Reverse Engineering - It Worked!

I am living in Illinois and earnestly trying to return to the Golden State.  I feel stranded in the Midwest, and, although this was my childhood home, I left the state for a reason and I did not look back.  The mistake that I made was returning here, but, then, there has been the benefit of helping my fine artist mother and her canine friend, Dog, and renewing a relationship with my many cousins, cousins who share a strong Swedish heritage with me. (It is strange to see the Swedish flag flying in the front yard, just below that of the U.S. stars and stripes, but, then, my grandparents immigrated to Chicago from Sweden.  My cousin's house is replete with carved, wooden Swedish horses.  There's pickled herring in the refrigerator, and sardines in the cupboard.  And, I suspect that Swedish sausage will be cooked for Christmas, to be sipped down with a cup of hot glog.)  But, I deviate from what you want to know...

Because I am having my mail forwarded from a P.O. Box in California, I just received my Bar Exam score report.  I cautiously opened the envelope, waves of nausea suddenly appeared.  But, I ripped through the envelope anyway and read my score with shock (the same shock that I had when I first looked at my computer screen in 2009).  I had to look several times before screaming in delight, for I came so close to passing the exam that just a few more correct MBE questions would have pushed me over the edge.

MY PERFORMANCE:

My scores:  I scored as high as 75 on the essays and as high as 70 on the PT's.  Two of my essays were weak - Business Associations and Community Property.

I scored only 3 points higher on the MBE's, than on the Feb. 2009 bar exam, despite MBE journalling described below, and achievement of 60% to 70% on simulated MBE exams.  MBE's are my Achilles heel and not because I don't know the black letter rules.  My mind, under timed conditions, is not naturally attuned to multiple choice questions and never has been.  MBE journalling did not work for me, although it did allow me to easily recite the rules on the essays.

REVERSE ENGINEERING - HOW TO:

1. I listened to PMBR lectures for the core MBE subjects and transcribed my notes, so my listening was "active."

2. After reviewing one subject, I took 33 MBE's for that subject under timed conditions and analyzed my results, transcribing "trigger facts" with the black letter rules.  I have one 3-ring binder with all the core subjects, the black letter rules and trigger facts logically grouped.

3. I had copies of 10 years of California Bar Essays for each of the bar tested subjects.  I read and outlined one essay under timed conditions. And, I wrote one essay under timed conditions.  I read the State Bar model answers and the model answers in The Recorder.  If there were model answers in Adachi's Bar Breaker book, Bar Bri's essay book, Fleming's essay books, or other resources, I also read these.

I developed a Table of Contents of essays for each bar tested subject and developed my own master templates of the answers that the bar examiners expected.

And, what the bar examiners expect is a FORMULAIC TEMPLATE.  They expect an IRAC formula.  Begin with the a) Issue, b) state the Rule, c) weave the Elements and the Facts together in an analysis, and d) Conclude. 

At the end of my studies, I had three big essay books filled with actual bar essays, model answers, my outlines or essays, and answers from The Recorder.

At the end of my studies, I had written 37 essays, and outlined 77.  This method really worked!

AT THE ACTUAL EXAM:

1. Even before reading essays and outlining, I set my manual watch to 12:00.  The very first note that I made was the time allotted to each essay.  I kept regular watch on my time to ensure that I hit all issues and did not run out of time.

2. I quickly scanned each essay for difficulty.  I wrote the exam that was of medium difficulty first to "oil the machines."  Then, I wrote the exam that was most difficult next to ensure that I did not run out of time.  I wrote the easiest exam last.

3. When writing the essays on the actual exam, I budgeted 10 minutes per essay on developing an outline. I read the essay exam, highlighted the key facts, and then did my outline. ONLY after outlining the essay issues and matching facts, did I begin to write the essay exam.

4. At the end of the Torts essay, I could not remember the black letter rule for kidnapping.  I didn't panic.  I made up the rule and wrote my analysis around my own rule.  I received a passing score, despite this made-up rule.


WHAT DID NOT WORK:

I did 2,200 MBE's under timed conditions, and analyzed each failing question, faithfully recording the answer in my MBE journal.  I also did 3 full, simulated MBE exams.  While journalling helped me to learn the black letter rules, it did not overcome my testing difficulties with these questions.

I used Bar Bri questions, Finz and Strategies & Tactics.  I found that Strategies & Tactics was extremely helpful and, after reading this book, and doing every question, I improved my simulated scores. 

My bar study partner has the same issues as I do.  He used MicroMash and his MBE scores improved so significantly, that he received unexpectedly high results.

WHAT I PLAN TO DO:

1. Retake the exam, if life does not get in the way (e.g. money, place to live, time to study, etc.)

2. Use MicroMash or Adaptibar to prepare for the MBE section of the exam (if money falls from trees.)

FINALLY, forget extensive study of outlines.  Listen to a lecture, or read an outline, and then PRACTICE as many MBE's and ESSAY exams as possible before the exam.

LEARN what the examiners are looking for - this is how to play the game.

NET, NET, passing the California Bar Exam is doable. It takes hard work, dedication to the task, and singular focus.  YOU CAN DO THIS!

See links to the State Bar essay exams and to the model answers from The Recorder on the sidebar to this blog.