Bar Exams: FAQ

So, the bar exam results are out in your state. Or they aren't, yet, but you're curious. Maybe you took the bar exam, or maybe your husband/wife/special someone did. And you want to make sense of this horrific experience. To make things simpler, I have answered some common questions about the bar exam.

1. Is the bar exam fair? Probably. If you passed, yes. If not, maybe.

2. How can I tell if I deserve to pass? They tell you when you get the results.

3. If I did not pass, how will I know what to improve? They tell you what you could have done better. Presumably, if you do those things, you will do better.

4. Does the bar exam measure legal knowledge? Not particularly.

5. Does a higher score translate into a "better" lawyer? Maybe. No one knows. They don't tell you your score, just whether you passed. So no one has any way of knowing the answer to that question.

6. I failed the first time, what can I do to improve? Do everything that you did well better, and the stuff you didn't do well, do it much better.

7. Does failing the bar mean I'm not as smart as my fellow law school graduates? Probably not. Does it mean I won't be a good lawyer or an effective advocate? Again, probably not.

8. Do good law students fail the bar exam? Yes. Famous law professors and Supreme Court justices failed the first time.

9. Do crappy law students pass the bar exam? Yes. Oh god, yes.

10. I mean, my cousin is an idiot, and he passed. I wouldn't trust him to button my suit, much less file it. Exactly.

11. Who got the best score in the state? No one knows.

12. I thought I aced it. Good for you. No one will ever know. Unless you didn't.

13. If I did really well, can I practice in another state? Only if you pass their bar exam, too.

14. Why does it take so long to publish results? Lawyers are not known for being sensitive.

15. I really think question #27 was ambiguous, and it's been bothering me. How can I find out the official answer? HaHaHaHaHa Releasing answers would cheapen the process.

16.  OK, you passed the bar exam, any advice on how to pass it? Study very very hard. Study some more. Listen to all advice. Ignore the stupid advice, but follow the good stuff. Pray, etc. Wish for luck.

17. I heard this year's test was harder than last years'. Is it getting harder? God, I have no idea. Once you figure out the rule in Dumpor's Case, they'll never ask it again.

18. I heard flashcards were a great mnenomic tool? Yes, they were.

19. I also heard flashcards were a huge waste of time. That, too.