Across the Gulf South and Midwest, bar candidates are diligently preparing for the upcoming bar examinations. As the culmination of law school and a necessity to begin a legal practice, the bar exam represents a pivotal moment for prospective attorneys.
Galloway’s experienced attorneys, with years of expertise and positive outcomes in the boardroom and courtroom, were asked what kept them up at night, what strategies they employed to conquer those fears, and what advice they would give to those taking the bar exam this month.
Fear of Failure and the Shear Breadth of the Law
Director Matthew Williams of Galloway’s Gulfport office recalls that he realized “that both my future and the justification for the money I spent getting an education depended on the results of one, three-day test I wasn’t guaranteed to pass.” Additionally, the shear breadth of the law created an anxiety and a fear – “my biggest fear was that I did not have enough time to consume the amount of information needed to pass a test that my future depended upon.”
Jose Barro, a Director in Mandeville, Louisiana, echoed Matt’s comments, saying “I think what intimidated me the most was the sheer scope of the material and the number of tests.” Louisiana had nine essay exams at the time he sat for the Bar.
McKenzie Brown and Anna Kirkpatrick, Directors in Dallas and Tampa respectively, discussed the fear of failure as the examination approached. McKenzie stated, “When it came down to the wire, I vividly remember struggling and being fearful of failure. I feared not being prepared enough.” Anna added, “The biggest thing that kept me up at night was the fear of having to go through the entire process again in the event I failed.”
Prepare and Stick to a Routine
When discussing strategies to overcome those fears, Jose planned ahead and stuck to a set schedule, limiting his preparation to one exam per study session with two sessions a day. “I basically treated it like a job – with weekends, and end times on weekdays.”
Anna agrees on the value of creating a routine that includes practice tests and mental breaks, and sticking to that routine even on the tough days – “Routine is key as the exam is not only a test of knowledge but a test of mental endurance.”
Matt reached out to his classmates who were also preparing for the exam. “I found ways to turn every conversation with my classmates into a conversation about a particular fact pattern I encountered on the practice exams in an effort to get different points of view and internally gauge whether I grasped a particular area of the law or needed to focus on that area more.”
The Home Stretch and Believing in Yourself
McKenzie focused on remembering how much time and preparation she had put into doing her best, knowing she had done the work and that her support system was encouraging her. “I continued to tell myself that I was prepared. That I could do it. And that it would be ok!”
Matt recalls, “The week before the exam, I took a breath. I tried to relax. I came home to the Coast and took my family’s boat out to the islands to camp for two days just to clear my head. I rested, realizing that I had given my best to prepare and that if I still didn’t pass, then God must have had different plans for my future.”
Building Stamina
Anna offered this advice to those sitting for the bar – “At least once, sit through an entire practice exam. Whether you do it from home or from an outside location, it helps your mental endurance tremendously.” She found value in practice exams that simulated the conditions of the actual testing days. “I am so glad I took advantage of the practice exam because it prepared me mentally and physically for the hours spent taking the exam.”
Take Care of Yourself Before and During the Exam
Jennifer “Jenny” Woulfe, a Director in Galloway’s St. Louis office, stressed the importance of mental health and controlling one’s stress level through the high stakes pressure. “In my opinion, the worst thing you can do is get too far inside your head thinking this exam is the defining moment of your life that you paralyze yourself with fear. There is such a thing as over-prepared. Don’t forget to take a break and have some fun once in a while. The year I took the bar exam, I went on vacation and studied from a beach chair. Stress can help you focus and serve as a motivator…until it doesn’t.”
Jenny also found that you may need to distance yourself from others whose anxiety may affect your own mental health. Choosing to have her own hotel room and not joining a group of friend cramming the night between the two days of testing, she knew the perceived extravagance would help her in the long run. “In my opinion, keeping a cool head can make a big difference when it comes to test results.”
Believe in Yourself
Galloway attorneys stressed that as long as you make a reasonable effort to study and attend bar review courses, you have good odds on passing. It does happen that people do not pass on the first try and pass on subsequent attempts.
McKenzie encourages bar candidates with this advice – “Know that all of the time you have put in studying the past few months has prepared you! Believe in and trust yourself.”
Matt reflected, “None of us are perfect and you don’t need a perfect score to pass the bar exam. Study the best you can. Put in the hard work. Embrace the suck. You’re never going to know everything about the law or even spot every potential issue given to you in a fact pattern on the exam.”
Finally, once the exam is complete, celebrate but do not forget your support system. Matt advised, “Don’t forget to take a moment to thank those around you. After all, they were the ones who supported you along the way and put up with you during what will surely be one of the most uncertain, nerve racking times in your very long, professional career.”