Bar Exam Results
Brian April 26th, 2005
I recently received some news that I was not anxious to share, but realized everyone is going to find out sooner or later.
As those two or three people who used to read my blog will know, I recently took the bar exam in Virginia.
Life was never better. I was on top of the world. The stars were all lining up and I had the best job I could ever hope for. Making more money than I ever imagined (counter balanced with student loans, of course) and doing a job I loved to do.
Then the bar results were released.
Here are all the people with last names that start with the letter “p” who passed the exam. Note the absence of any “Patton.”
Thus, I officially start the process all over again. Studying for hours per day and worrying for hours each night.
I am sure I was not the first and will not be the last, but it still sucks.
Oh, bummer, Brian — I’m sorry to hear that. At one time or another, we’ve all found that we didn’t make some important list. Most of us just don’t shoot as high as you.
I know it’s frustrating, but you don’t need to let it get you down. You aren’t the first and won’t be the last, but your response to this setback will demonstrate to everyone around you what you’re made of.
I’ve met you, and we’ve talked, and I have no doubt that you are going to be an excellent attorney. Keep your chin up!
Aw, Brian, that sucks. If you’d like, I can try to find that oft-quoted list of times that Abraham Lincoln failed before he achieved his goals…if that would help. As I’m sure you know, there are many fine attorneys that didn’t pass the bar on the first try…but I know it still bites. You’ve got a growing audience of people who are rooting for you! (That’s both a good and a bad thing, I know…but hopefully it means something to know you’ve got lots of peope supporting you.)
Do you know how many times JFK Jr. failed the bar? I can’t remember the exact number, but I’m sure it was many more times than you will take it.
Remember, I’m just a novice. By the time you get through it the second time, you’ll be the master.
Brian: Some day when you’re governor (or Senator, or whatever), we’ll sit around over a few beers (or Mountain Dews) and laugh about all this. For now, it sucks, but I have no doubt that this is just a very short pit stop on your personal NASCAR race to victory and success!
The hardest things acquired in life are the most treasured. Study hard my friend and come see me when your over my way.
Thanks for all the encouraging words. Its not so bad being associated with Lincoln and a Kennedy.
All that damn exam does is test your ability to memorize a bunch of cr*p and that’s only one aspect of practicing law. Hang in there.
I’m sorry you didn’t get it the first time. You will, I am positive, pass this. I wish you the best of luck and only wish you were living in California. I have need of an attorney there not here. Again, I’ll peek back and see the announcement that you’ve passed.
If only you were indian… besides Brian Patel rolls off the tongue better
That sucks Brian. But you will pass it next time fer sure.
Thanks again everybody. Its been a crappy week, but all of these nice comments have made it much easier.
I dusted off my BarBri books last night and am going to work my butt off this time.
Ouch! Sorry to hear that it didn’t work out this time. But not everything worthwhile comes the first time. I failed one of my qualifying exams while in pursuit of my PhD. I studied hard and passed it the second time around, and now I’m looking forward to starting my first job in my field.
Sounds like you are on the right track with it, Brian. Keep at it my friend!
I’m sorry, Brian. Well, at least this time you’re not starting from scratch. Good luck and don’t give up. I’ll be sending you kind thoughts!
I don’t know ya but….misery loves company!
I didn’t quite pass either…but I’ll see ya in Roanoke! Good luck!
Hey Brian….we keep missing each other with IM’s so I thought I would comment. I checked a few people from our school that graduated in the fall and only found 1 that had passed so don’t feel too bad. I’m sure if I would have taken it I would have had the same result. I think you will do great in July, let’s hope I do too. Hope to see you at graduation…..
Dawn
Hey Brian! Congrats- I am happy for you! I still have 2 more weeks to find out- I am a nervous wreck
send me an email too! I would like to keep in touch! Congrats again- I know you are very smart and I am not at all surprised you passed that difficult bar. lawbag78@yahoo.com
Brian…I was surfing the web and figured I’d see what was out there about the July Bar Exam. I too took the exam and missed it—by 7 points! I’m licensed in Michigan, so I don’t feel bad (especially since I studied on my own and didn’t take a prep course. So, hang in there and maybe we’ll meet up for the February ‘07 Bar Exam! Good luck to you.
I took the Michigan Bar and missed it by TWO POINTS. Yep, 2 points. However, I am not giving up that easy. I am going to Appeal and get the points I nees to pass. I feel for anyone who has recieved the horrible news of not passing the bar. God has a tremendous plan for our lives, and He even uses the “failures” and mistakes in our lives to make us stronger. I was sick for a week, almost like having a close relative pass away. I have a family and everything rests on me passing the bar. Knock ‘em dead Brian.
