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What are you guys thinking/doing?

Started seeing a psychiatrist for my post-bar depression and anxiety

Trying to resume going to the gym and other healthy activities. It’s tough because I keep thinking about my responses and generally worry about MBE (standardized tests are NOT my strength and I did well in law school based on writing and research ability).

On certain days, I feel quite anxious and was considering applying to other jobs in case my firm drops me and/or preparing to negotiate some alternative plan.

Working out more than ever & applying for jobs. There are days where I feel so anxious and wonder if I should do MBEs just in case I failed the bar.

I was doing okay (trying) not to think too much about it. I am now defeated by this battle...

I'm not sure which wait is worse: pregnancy or bar results. I was hoping my anxiety over bar results would distract me from my due date countdown but that hasn't been the case. Time is going at a snail's pace. To make matters worse are these friggen' snow days. My campus is closed so I don't have to go into my clinic office (yay) but it's too cold for me to do anything other than feel depressed about this shitty weather (boo).

I am not waiting myself, but I have a significant other who is...(having waited for myself in Michigan and Illinois in the past).

For me, immediately after the test, I talked about it a lot with friends who had also taken it and then with friends/family/colleagues. After the first week or so I still popped onto these boards to chat, but there really wasn't a nervousness until the week of anticipated results. Each day seemed to move slow and of course, the butterflies grew to a breaking point the night before. In Illinois, you actually receive an email letting you know when results have posted so when I woke up to the email it was immediate adrenaline. In Michigan, results are first posted to the Board of Law Examiners page that required me to go and check, I was guessing results were going to arrive in early November (for July '15 test) so when I got a text out of the blue I was totally caught off guard (which in retrospect I suppose I prefer).

Its nearly impossible to not want to talk about it, having gone through it myself twice and living through it with my significant other a few times I can definitely attest to my obsession with the exam. To the point where I do offer advice/help/strategies to anyone who asks. I want to make the experience suck less and help answer those questions I know I had burning when I was on the other side of the exam.

My mantra, at least after that initial week after the bar, was that there was nothing I could do about it. The chips will fall where they fall and worst case I lick my wounds, learn where I needed help and prep differently the next time. Working full time helped kill time, but once you get near the time for results to be released it all rushes back.

I know we have at least one Illinois taker in this group, I am expecting results on the 30th, with a worst case being April 6. The results historically have been the first Friday of April (it was April 1 last year) so I anticipate the 30th being the day.

I am so tired of thinking about law school, studying for the bar exam, and now stressing about the result. I just want all of this to be over with. I think my state will release results next Friday or the following Monday.

I kept reviewing my MBE flash cards for 2 weeks after the exam, about 2 topics a day, in order to retain all the law in my memory in case I fail, but I've grown so sick and resentful of it that I can't stand to do it any longer.

Since Illinois (and some other states) result might come soon, is there any way to get some sense of MBE results of other states (e.g., NY where the results won't be out until April end). I mean the MBE questions are same for all the states so probably we can figure out how tough or how easy the MBE actually was? OR some guess for the mean score of MBE?

The wait is miserable. For a while I was able to put the bar exam out of my mind, but as the time when results will be released (mid-April) draws near, the anxiety and prospect of failing creeps back into my consciousness. I’m trying to stay as busy as possible and focus on the fact that it won’t be the end of the world if I fail, but it’s hard.

radjo wrote:Since Illinois (and some other states) result might come soon, is there any way to get some sense of MBE results of other states (e.g., NY where the results won't be out until April end). I mean the MBE questions are same for all the states so probably we can figure out how tough or how easy the MBE actually was? OR some guess for the mean score of MBE?

Could you glean "something" from the results in Illinois? Sure. You will know what the median score is for the MBE to get a fair idea of what the median score will be in NY (for the MBE) word will also leak out sooner rather than later about what the actual national median score was. How that information relates to your individual score borders on meaningless. If you were to do Adaptibar and complete the program (or get close to it) while knowing what your state average was and the national average was you may have a very rough idea of whether you were below, at, or above the average. Based on the knowledge of your scoring you could have a clue on where you stand with that 50th percentile score. (For example, if you were scoring inline with the national average and then we learn in Illinois that a 140 was the 50th percentile score, I would choose to assume you were somewhere near a 140, perhaps giving a point or two in either direction, it would be a well-educated guess but by no means definitive).

