Sixty-Five-Year-Old Man Takes Bar Exam

The bar prep routine has changed in the past ten days, following my completion of the outlines and lectures for all the exam subjects. More time is devoted to taking practice MBE tests, including one on Monday on which I used a bubble answer sheet as I will on the real deal. I’m doing several practice essays each week, and an average of one or two Multistate Performance Test questions each week. I’m also going over outlines and lecture handouts.

When I take most of the MBE practice, I take time to read through the explanations of what I got wrong. Also, unless the rule targeted by the question is one I thoroughly understand, I also read through explanations of many that I get right. This is all part of the learning method. There is still much memorization work to do in the next seven weeks. And memorization work is discussed in Professor Orin Kerr’s Reason post from a year ago. Kerr gives a thorough recounting of his taking the California bar exam as a law professor of many years. Thank you to my friend Faye Jones for alerting me to the post!

The bar review study is gradually building my confidence, and I’m cautiously optimistic that I will feel good about the exam as I undertake it.