We know life doesn’t stop because you’re preparing for the bar. (Although it might feel like it.) Our Bar Rev-YOU section not only helps you learn to fit bar prep into your life — it gives you ways to fit a little life into your bar prep.
Sitting for the February Exam? Here’s How It’s Different from the July Experience.
You may find yourself spending a winter studying for the February bar exam for many reasons. Maybe it’s out of necessity – you graduated law school in December and need to become licensed ASAP, or you didn’t pass the July exam and are committed to conquering the test the next time around. Perhaps you secured a job where immediate licensure wasn’t necessary and decided to put the test off until February...
Applying for Bar Admission: Tips to Plan Ahead and Reduce Stress
Each jurisdiction establishes its own licensure requirements and there are many steps in the bar application and character and fitness evaluation process. Although several of the licensure requirements are fairly consistent across jurisdictions, there are many nuances regarding documentation, deadlines, and fees that are state-specific. With multiple steps, confusing and varied requirements, and your career on the line, the admissions process can feel overwhelming...
You Failed the Bar Exam, Now What?
Failing the bar exam can feel like a devastating blow. Depression, anxiety, doubt, and a sense of loss are all common emotions for the over 20,000 applicants who do not pass the bar each year. But do you know what else is common? Each fall and spring, when bar results are released, those who learned they did not pass dust themselves off, try again, and succeed on their next attempt...
The UBE and Me
I was one of the first law students to use Helix Bar Review for the UBE in Texas and let me tell you it DID NOT disappoint As some close people to me know, I was dealing with my own medical issues during my last year of law school that did not dissipate in the slightest while studying for the bar...
Turn Bar Prep Anxiety into Excitement
Whether you are a 1L, 2L, 3L, or wrapping up four or more years of study, you are likely no stranger to stress. High expectations from yourself and others, high-stakes exams, the curve, and a whole host of other anxiety-inducing factors can create a perfect storm of pressure. Add the bar exam into the mix and stress levels can kick into overdrive...
California Bar Exam: Tackling the Beast
The California Bar Exam is notorious for being the toughest licensing exam in the nation. If you’re contemplating a legal career in California, you’re likely already anticipating the California Bar Exam – perhaps with a little bit of trepidation. But we have you covered with the answers to some of the most asked questions regarding the exam...
Preparing for Law School Midterms
If you’re thinking about midterms, then you’ve made it through the first weeks of law school. Congratulations! For most law students, these initial weeks fly by as you spend countless hours trying to learn the law while buried in briefs, casebooks and class notes. Now, for some lucky 1Ls, it’s time to show what you’ve learned on midterms...
When is the Best Time to Take the MPRE?
Most law students have the bar exam on their radar. But there are other steps to becoming a licensed attorney in addition to passing that pivotal exam. The requirements vary by jurisdiction; however, in nearly every state, passing the MPRE, or Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, is a pre-requisite for admission to the bar...
Should I Join a Law School Organization? And, if so, Which One(s)?
You’ve been accepted into law school. Maybe you’ve even had your first week or two of classes. And now you’re starting to settle in for the next three years. It’s at this point that many law students ask themselves: Should I join a law school student organization? And, if so...
Tips for Avoiding Burnout in Law School
Applying for law school is stressful. Attending law school is stressful. Graduating, taking the bar and finding a full-time job? Yep, you guessed it – stressful. Add the everyday stresses on top of that, and you’ve got a recipe for burnout. The stress of constantly being in a high-pressure environment, of always having to be “on” and...
Preparing For Your First Law School Experience: Orientation
Orientation is approaching, you may be wondering . . . how do I prepare? Here are some simple steps to help you walk into your first law school experience with confidence.
Know what to expect. Overall, think of orientation as a celebratory affair. You have made it to law school – be proud and shine. This is the time to meet your new (and lifelong) colleagues, learn the ins and outs of the campus, get to know your law school support team and see a glimpse...
Two Days in July: Tips on Successfully Navigating the Experience of Taking the Bar Exam
Sure, you’ve read the outlines, watched the videos, practiced lots of sample bar exam questions and flashed all the cards, but the mechanics that surround the exam day experience might catch you by surprise. The goal is to get through each section of the exam in prime, bar-crushing mode: thinking clearly, recalling and...
Get a Life! Why Staying Social is a Study Strategy
Studying for the Bar exam should be treated like a full-time job. But while there are some who advocate that you should forego essentially all social activities, work, etc. and dedicate every waking moment to test prep, we’re not so sure about that. Not only does it sound miserable, it may also negatively impact your overall test performance. As the pandemic has taught us, social isolation isn’t good for anyone and can lead...
Why Sleep Matters for Test Prep
Sleep is one of the body’s most critical biological functions, yet it’s often the first thing sacrificed when we feel overwhelmed or stressed. Studying for the bar exam is certainly one of those times, and you often hear of students pulling all-nighters and running on very little shut-eye in a bid to spend as much time as possible studying...
Tips for Managing Exam Stress
The rapid heartbeat. Sweaty palms. That pit in your stomach, or maybe even full-blown nausea. An overwhelming sense of fear that you’re going to totally bomb the test and you’ll never achieve your goal of becoming an attorney as a result....
6 Tips for Overcoming Isolation During Bar Exam Prep
Social isolation has a significantly negative impact on our mental and physical health and overall wellbeing. To wit, Depression, anxiety, drug use and even overdose deaths have all skyrocketed as a result of the pandemic forcing all of us out of our routines and into isolation and restricted behavior...
Virtual Test Prep: Tips for a Stress-free Experience
Whether for safety purposes or merely for the sake of convenience, more than half of states offered a remote Bar Exam in July 2021. And with COVID cases on the rise, it’s likely that remote offerings will also dominate the February 2022 session...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: Start Here
When thinking about bar prep, it’s normal to be laser-focused on studying (it is the whole point, after all). But taking care of your wellbeing during this time is also essential. And a healthy lifestyle isn’t just good for you; it can also be good for your exam score—in ways that might surprise you...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: Set Yourself Up for Success
It may be tempting to just throw yourself right into studying: but first, take some time to prepare yourself for the weeks ahead...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: End of Week 1
Alright, you’ve done it: a whole week of studying. The unknowns are over and now you can take some time to reflect and refine...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: Halfway There
Remember that reward we told you to plan for yourself before you started? This is the week to enjoy it! Getting halfway through studying for the bar is a massive accomplishment in and of itself. Some days may have been hard, but you kept going. Give yourself credit! You deserve it...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: Week Before the Bar
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Look how far you’ve come. Take a big deep breath—you’re almost done. Now is not the time to panic. Quite the opposite. Here are some things to try so you can get or stay in the right headspace this final week...
Lifestyle Tips for Bar Prep: Week of the Bar
You did it. It’s finally here: bar exam week. And just think, this time next week, you’ll be enjoying some sweet, sweet study-free time! But until then, let’s get you in a good mindset to take on the test...