How I passed California Bar with only two weeks of study. Forum

[jasofbase2001]

I have taken three bar exams: in 2012, I took Washington State after law school. I was working full time that summer, but I still did essentially the full program during nights and weekends (I had a once in a lifetime work opportunity that was more important to me than the bar). In February 2016, I took it again in a UBE state, and in 2018 I took it in California. I passed all three times. I had three weeks to study for the UBE, but only two weeks to study for CA. Although I studied only for two weeks, I had experience taking bar exams and there is some knowledge you retain, so I wasn't starting from scratch.

Here are my keys (focusing on essays - I just did a lot of MBEs and for me, it was just a matter of practicing and learning from wrong answers):

1. Nail the PT by doing this: read the question, and then write the essay as you read the materials. YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ EVERYTHING first! So once you know the question, read quickly and TYPE THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS AS YOU GO! My question was about whether a conveyance was a gift or a sale and whether there would be standing (something like that). So I typed a brief outline: (1) CHARITY; (2) SALE; (3) STANDING. Then as I read, I typed out quotes from the "library" under each heading that supported one or the other. Within 45 minutes, I had all the relevant quotes supporting charity typed under "CHARITY" and all the quotes regarding sale under "SALE" and the few quotes about standing under "STANDING." Then I spent the rest of my 45 minutes bridging them all together and making it a readable essay.

2. ACRONYMS for EVERYTHING! As I watched videos, I made a spreadsheet with acronyms for everything. I had the weirdest acronyms - over 100 acronyms. It looks like this in my excel sheet:

Column A: Fraud

Column B: EME

Column C: (i) Employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud; (ii) make any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact; or (iii) engage in any act, practice or course of business that is a fraud

Then I would blackout column B and column C so they act like flashcards, and type the answers in columns D and E. Those acronyms really help me. It's hard to memorize whole sentences, but "EME" is doable. Then when I see fraud, it triggers EME, which triggers the sentence.

Another example:

Column A: Six warranties

Column B: SEC QAW

Column C: seisen, encumbrances, right to convey; quiet enjoyment; further assurances; warranty.

3. "Excel" Flashcards. I have an Excel sheet that has "flash cards" for each topic. So Column A has a key word, and then my "outline" is in Column B, which is blacked out. I can then type the answer in Column C.

Example:

Column A: Offer
Column B: (1) Objective intent to be bound; (2) Specific offeree, directed at offeree (except contests, reward offers, e.g., broadly offered); (3) Terms (PPSQ v PSQ); (4) creates power of acceptance to other side.

With Column B as the "right answer", I'd black it out and type the answer in Column C lots of times as practice.

PARTING THOUGHTS: For me, memorizing the rules using acronyms really helped me issue spot. And then when I spotted the issues, I could just write down the elements and analyze really quickly. For example, our crim essay was about search without warrants.

Within 5 minutes I had this:

1. Search -> REP (Reasonable Expectation of Privacy)
2. REP? -> HCOBL (house, car, office, backyard, luggage). At house, so need warrant or exception
3. Warrant -> NDPP (neutral magistrate, description, probable cause described with particularity)
4. Exception? ESCAPES (exigent circumstances, search incident to arrest, consent, automobile, plain view, evidence from regulatory search, stop and frisk)
5. Exigent circumstances -> EH (emergency, hot pursuit).

Then I had 55 minutes to apply the facts because I could write out the law that fast. With time, you can organize and write clearly.

FINAL THOUGHT: Find a way to memorize the law and be able to get it out quickly without vacillating!

[rcharter1978]

I'm glad you passed but two weeks of study sounds like a recipe for disaster for most people.

I know you mean well, but I think it would be a mistake for people to feel lulled into the idea that two weeks of studying is anything other than a last, last resort.

[bacillusanthracis]

I'm glad you passed but two weeks of study sounds like a recipe for disaster for most people.

I know you mean well, but I think it would be a mistake for people to feel lulled into the idea that two weeks of studying is anything other than a last, last resort.

Yeah. Supposedly Frank Abagnale Jr. passed the Louisiana bar exam, having never gone to law school and only studying for like three weeks. That may not be 100% accurate, but that's the gist.

Some people are capable of retaining and then capable of applying massive amounts of information in a very short period of time, but two weeks to study for any bar exam is farcical for all but a tiny percentage of people.

[jasofbase2001]

My intent wasn't to focus on two weeks. I tried to make clear that I couldn't have succeeded in two weeks except for the fact that it was my third bar. I had no choice and was prepared to take it the next time if needed.

