Thread: How much time do I need to study for the bar exam?

I am a repeat taker, but I have never taken the ca bar before (I took NY bar in 2005 and failed) how much time should I study for the ca bar exam? Please advice

about 3 months, 8 hours a day

I treated it like a full time job, both the first and the second bar exam I took.

Every day I wake up at around 7am, study from 8am - 6pm, then relax (maybe play with flash cards) after 8pm while watching TV to relax so I can let the info sink in.

I gave each subject a day, in the morning I either listen to the lecture/make an outline/other ways to study, and in the afternoon I practice at least 2 questions in the full length. Reviewing what I did wrong was the key. I went back to my mistakes and added those info I didn't have into my outline. (I actually got a commercial baroutlines on ebay and then added my own comment on it)

I don't know your situation, but if you are working either part time or full time, I suggest that you actually take the last 3 weeks off and start finalizing and memorizing your bar outlines. (like the general rules, issues, and exceptions) and practice real questions. For essays, just outline the issues and general rules, for MBE, actually practice under timed condition.

Source: readings on studyfor.com and my personal experience

This is from a single parent of a special needs child

It largely depends on your knowledge base, strengths/weaknesses, ability to prioritize and stay focused while studying. But, if you can avoid and take off time from work, especially if it is your first bar exam, I would strongly recommend taking time off (personally, I would have done it, if I
could).

As a background, I am a '05 LS grad, took and passed on my first
attempt NY & NJ bars two years ago and CA this Feb. I am also a
single parent of a special needs child and have been working full-
time (9 to 5, no overtime) when I took the Cal bar exam (took one
week off prior to the exam to catch up & get in the exam mode and
one week off for the exam).

I took BarBri iPod home-study course for Feb 07 -- started studying
(just followed the BarBri schedule, at a somewhat relaxed pace) in
early December by following BarBri schedule in the evenings and
weekends.

In January and February, I was studying more intense -- went to
work, studied for the bar, and only did absolutely necessary house
errands. All studying was done over the weekends (hired a sitter)
and evenings (2-3 hours 3-4 evenings a week). During these two
months, I did not do anything but work and study -- no TV, no going
out, no friends or family, etc. I also tried to postpone everything
else, and do whatever I had to do (e.g., shopping, laundry, etc.) in
the evenings when I was tired from my work anyway and to save
valuable weekend time. Also, on occasional evenings I tried to
study but felt it was not productive because I was too tired from
work, etc. -- I took those off and just went to bed early to get
rested so that I'd be more productive the next day.

I must add though that when I began listening to the lectures, I
realized that I remembered a lot of multistate law from two years
ago (Barbri course, no job, studied 10-14 hours a day for two
months). So, on these subjects all I had to do was to refresh my
memory and to learn concepts I did not quite get in '05. I am also
a good writer, so I did not practice much writing the essays and
PTs -- did a few of those but basically focused on learning and
understanding the law and practicing MBEs.

So, this is my experience. To see if you can do it, you would have
to assess your situation yourself.

E.S.

P.S. I can offer/email my outlines that I created last Feb (hence,
no new subjects) to anyone interested; however, keep in mind that
most of your understanding of the law comes from creating his or her
own ones and uses someone else's (that includes commercial ones) to
compare & clarify some points of law.

Source: greatmorton (a really nice guy online)