Could you please tell us the result of the appeal?
Thanks,
Make a List of Active Learning Strategies- And Use It!
Active learning and a positive attitude. It is a simple formula for bar exam success. By simple, I do not mean easy. I can give you the formula but you have to apply it. And that does take effort.
But what is active learning? Active learning occurs when you study, question yourself, and actually learn or reinforce relevant information. Active learning does not occur when you zone out in a bar review class, aimlessly read over your outlines, or sit in from of an open book with friends.
Lawyers who fail the bar do so simply because they are not spending enough time on active learning. Perhaps you feel frustrated because you spend eight hours a day studying for the bar and you still failed the exam. You didn’t fail because of laziness or stupidity. You failed because you didn’t do enough of the right kind of studying, i.e., the kind that leads to learning.
The difficulty with active learning is that it hurts your head. It takes concentration. Seriously. It is far easier to “read” an outline (or a novel or a magazine or anything else that takes half your brain) than it is to think about the subtleties of an executory interest versus a remainder. Skimming an outline is an almost complete waste of time but it makes you feel good, makes you feel like you are studying.
To combat the fact that active learning is really hard, you need an arsenal of different learning strategies that match with your mood and level of concentration at any given time. For example, when your concentration level and energy are good (say at 7:00 am if you are a morning person), then pick an active learning strategy that requires high concentration, such as doing sample questions in a tough subject. When you’ve really had it and your concentration level is low, do a stack of easy flashcards. I also recommend my book MBE Crossword Bar Exam Review.
When you’ve generated a good list of active learning strategies, order the list from high concentration strategies to low concentration strategies. Monitor your level of concentration, then pick a study tactic. (If you find that you always pick low level activities, you need to work on your concentration. Check out the previous post on Instant Hypnosis, which will help with concentration issues). As you think of new strategies, add them to your list.
Some examples of high level strategies include doing challenging simulated questions, creating your own flashcards, creating your own flowcharts, and explaining a tough legal concept to a study friend. (If you don’t have a friend on hand, explain into a tape recorder and then listen to what you said to see if it makes sense. Don’t just read from an outline.)
Examples of mid-level concentration strategies include doing flashcards, answering simple practice questions, recreating one of your own flowcharts from memory, and creating your own hypotheticals. Low concentration strategies include my Crossword Bar Reviews, my free products, and very simple flashcards. Be creative with your ideas– you can make simple matching games (such as match the example with the definition) or substitute your own flashcards in a game of Trivial Pursuit. Make it fun, but make sure you are learning.
Whatever you do, don’t fall back on old study strategies that waste time. The stakes are high and your time is precious. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you are studying when you are really just passing time. Make “active learning” your mantra. As with everything else in life, it is not enough to put up an act. You must put in the effort.
Study actively and put the bar exam behind you. Your career is waiting. visit barreviewonline.com to learn more
The Michigan Bar Exam was my downfall. I missed by 6 points. I thought I would have to do it all again, studying, missing work, more studying, etc. But I got in touch with a Professor at University of Detroit through a friend of mine. His name is Professor Joseph D. Slaven. I went to his website, www.michbarexamappeals.com. He has everything there, even a bar exam calculator to see how many raw points I needed. So I contacted him and had him review my answers. He told me that I had a good chance of appealing. I went for it! I couldn’t wait for another 6 months at a lower paying job. Professor Slaven processed the whole appeal and I passed!!! I thought needing 6 points that I was doomed. This guy hooked me up. Is there any appeal process for Virginia? Maybe Professor Slaven can help, I know he got me my bar card. Hang in there!
I will let you know when my results get back. As of June 25th I have not received it yet. I am getting impatient!
I just received my results…..and I PASSED!! Thank you Jesus for Your constant strength through a very trying time! I am blessed b/c I did not hire an attorney. I did it all myself, with the help from some serious prayer. I know people who were willing to pay over $3,000 to hire a bar exam appeals attorney. I just didn’t have that kind of money. So praise God!!
this is my third time taking the bar exam. My first time I failed by 30 points, my second by 10. I left barbri and enrolled with another course. It’s exhausting carrying the burden of not passing this exam. No matter what people have told me to make me feel better, I realize the only one whose opinion matters is mine. If I have a bad attitude, I get stuck. If I don’t, I move forward. For the last two weeks I’ve been stuck. I think it all began with finding out I was pregnant two months ago. I will be 6 months pregnant on this third attempt. How should I convince myself to go on?