My point is that there is this huge universe of information and it is important to be really, really strong on the most important information. A lot of people I know who have failed were not successful in really getting the most important information in their heads. I used this same system the first time when I had a full 10 weeks to study. The point is to be strong on the most important information and get it down quick so you can write a good essay int he time allotted.

[rcharter1978]

My intent wasn't to focus on two weeks. I tried to make clear that I couldn't have succeeded in two weeks except for the fact that it was my third bar. I had no choice and was prepared to take it the next time if needed.

My point is that there is this huge universe of information and it is important to be really, really strong on the most important information. A lot of people I know who have failed were not successful in really getting the most important information in their heads. I used this same system the first time when I had a full 10 weeks to study. The point is to be strong on the most important information and get it down quick so you can write a good essay int he time allotted.

I don't know, the title of this thread seems to put a focus on the two weeks.

And perhaps what is lost there is that the essays are open for a broader range of information whereas the MBE (which I think you had more time to study for) lives more in the details. So maybe it's cool if you forget some part of the acronym since you'll still likely get some points for remembering something. Which is somewhat important since it's now 50/50 (it was not that way when I took the cbx).

I totally agree that having a comfortable approach for the PT is super important since, as I understand, it's still worth more than an essay and doesn't require any memorization.

As to your essay method, it worked out really well for you, so I certainly wouldn't discount it per se. But trying to memorize like 40 acronyms over 2 weeks sounds like that may not entirely work for everyone.

[justanotheruser]

For those who are able to study full time for the February 2019 exam, here's a thread I wrote on my experience of finally passing the exam on the sixth try: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=298888

Now, as for OP, I actually agree with the approach on PT. Not only is it important to focus on it (huge impact since it essentially counts twice as much as a single essay), but to do so in a time-efficient manner.

I will echo that everyone's mileage may vary and some folks might thrive w/ pure rote memorization. But in my experience, focusing so much on memorizing ended up blowing up in my face. I found that by mentally focusing on doing practice problems, I memorized certain things pretty naturally and -- importantly -- within the context of fact patterns. But when putting concerted effort into memorizing, I found myself overwhelmed and trying to memorize instead of doing actual problems + productive review.

[jman77]

Also passed the CBX with 2 weeks prep (less if you factor in the time I procrastinated and watched Netflix at various times during the day). Moved to CA in May 2017 (inter-office transfer) and sat for the July 2017 CBX. Only got a 2-week study leave.

First of all, it's very important to highlight the fact that I and the OP already successfully hurdled at least one other jurisdiction's bar exam (and fairly recently -- mine was NY in 2014). I cannot overstate how significant the recall factor was in my prep. I think without that factor it would be almost impossible to pass the CBX with such a short prep time.

With regards to approach, I've always found that understanding and being able to write rules/statements of law in my own words is more effective and efficient compared to memorization. My prep was primarily 10 days or so of MBE drills and 3 days or so of going over the Smart Bar Prep outlines.

With respect to the essays, my goal was not to be able to memorize rules, but rather to be able to recognize what is being called for by the fact pattern and then to be able to sufficiently paraphrase rules and apply them to the fact pattern. The bar exam is a pass/fail affair -- we don't have to aim for an A or even a B. I think trying to memorize within such a short time frame would be very counterproductive.

Of course if one has the luxury of time to prep for the bar then the other recommendations setting forth more thorough study plans would be ideal.

[estefanchanning]

Future taker, I passed the bar without studying at all. If you factor all the drinking, I actually un-studied. So do that and you'll also pass.

[lexingtonhr]

I have taken three bar exams: in 2012, I took Washington State after law school. I was working full time that summer, but I still did essentially the full program during nights and weekends (I had a once in a lifetime work opportunity that was more important to me than the bar). In February 2016, I took it again in a UBE state, and in 2018 I took it in California. I passed all three times. I had three weeks to study for the UBE, but only two weeks to study for CA. Although I studied only for two weeks, I had experience taking bar exams and there is some knowledge you retain, so I wasn't starting from scratch.

Here are my keys (focusing on essays - I just did a lot of MBEs and for me, it was just a matter of practicing and learning from wrong answers):

1. Nail the PT by doing this: read the question, and then write the essay as you read the materials. YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ EVERYTHING first! So once you know the question, read quickly and TYPE THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS AS YOU GO! My question was about whether a conveyance was a gift or a sale and whether there would be standing (something like that). So I typed a brief outline: (1) CHARITY; (2) SALE; (3) STANDING. Then as I read, I typed out quotes from the "library" under each heading that supported one or the other. Within 45 minutes, I had all the relevant quotes supporting charity typed under "CHARITY" and all the quotes regarding sale under "SALE" and the few quotes about standing under "STANDING." Then I spent the rest of my 45 minutes bridging them all together and making it a readable essay.