It is tempting to read into scores, while you are waiting for yours sometimes all you can do is kill time pining over other results, but the truth is, it will have literally zero effect on your score. That all being said, I've been in your shoes and I definitely get it.

animalpeople wrote:I'm not sure which wait is worse: pregnancy or bar results. I was hoping my anxiety over bar results would distract me from my due date countdown but that hasn't been the case. Time is going at a snail's pace. To make matters worse are these friggen' snow days. My campus is closed so I don't have to go into my clinic office (yay) but it's too cold for me to do anything other than feel depressed about this shitty weather (boo).

They have yoga for pregnant women- I think it's called prenatal. That might help.

http://www.pabarexam.org/bar_exam_infor ... estats.htm

the PA site has some good statistics. Not sure if these come out when they are released in March.

Just about a month for the NY peepz. How y'all doing out there?

Early morning April 16th. It used to be around noon, but recently they have been posted earlier in the morning!

Sean (Silverman Bar Exam Tutoring)

Apparently PA could be as early as this Friday.

JustHawkin wrote:Just about a month for the NY peepz. How y'all doing out there?

Haaating the wait! I knew the studying would be awful (which it was) and the exam would be miserable (which it was) but never thought about the two month wait for results. It's almost as bad. Checking the forums for lack of anything better to do. Not exactly nervous (yet). I just wanna know!

L_William_W wrote:

animalpeople wrote:I'm not sure which wait is worse: pregnancy or bar results. I was hoping my anxiety over bar results would distract me from my due date countdown but that hasn't been the case. Time is going at a snail's pace. To make matters worse are these friggen' snow days. My campus is closed so I don't have to go into my clinic office (yay) but it's too cold for me to do anything other than feel depressed about this shitty weather (boo).

They have yoga for pregnant women- I think it's called prenatal. That might help.

I'm not pregnant, but count me in Also, good luck with the pregnancy L... really puts the bar exam in perspective when I hear saintly stories like this (my experience is kind of ridiculous in comparison). Hope it stops snowing. Netflix and hot cocoa?!

So some state results should start trickling in over the next few days - right? I think NC may be one of the first? As things get closer to results, having trouble concentrating on anything else. Wish my state would just tell me the date they release them so I can go on with my life until that day.

pfunkera wrote:So some state results should start trickling in over the next few days - right? I think NC may be one of the first? As things get closer to results, having trouble concentrating on anything else. Wish my state would just tell me the date they release them so I can go on with my life until that day.

I really do agree with this, I understand that there are some things not within each bar's control (how quickly the MBE is scored and then scaled) and then naturally there are tests that have more or fewer applicants, but why a specific date cannot be mentioned is beyond me. In 2018 when results can be uploaded with the push of a button I am baffled why this added stress cannot be eliminated. The nonsense games of time frames for no reason is a stressor and doesn't allow people to prepare for what is truly a life-altering moment.

In Michigan, the results are mailed out and posted to the Board of Law Examiner's website - which is great, except for the fact that you had to know that they would be posted there ahead of time and continuously check. The only reason I even knew the results were posted was via a text message from a friend who was a judge who had heard they were released - without that text I would have waited around not knowing for days until something magically appeared in my mailbox. I was thankful results came out earlier than expected, but what feels like a borderline flippant way of releasing the results is stupid, especially in light of the magnitude of the information being released.

In Illinois, they do send a message directly to your email address which I really appreciate and based on prior release schedules I had a great guess as to what day they would be released, but I didn't KNOW for sure so there were nervousness and anxiety for really no reason. This year, having a girlfriend waiting for results we BELIEVE the results will be this Friday, but there is a decent chance it could be the 6th due to the fact that the test was as late as it possibly could be in February. So I know for a fact my girlfriend has had her stomach in knots for days, if the results don't come Friday there will be a brief exhale and then the nerves kick back in until the 6th. This can all be avoided by simply picking a date and releasing them on that given date.

All that and it doesn't begin to get me started on Illinois only releasing your score if you fail. Three years of school, months of studying and stress, another chunk of time over analyzing and wondering about results and then you are never told how you did - I find that ridiculous and patently unfair.

ndbigdave wrote:

pfunkera wrote:So some state results should start trickling in over the next few days - right? I think NC may be one of the first? As things get closer to results, having trouble concentrating on anything else. Wish my state would just tell me the date they release them so I can go on with my life until that day.

I really do agree with this, I understand that there are some things not within each bar's control (how quickly the MBE is scored and then scaled) and then naturally there are tests that have more or fewer applicants, but why a specific date cannot be mentioned is beyond me. In 2018 when results can be uploaded with the push of a button I am baffled why this added stress cannot be eliminated. The nonsense games of time frames for no reason is a stressor and doesn't allow people to prepare for what is truly a life-altering moment.

