bar).
Please don't quote. Posted anonymously because I've discussed this issue with other law students and don't want to out myself.
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Re: Vacation during bar study
Spent a month of my bar study time in a foreign country and took a weekend trip or two during that time, and it wasn't a problem. I think if you plan to do work during the trip, it won't be a huge problem. It may be smart to get up early, or stay up late so you can study when your family won't distract you, because a week is a long time to not do any prep.
That said, Smokey's not wrong. It's a (probably small) risk, and an unnecessary one.
That said, Smokey's not wrong. It's a (probably small) risk, and an unnecessary one.
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- unlicensedpotato
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Re: Vacation during bar study
Go on the trip. Yes, you need to put in your time to ensure you'll pass, but in my opinion, everyone knows deep down whether they will pass for sure or are borderline. If you're borderline, consider not going. Otherwise, definitely go.
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Re: Vacation during bar study
I thought I would pass for sure and I failed.unlicensedpotato wrote:Go on the trip. Yes, you need to put in your time to ensure you'll pass, but in my opinion, everyone knows deep down whether they will pass for sure or are borderline. If you're borderline, consider not going. Otherwise, definitely go.
- pancakes3
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Re: Vacation during bar study
you won't be the only person taking a week-long family vacay during bar prep. it's not nearly enough to out you.
missing a week isn't ideal but it's also not a dealbreaker either. fwiw i didn't start bar prep until the first week of June anyway.
missing a week isn't ideal but it's also not a dealbreaker either. fwiw i didn't start bar prep until the first week of June anyway.
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- HillandHollow
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Re: Vacation during bar study
I took a 5 day vacation during the same time period, and still passed. However, it was a bitch, and I was sort of kicking myself for pushing it like that. I also started prep a little later than the average person. If I had been studying back in May, then I don't think it would have been a problem at all. Seeing as how I was already a little strapped for study time, it was a dumb move.
- BmoreOrLess
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Re: Vacation during bar study
Plenty of people do it. I took a few weeks off at the start and felt comfortable enough with my level prep by the end (but as others have said, I won't be able to tell you for sure for a few weeks).
- SmokeytheBear
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Re: Vacation during bar study
Maybe lets limit responses to those who have taken the bar exam and have found out their results.
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Re: Vacation during bar study
At the risk of outing yourself, can you describe what the vacation will entail in a bit more detail?
If it's a rare opportunity, I'd lean towards going, if you're just going down to Cape Cod from Boston to sit on the beach, I'd prolly skip.
If it's a rare opportunity, I'd lean towards going, if you're just going down to Cape Cod from Boston to sit on the beach, I'd prolly skip.
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Re: Vacation during bar study
I look about a week off from studying in the middle of June and passed easily. I think it helped because it meant I wasn't burnt out when the bar started getting closer.
Last edited by blueapple on Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- smokeylarue
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Re: Vacation during bar study
Not advisable at all, but doable (I took like 4 days off in the middle of June, not a full week, when I studied for the bar). The key is for you to get ahead before you leave for your vacation (as in you should be ahead of schedule of whatever test prep schedule thing you're using). So do that by either starting your studies earlier in May, or just study a shitload on the days before the vacation. But yeah, you gotta be ahead.
- LaLiLuLeLo
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Re: Vacation during bar study
Idk, I'd do it. Free vacation is dope. You know your habits the best - if you think you'll be fine, you probably will be. I completely burned out the last two weeks and pretty much was a potato watching Netflix all day and passed. A vacation early won't harm you, imo.
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Re: Vacation during bar study
This would be really dumb. Clearly you'll have other chances for free vacations in the future. Just buckle down and make sure you pass, hm ?
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- SemperLegal
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Re: Vacation during bar study
I got married, went on my honeymoon, and moved during bar study. It's no big deal. You can easily make up the barbri classes .
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Re: Vacation during bar study
My wife gave birth to our firstborn the first week of June. After that, sleep and bar study was pretty much gone. I think I ended up making it through about 25% of Barbri, mainly listening to lectures while driving and working around the house. Got some flashcards and that helped. I think the key is how well you did in law school and how well do you test. If you were ranked decently well in your class (top 25%) and you are generally a good test taker, you will probably be fine. If not, you may need to put in more time overall, so take that into consideration.
