1 week until the July 2013 bar exam

With one week until exam day, the July 2013 bar exam is just around the corner.  I like to make this week all about review: practicing MBE questions, reading over past essays, perusing flash cards and skimming notes.  I’ve also like going over the Strategies and Tactics for the MBE book every day for the rest of this week leading up to the next week.  It’s a great book for nailing down the trickiest and most tested distinctions on the MBE, and unlike essay questions, the MBE requires highly detailed knowledge of distinctions.  For those of you taking Virginia, don’t be fooled into thinking that because the essays are 60% and the MBE is 40% that you do not need to get a high score on the MBE.  Virginia has one of the highest minimum passing score requirements, so even though it’s a combined weighting system, you need to aim for at least a 140 scaled score on your MBE in Virginia.  As for study materials, if you have made “too many” note cards and find you are not using them, then you need to set aside at least 1/2 of your pile and get to work on the other half.  Note cards are not that useful when they are written up in May, and never looked at again.  Use this week to review some of your cards in your weaker subject areas and in the more frequently tested subject areas.  And finally, if you are feeling burned out, frazzled, or totally stressed, then take a 1/2 day to rest and reset.  You are not doing yourself any favors if you show up at the bar exam totally burned out.  1/2 a day will not make a difference either way.  Meaning, you can’t study extra hard for 1/2 a day and pass the exam, nor can you take 1/2 a day off and fail the exam.  So, if you are not feeling productive, then take some hours to rest and do something you enjoy to reset your mind, then hit the books and make these remaining days of studying count.  Good luck!