2. ACRONYMS for EVERYTHING! As I watched videos, I made a spreadsheet with acronyms for everything. I had the weirdest acronyms - over 100 acronyms. It looks like this in my excel sheet:

Column A: Fraud

Column B: EME

Column C: (i) Employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud; (ii) make any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact; or (iii) engage in any act, practice or course of business that is a fraud

Then I would blackout column B and column C so they act like flashcards, and type the answers in columns D and E. Those acronyms really help me. It's hard to memorize whole sentences, but "EME" is doable. Then when I see fraud, it triggers EME, which triggers the sentence.

Another example:

Column A: Six warranties

Column B: SEC QAW

Column C: seisen, encumbrances, right to convey; quiet enjoyment; further assurances; warranty.

3. "Excel" Flashcards. I have an Excel sheet that has "flash cards" for each topic. So Column A has a key word, and then my "outline" is in Column B, which is blacked out. I can then type the answer in Column C.

Example:

Column A: Offer
Column B: (1) Objective intent to be bound; (2) Specific offeree, directed at offeree (except contests, reward offers, e.g., broadly offered); (3) Terms (PPSQ v PSQ); (4) creates power of acceptance to other side.

With Column B as the "right answer", I'd black it out and type the answer in Column C lots of times as practice.

PARTING THOUGHTS: For me, memorizing the rules using acronyms really helped me issue spot. And then when I spotted the issues, I could just write down the elements and analyze really quickly. For example, our crim essay was about search without warrants.

Within 5 minutes I had this:

1. Search -> REP (Reasonable Expectation of Privacy)
2. REP? -> HCOBL (house, car, office, backyard, luggage). At house, so need warrant or exception
3. Warrant -> NDPP (neutral magistrate, description, probable cause described with particularity)
4. Exception? ESCAPES (exigent circumstances, search incident to arrest, consent, automobile, plain view, evidence from regulatory search, stop and frisk)
5. Exigent circumstances -> EH (emergency, hot pursuit).

Then I had 55 minutes to apply the facts because I could write out the law that fast. With time, you can organize and write clearly.

FINAL THOUGHT: Find a way to memorize the law and be able to get it out quickly without vacillating!

This is something that my brother in law did with a little over 2 weeks of study. He just knows what study habits work for him and it clicks. He couldn't teach me these ways because it's not how I study.

I envy the way you easily approached it. This past bar cycle, I was scattered and burnt out. I need more than 2 weeks to study because I don't work that way. But thanks for showing the PT approach. That was helpful and I liked your acronyms as well.

[mathandthelaw]

I think your feedback is overall helpful. Again, 2 weeks is only doable if you have prior experience taking a bar. Otherwise, I recommend putting in 8 substantive hours each day for 2 months. That's what I did. It seems daunting (and near impossible if you work full time so start earlier if you work), but it's better to put in the work to nearly guarantee yourself a pass.

PT:
First I'd create my general structure from the Task Memo.
With the PT, I would just add for the LIBRARY that I actually typed out the full rule statements from cases as I read them. Then bullet pointed a few facts from the cases right below as I read.
As I read the FILE I would type out all of the relevant facts in bullet point form under the rule statements. Then, I would create my headings for each different issue that I was analyzing and used a CREAC format. (Conclusion, rule, how the rule was applied elsewhere, analysis to the facts in the PT, and another conclusion).

Mnemonics:
I think the acronyms you came up with are really smart. My one regret was that I used acronyms only for subjects that were less often tested (because I had more trouble memorizing them) and memorized rule statements/shells for all of the major topics. That was rather daunting, and only worked because I practiced so many essays.

Practice, practice, practice MBEs, essays, PTs. I did around 8 time-tested PTs. I did at least 1 essay a day for 6 weeks. I did 2 simulated essay days (full days of essays and PT), and 3 simulated MBEs (one full day, two half days). Honestly those full day practices were really helpful because I could handle time management on the exam.

[LeonardHaggin]

Some people are more productive when working under pressure. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. The lack of time makes me panic and I miss out the basics which would normally be a piece of cake. I admire people who can manage successfully in situations like this. Good for you!

[justanotheruser]

While I applaud the success story here, constantly looking for shortcuts + procrastinating + etc. is a big reason why it took me six tries to pass the damn thing. The success story should be seen as the exception, not the rule.