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We know life doesn’t stop because you’re preparing for the bar. (Although it might feel like it.) Our Bar Rev-YOU section not only helps you learn to fit bar prep into your life — it gives you ways to fit a little life into your bar prep.
Intentional Gratitude
What a hard question... what are you thankful for? Couldn't we all go on and on? It’s a chance to voice some of the foundational things in life like our health, family, and friendships. And it’s also a chance to reflect on some of the often overlooked, taken-for-granted things that we would do well to appreciate more: clean air, the unexpected kindness of a stranger, the way a season like autumn sparks memories just with its texture, a brand-new day...
Discounts or Disguises: How to Know You’re Getting the Best “Deal” for You
Have you ever had the feeling that those “deep discounts” you see scrolling through your social media feed are really just a way to entice you to click and buy something you weren’t intending to buy in the first place?... Here’s my take: the value of a purchase of any kind can typically be observed in its intersection of function, results, user experience, and cost...
How to Effectively Study for the Bar While Working
Studying for the bar exam can feel like a full-time job. But what happens if you already have a job that you’ll need to maintain while studying? The reality for many is that life doesn’t stop just because you need to focus on preparing for the bar. But the good news is that many before you have been in the same situation, adequately prepared themselves, and passed!...
Your Productive Study Space!
Preparing for the bar exam can be a daunting task, one that requires you to make a lot of decisions – from choosing a jurisdiction, to selecting an exam prep course, to answering bar application questions – the list goes on! And once you’ve figured all that out, graduated law school (congrats!), and are ready to study – you’re still not done. It’s time to consider how to best approach bar prep, a process that you’ll tackle largely on your own...
Tips for Becoming a Master at Multiple-Choice Exams
When it’s time to study for the bar exam, the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) and the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) — two tests you must pass to become licensed in most jurisdictions (check your state’s specific requirements) — are both comprised entirely of multiple-choice questions. So, even if you haven’t had to decide between (a), (b), (c), and (d) since the LSAT, you will need to hone your ability to answer “bar style” multiple-choice questions...
Evaluación del Carácter y la Condición Física
En todas las jurisdicciones de los Estados Unidos, primero debe completar el proceso de solicitud de la licenciatura antes de obtener la licencia para ejercer la abogacía. El procedimiento de cada estado es un poco diferente (aquí hay un gran recurso si desea obtener más información sobre los requisitos de su jurisdicción), pero todos requieren una evaluación de Carácter y Aptitud como parte de su boleto de admisión...
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Navigating Bar Licensure in Florida
Attorney licensing in Florida differs from many other U.S. jurisdictions and these disparities can make the process feel confusing. But if you create a strategic plan and take things one step at a time, you will be able to piece the puzzle together. Here are the basics to help you approach Florida licensure one manageable chunk at a time!...
Selecting Law School Courses with the Bar Exam in Mind
Law school is a significant investment, and if you want to maximize your return, you should be thoughtful about the courses you decide to take – to prepare yourself for your legal career, but also to ensure you’ve acquired the fundamental knowledge and skills you’ll need to pass the bar exam. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind as you plan your next semester (and beyond)...
Navigating Bar Licensure in New York
The process for obtaining a law license in New York State can feel intimidating because there are a lot of requirements to meet. But, if you break it down and take things one step at a time, it is manageable. And the more you know about what to expect, the better you can prepare yourself for the journey...
Five Tips for Networking in Law School and Beyond
Networking – a word that invokes fear for many law students and recent graduates. The thought of happy-hour conversations with a stranger or cold-calling attorneys with the hopes of creating a job opportunity can feel so intimidating that it makes us want to dive back under the blanket on the couch. But networking can also help you get your foot in the door when your grades aren’t opening them for you...
Learning From Last Semester’s Performance
Perhaps your last semester grades were not what you hoped to achieve. Or maybe you were pleasantly surprised! Regardless of how you performed overall on your first set of law school exams, it’s statistically likely that mistakes were made. And there is always room to improve!...
Don’t Stress Character and Fitness – Plan, Prepare, Disclose
The Character and Fitness assessment can feel daunting and intrusive, but with a little preparation, you can make it through with minimal stress. So, here are a few tips to help you breeze through your background check and come out on the other side with Character and Fitness clearance...
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How to Get Back on Your Bar Prep Schedule When the World Throws You Off
In a perfect world, bar studiers could put life on hold while they prepare for the exam, but few (if any) have this option. It’s recommended that you spend a minimum of 400 hours preparing for the bar exam, so having a clear roadmap of how and when you’re going to fit that study time into your life is crucial...
Sitting for the February Exam? Here’s How It’s Different from the July Experience.
You may find yourself spending a winter studying for the February bar exam for many reasons. Maybe it’s out of necessity – you graduated law school in December and need to become licensed ASAP, or you didn’t pass the July exam and are committed to conquering the test the next time around. Perhaps you secured a job where immediate licensure wasn’t necessary and decided to put the test off until February...
Applying for Bar Admission: Tips to Plan Ahead and Reduce Stress
Each jurisdiction establishes its own licensure requirements and there are many steps in the bar application and character and fitness evaluation process. Although several of the licensure requirements are fairly consistent across jurisdictions, there are many nuances regarding documentation, deadlines, and fees that are state-specific. With multiple steps, confusing and varied requirements, and your career on the line, the admissions process can feel overwhelming...
You Failed the Bar Exam, Now What?
