Thursday, July 31, 2008

Yes, the Bar Exam Is Over

The second day of the bar exam was today, and all I can say is IT IS OVER!!!! It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and I was not as nervous. But I am also not sure how to feel. Of course, I have no idea how I did on the MBE. I hope I did well. My practice MBE test scores had been pretty good recently, so I had that tranlated into a decent multistate score on the exam. I also hope I did OK on the essay portion. I keep thinking of things I didn't include in the essays, and things I did include that were wrong. We don't have to have an excellent essay, just one that is passing. I hope mine is passing. It will be a long time until Oct. 10 whe I find out.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Bar Exam: Studying With Others Has Been Invaluable

Going into this, I wasn't sure what to expect once bar review started. I knew I would be attending the BarBri and PMBR sessions. But studying for the bar requires a lot of outside study too. I had assumed I would be studying by myself. I felt OK with this, because I am good at studying by myself.

But instead, I have been meeting one or two people everyday since the bar review classes have stopped. We mostly just study on our own, but are there together. Usually at a Starbucks. So if we have questions or just need moral support, we are there for each other. I can't imagine doing this any other way. It would be so lonely. And scary in a way, since you wouldn't have anyone to compare notes with. I would definitely recommend studying with at least another person during this difficult time. For people who take bar review classes in a new city, you can always meet people to study with during the BarBri classes.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Got Letter from Bar Examiners

Last week I got the letter we have all been waiting for--the letter saying we are approved to take the bar exam. That is a load off our backs. Not that I should have been worried, but we have heard that some people are prevented from even sitting for the bar exam. Not sure why. But I am glad I am not one. They figured out I am not a menace to society, and that maybe I could be of benefit to the legal field. The letter did indicate that they are still continuing our background investigations and that we still have to have a one-on-one interview before it is all said and done. But at least we are past this hurdle.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

MBE: The Call of the Question

I am sitting here tonight having a bad run at MBE questions. This after having a good run yesterday. What am I to think? These questions seem an endless mound of insurmountable material. All to be mastered in a week. Jeez.

One trick I am trying to remember though is to read the call of the question first. That will help in knowing what to look for in the question. That helps you answer the question quickly and correctly. Except for tonight. Yikes.

Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen!

"Wonderful, Wonderful, Copenhagen." I love that song sung by Danny Kaye. It made me want to go to that city. It is on my list of places to go--a list that I hope to whittle down after I successfully pass the bar! Even looking at the photos on this link makes me want to book some Copenhagen hotels.

In addition to Copenhagen, I would love to travel to Scotland to check out my ancestors. It is a trip long overdue. I should have gone there many years ago. A visit to Edinburgh would be a must before heading out into the hinterlands. I would love to stay in one of the charming Edinburgh hotels.

Then over to Ireland to check on my ancestors from the other side of the family. Here again, it is a trip long overdue. I have long heard about how beautiful Ireland is and how very friendly the people are there. I would love to book some Dublin hotels.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Bush Should Pardon Marion Jones

I am determined to turn every one of my posts into something that relates to my bar study. Regarding constitutional law, the president is allowed to pardon federal criminals. Jones lied about using performance-enhancing drugs, which I knew about, but also lied about her knowledge of the father of one of her children in a check forging scheme, which I didn't know about. Bush should still pardon her. I like her, and I feel generous. He could pardon much worse.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

PMBR 3 Day Workshop--Worth It!

I know there is a lot of discussion out there as to whether PMBR is worth the money. I have to say unequivocally that the three day workshop is great. The first day you do another simulated test. Granted, as I mentioned in the earlier post, I did worse on this test than I did on the BarBri one. But it was a wake up call as to the importance of doing practice questions, and the two day review of the questions was invaluable. I have seen a marked improvement on my practice tests since then, and I am sure the review had something to do with that. I would definitely recommend the 3-day PMBR.