In Michigan, the results are mailed out and posted to the Board of Law Examiner's website - which is great, except for the fact that you had to know that they would be posted there ahead of time and continuously check. The only reason I even knew the results were posted was via a text message from a friend who was a judge who had heard they were released - without that text I would have waited around not knowing for days until something magically appeared in my mailbox. I was thankful results came out earlier than expected, but what feels like a borderline flippant way of releasing the results is stupid, especially in light of the magnitude of the information being released.

In Illinois, they do send a message directly to your email address which I really appreciate and based on prior release schedules I had a great guess as to what day they would be released, but I didn't KNOW for sure so there were nervousness and anxiety for really no reason. This year, having a girlfriend waiting for results we BELIEVE the results will be this Friday, but there is a decent chance it could be the 6th due to the fact that the test was as late as it possibly could be in February. So I know for a fact my girlfriend has had her stomach in knots for days, if the results don't come Friday there will be a brief exhale and then the nerves kick back in until the 6th. This can all be avoided by simply picking a date and releasing them on that given date.

All that and it doesn't begin to get me started on Illinois only releasing your score if you fail. Three years of school, months of studying and stress, another chunk of time over analyzing and wondering about results and then you are never told how you did - I find that ridiculous and patently unfair.

I couldn't agree more. Even if they were unsure when all the grading would be done, they could easily give themselves wiggle room and establish a later date in case they missed the mark. It will be unfortunate if Illinois results don't release this Friday since they are usually the closest Friday to April 1st and we have all been anxious and stressed all week. However, usually the IL examiners publish the score memo the week of the results with the date of release (this did this last July on the Monday before). I haven't seen anything on the website so it is possible that they won't come out this Friday.

New Yorker here, so still a solid 30 days to go. I think April approaching has increased my anxiety x100

ndbigdave wrote: All that and it doesn't begin to get me started on Illinois only releasing your score if you fail. Three years of school, months of studying and stress, another chunk of time over analyzing and wondering about results and then you are never told how you did - I find that ridiculous and patently unfair.

I think my state releases scores, but it is just dumb for any state not to. We put way too much time, money, and effort into the test to not know how we did. The crazy thing is the people who are involved are all lawyers - right? You would think they have some sympathy and release all scores to test takers. I hated that in law school too. Study your butt off any get your grade but never really know how you did. Of course you can go in and see your test as your prof hovers over you, but who has time for that.

well, it could be worse . . .

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/grace-h ... aaba9.html

pfunkera wrote:

ndbigdave wrote: All that and it doesn't begin to get me started on Illinois only releasing your score if you fail. Three years of school, months of studying and stress, another chunk of time over analyzing and wondering about results and then you are never told how you did - I find that ridiculous and patently unfair.

I think my state releases scores, but it is just dumb for any state not to. We put way too much time, money, and effort into the test to not know how we did. The crazy thing is the people who are involved are all lawyers - right? You would think they have some sympathy and release all scores to test takers. I hated that in law school too. Study your butt off any get your grade but never really know how you did. Of course you can go in and see your test as your prof hovers over you, but who has time for that.

well, it could be worse . . .

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/grace-h ... aaba9.html

That linked story is crazy.

I really don't understand the logic in not providing the score. I know Illinois isn't the only state that holds the scores for passers, but I am also aware that Michigan is not the only state that does give the scores out. Beyond a simple fairness argument that I had previously mentioned, wouldn't it also be beneficial for students to know their scores and then report back to/about these different programs?

I for one was a test subject of sorts for Adaptibar, I really wanted to know what my before and after scores were after using the program. I had taken two previous bars and score basically the same thing (141 and 140) I had used the program and felt super confident and really wanted to know how much (if at all) the score had gone up. I would have definitely reported back on a site like this and spoken to friends about it with a real example of a score improvement (if it happened). But because Illinois hides the score all I know is that I passed and I don't know if I otherwise kept the same MBE score and did well on essays, or if I crushed the MBE and the essays didn't really matter.

The only argument I have been able to come up with (or have heard when discussing it with others) is that a Board of Law Examiners may not wish to release the passing scores so that employers won't ask about it during interviews - they know you passed by having the ARDC # and that's sufficient. If that is the real reason I think that is lame and second of all, having lived and worked in Michigan for years I was NEVER asked what my score was outside of the context of the first few days of scores being released and chatting with friends. No employer ever asked.

Id love to know what other reasons there can be and if there are even remotely as compelling as:
1 - you're entitled to them by paying for 3+ years of school, bar prep and the payment to take the test and going through C&F.
2 - to make grading/scoring accountable and transparent
3 - to hold bar prep companies accountable