Failing the bar exam can feel like a devastating blow. Depression, anxiety, doubt, and a sense of loss are all common emotions for the over 20,000 applicants who do not pass the bar each year. But do you know what else is common? Each fall and spring, when bar results are released, those who learned they did not pass dust themselves off, try again, and succeed on their next attempt...
The UBE and Me
I was one of the first law students to use Helix Bar Review for the UBE in Texas and let me tell you it DID NOT disappoint As some close people to me know, I was dealing with my own medical issues during my last year of law school that did not dissipate in the slightest while studying for the bar...
Turn Bar Prep Anxiety into Excitement
Whether you are a 1L, 2L, 3L, or wrapping up four or more years of study, you are likely no stranger to stress. High expectations from yourself and others, high-stakes exams, the curve, and a whole host of other anxiety-inducing factors can create a perfect storm of pressure. Add the bar exam into the mix and stress levels can kick into overdrive...
Preparing for Law School Midterms
If you’re thinking about midterms, then you’ve made it through the first weeks of law school. Congratulations! For most law students, these initial weeks fly by as you spend countless hours trying to learn the law while buried in briefs, casebooks and class notes. Now, for some lucky 1Ls, it’s time to show what you’ve learned on midterms...
When is the Best Time to Take the MPRE?
Most law students have the bar exam on their radar. But there are other steps to becoming a licensed attorney in addition to passing that pivotal exam. The requirements vary by jurisdiction; however, in nearly every state, passing the MPRE, or Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, is a pre-requisite for admission to the bar...
Should I Join a Law School Organization? And, if so, Which One(s)?
You’ve been accepted into law school. Maybe you’ve even had your first week or two of classes. And now you’re starting to settle in for the next three years. It’s at this point that many law students ask themselves: Should I join a law school student organization? And, if so...
Tips for Avoiding Burnout in Law School
Applying for law school is stressful. Attending law school is stressful. Graduating, taking the bar and finding a full-time job? Yep, you guessed it – stressful. Add the everyday stresses on top of that, and you’ve got a recipe for burnout. The stress of constantly being in a high-pressure environment, of always having to be “on” and...
Preparing For Your First Law School Experience: Orientation
Orientation is approaching, you may be wondering . . . how do I prepare? Here are some simple steps to help you walk into your first law school experience with confidence.
Know what to expect. Overall, think of orientation as a celebratory affair. You have made it to law school – be proud and shine. This is the time to meet your new (and lifelong) colleagues, learn the ins and outs of the campus, get to know your law school support team and see a glimpse...
Two Days in July: Tips on Successfully Navigating the Experience of Taking the Bar Exam
Sure, you’ve read the outlines, watched the videos, practiced lots of sample bar exam questions and flashed all the cards, but the mechanics that surround the exam day experience might catch you by surprise. The goal is to get through each section of the exam in prime, bar-crushing mode: thinking clearly, recalling and...
Get a Life! Why Staying Social is a Study Strategy
Studying for the Bar exam should be treated like a full-time job. But while there are some who advocate that you should forego essentially all social activities, work, etc. and dedicate every waking moment to test prep, we’re not so sure about that. Not only does it sound miserable, it may also negatively impact your overall test performance. As the pandemic has taught us, social isolation isn’t good for anyone and can lead...
Why Sleep Matters for Test Prep
Sleep is one of the body’s most critical biological functions, yet it’s often the first thing sacrificed when we feel overwhelmed or stressed. Studying for the bar exam is certainly one of those times, and you often hear of students pulling all-nighters and running on very little shut-eye in a bid to spend as much time as possible studying...
Tips for Managing Exam Stress
The rapid heartbeat. Sweaty palms. That pit in your stomach, or maybe even full-blown nausea. An overwhelming sense of fear that you’re going to totally bomb the test and you’ll never achieve your goal of becoming an attorney as a result....
6 Tips for Overcoming Isolation During Bar Exam Prep
Social isolation has a significantly negative impact on our mental and physical health and overall wellbeing. To wit, Depression, anxiety, drug use and even overdose deaths have all skyrocketed as a result of the pandemic forcing all of us out of our routines and into isolation and restricted behavior...
Virtual Test Prep: Tips for a Stress-free Experience
Whether for safety purposes or merely for the sake of convenience, more than half of states offered a remote Bar Exam in July 2021. And with COVID cases on the rise, it’s likely that remote offerings will also dominate the February 2022 session...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: Start Here
When thinking about bar prep, it’s normal to be laser-focused on studying (it is the whole point, after all). But taking care of your wellbeing during this time is also essential. And a healthy lifestyle isn’t just good for you; it can also be good for your exam score—in ways that might surprise you...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: Set Yourself Up for Success
It may be tempting to just throw yourself right into studying: but first, take some time to prepare yourself for the weeks ahead...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: End of Week 1
Alright, you’ve done it: a whole week of studying. The unknowns are over and now you can take some time to reflect and refine...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: Halfway There
Remember that reward we told you to plan for yourself before you started? This is the week to enjoy it! Getting halfway through studying for the bar is a massive accomplishment in and of itself. Some days may have been hard, but you kept going. Give yourself credit! You deserve it...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: Week Before the Bar
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Look how far you’ve come. Take a big deep breath—you’re almost done. Now is not the time to panic. Quite the opposite. Here are some things to try so you can get or stay in the right headspace this final week...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: Week of the Bar
You did it. It’s finally here: bar exam week. And just think, this time next week, you’ll be enjoying some sweet, sweet study-free time! But until then, let’s get you in a good mindset to take on the test...
