Tough Love

In my search to develop a new plan to study for the bar exam, I interviewed (or shall I say that I was interviewed by?) a private tutor. "Get over the grief!," she said. And added, "clearly you don't know the substantive law" an "insight" which shows her broad-stroke diagnosis which I could get from the commentary on various bar exam blogs. If her tough love did anything, it mad me angry, which may have been her intent. And, anger is better than depression, I'll give her that. But, I'm not interested in a drill sargent who then adds, "I have an L.D. and I did the exam without accomodations!" Bully for you! I didn't know that we were in a pissing match.

I also met with an academic from my ABA school. This love was not soft, not tough, but somewhere in between. "We've got some work to do...we just have to learn to reset your thinking about the exam. The bar graders are simply seeking common sense analysis of the facts. So, if you don't know or remember a rule, don't avoid the issue. Write a rule and develop an analysis around it." This advice was echoed in one of the bar grader interviews (see Interesting Links on my sidebar.) Well, THIS is something that I can do! Now, instead of being daunted by repeating the exam, I am actually EXCITED!

But I was also amazed by one story this academic told me. He said that one of the students was so despondent at failing the exam that his family and friends are highly concerned about him. This man said to me, "You have your life experiences going for you. You can put your failing this exam into perspective but some of the younger bar takers have never failed before." Yes, I have read some of the blogs and some of the exam takers threats of suicide. Failing the bar exam is not something to lose one's life over; it's a challenge, albeit a daunting challenge. But, as my Mom says, "If the horse throws you, get back in that saddle again and ride!" Mom is a veteran horsewoman, beginning with her old Mustang "King" who liked "Orange Crush" and galloping across the fields.

Or as my Dad, now deceased, would probably say, "Daughter, you are intelligent. No, you are brillant. There's no reason that you can't do this. I support you 100% of the way."

P.S. I got the legal marketing position!