One thing to remember is it is important to relax, and sometimes that includes getting away for a bit. Start studying a bit early, such as doing Barbri Early Start (I'm sure the other bar prep programs have something similiar). You can also get flashcards that cover key concepts which helped me a lot.
GOod luck.
*Disclaimer - I took the bar this past June and am still waiting for the results. I am cautiously optimistic.
One thing to remember is it is important to relax, and sometimes that includes getting away for a bit. Start studying a bit early, such as doing Barbri Early Start (I'm sure the other bar prep programs have something similiar). You can also get flashcards that cover key concepts which helped me a lot.
GOod luck.
*Disclaimer - I took the bar this past June and am still waiting for the results. I am cautiously optimistic.
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Re: Vacation during bar study
You should be able to do this. It will make it hard to do 100% of your bar class, but you don't need to do that to pass (I started in June, did about 71% of Themis, and passed the CA bar when it was 3 days). Start bar prep ASAP after spring semester finals if you can/weren't planning to already.
- Rahviveh
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Re: Vacation during bar study
The bar is online. You can easily study for it on an island somewhere as long as you have internet access. Don't be like the sniveling losers in this thread who studied in their law school library all summer.
Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.
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Re: Vacation during bar study
This. I approached all of bar prep with this mentality. I didn't take off any days for the ten weeks, except a very short day on July 4, and studied for at least 7 hours on 95%+ of the days. I completed about 96% of Barbri and did some other stuff (i.e. making my own outlines). I also never got stressed, remained relaxed for the test, and didn't have any abnormal fear about failing when waiting for results, which were all really important goals for me when studying. I graduated top 50% from a top-40ish school. I hadn't taken any of the state-specific subjects (i.e. secured transactions, trusts/estates, etc.), which you'll learn makes a big difference. FWIW, I passed NC but don't know my scores (state doesn't release).SmokeytheBear wrote:If you fail the bar, you don't want to look back and think "if I just had not taken that vacation."
Everyone has their own study habits and aptitudes. I know many incredibly bright people, some who did the whole BarBri/Kaplan/Themis program who failed, some who just crammed the last month and passed.
Stakes are too high to take chances. You'll have other opportunities for free vacations in the future.
That said, people are probably right about your general test-taking abilities and ability to study efficiently. I always underperform on tests, especially on standardized tests, so I knew that I probably needed to do more than most.
- AVBucks4239
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Re: Vacation during bar study
I went to multiple out of town weddings and bachelor parties (three of them four day trips) during bar prep, so I think it's definitely doable.
One thing to consider: don't feel bad if you need to study during your vacation. I know my own limitations, and as the bar got closer, I just didn't feel comfortable taking more than a couple days off. Since you posted this, I imagine you might be in the same boat.
So if you're similarly nervous, bring very brief stuff to review so you can stay sharp. Also maybe try to study the subject you suck at the most. If my memory is right, I just brought my condensed outline and read it every other day, or I listened to lectures for the subjects where I was clueless.
One thing to consider: don't feel bad if you need to study during your vacation. I know my own limitations, and as the bar got closer, I just didn't feel comfortable taking more than a couple days off. Since you posted this, I imagine you might be in the same boat.
So if you're similarly nervous, bring very brief stuff to review so you can stay sharp. Also maybe try to study the subject you suck at the most. If my memory is right, I just brought my condensed outline and read it every other day, or I listened to lectures for the subjects where I was clueless.
- MKC
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Re: Vacation during bar study
After moving, remodeling our new house, and doing a seriously extended set of interviews with my current firm, I started studying in earnest for the bar at the beginning of July. I had done roughly 10% of Barbri prior to that.
I passed, but it was close and I felt like an idiot for almost having to do it again. That being said, I think taking a week off is fine.
I passed, but it was close and I felt like an idiot for almost having to do it again. That being said, I think taking a week off is fine.
Last edited by MKC on Sat Jan 27, 2018 1:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Vacation during bar study
I don't get the mindset that being on a vacation means that you can't study while you're there. Your plan is definitely fine. Make sure that wherever you're staying has a separate place where you can study undisturbed. Bring your books and your laptop and commit to putting in some solid study time in the morning and/or after dinner. Try to do some extra studying the week before and the week after to make up for a lighter load during the vacation. The trip is early enough in bar studying that it shouldn't be an issue. As other posters have said, I don't think Barbri's schedule starts until the first week in June anyway.
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