I passed the Baby Bar---Just barely.............

[chaser]

The moral is, "Be afraid.  Be VERY afraid..."

(Since I truly gave it 100% and just barely passed by the skin on my teeth.)

[lawcatty]

now that you passed the baby bar what can you tell us that are taking it in Jun 06? Is it write essay's write essay's write essays?

[plumeria]

The moral is, "Be afraid.  Be VERY afraid..."

(Since I truly gave it 100% and just barely passed by the skin on my teeth.)

Congrats.
At least you passed.
Tell us what it was like, please.

[chaser]

Thanks for the congrats.  Here is the advice from the D-Student:

1) 120 days before the exam, focus strictly on the MBE's (multiple choice).  I met more people who nailed the essays and failed the MBE's.

2) Get to the point of where you can do 100 MBE's a day.

3) I would, seriously, do over 2,500 practice MBE's--PMBR, Flemings, ncbex.org, etc.  Used copies are cheap at amazon.com

4) Don't drink alcohol or eat sugar 120 days before the exam.

5) Get your hotel room right across the street and make sure it has a refrigerator.

6) Buy a huge lunch and put it in the refrigerator--like more than you ever thought you could possibly eat in a dream.

7) Don't talk to other students during the lunch break--they will freak you out about how they answered the Essays differently, and it will break your confidence for the MBE's.

Go to a health food store and buy mental supplements.  My favorite is SharpMind--but if you go to a good store and ask them what's good for a test, they will give you a lot of options.

Anyway, good luck and since you are logging on to boards like this and open to new ideas, you will probably pass!

And even if you don't you have three chances before you lose time credit, and unlimited chances if you just keep taking it.

My main point is don't give up!!

I met an attorney who passed the California Bar and had been practicing since 1982, and he "audited" the Baby Bar for practice for the New Jersey bar--the Baby Bar is notorious nationwide for its toughness, so don't think it is any reflection on anything if you don't pass the first time--just immediately start studying for the next one!!

And sorry I took so long to answer--this board is kinda slow so I don't check it much.

[sdlaw]

congrats but if u just barely passed how do u think you will pass the real one?  I dont mean to be pestimistic but the bar passage rates for people who are forced to take the baby bar are really low, if you just barely passed the baby bar I would suggest a different career.

[123gb]

Lots of comments about the CA Baby Bar.  Here is my comments & experience:

I know the pass rate for the CA baby bar is very low, but I passed the June 2006 exam on my first attempt and without taking any prep class. I say this not to demean those who do not pass or have to take the test multiple times to pass, but to let everyone know that IT REALLY IS NOT ALL THAT HARD TO PASS this exam, if you know some BASIC law and know how to take the test. 

From my experience, I have concluded that success on
passing the baby bar (and probably the Gen. bar as well) is not how many hours one studies law, but how they study what is likely to be tested on the bar.

I believe that many (if not most) students spend far too much time studying (especially reading!!)and not enough time concentrating on learning how to put what they do know on paper, under time constraints, and in a format that the bar examiners are looking for.

Here is what worked for me:

As for study time, I must admit that I barely studied the minimum 864 hours in my first year of correspondence law study. Prior to the baby bar I spent six days (about six hours per day) "refreshing" [i.e., going over what I had already memorized] my legal knowledge. That's it.

My advise to any new students who are interested in PASSING the baby
bar:

1. Obtain a good, concise outline of each subject that contains all the essential rules of law. Then, memorize the outline (yes, I did say MEMORIZE the outline - word for word. It's really not that hard if you take it in "chunks" and apply yourself);

2. Study past baby bar exams and see how those who scored well wrote their answers;

3. Write your answers like the "model" answers. If you have to, memorize passages from the model answers;

4. Practice writing essays under time constraints. I admit that I did not do this, but should have.

If you spend your time MEMORIZING basic legal rules, and know how the bar examiners want to see your answer, you should have no problems passing.

[LegalLatin78]

Where do you all go to law school, 123gb  and chaser? 

[123gb]

West Coast School of Law

[LegalLatin78]

Ah, that is in LA county, right?

[123gb]

West Coast School of Law is a correspondence law school located in Downey (LA), California. See www.westcsl.com for more info.  Frankly, it is not the school for everyone. It is not a computer based “interactive” study program. It is more of an old fashioned correspondence school. The school tells you what to study and provides you with a workbook which guides you through a method/course of study. Then you are literally on your own. Of course, there are tests to take.

WCSL works for people who are reasonably intelligent and HIGHLY motivated. If you have a good record of prior academic achievement (i.e., know for certainty that you can read & study well by yourself), and know that you do not need someone to prod you along in your studies, this school may work for you. I selected this school because it is inexpensive, and gives me everything I want and need -  a way to study on my own and qualify to take the CA General Bar Exam.