Monday, June 11, 2007

Tomorrow is the last day....

To register for the July 2007 bar exam. HHhmmmmm.......I think I am gonna sit this one out.....I think I might be able to gear myself up for February, but I just can't see getting my act together for this one...do I even want to?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I say that you should sign up for July since it's only a month and half away, but don't kill yourself studying for it. Don't spend any more money on bar prep classes - use the materials you have alreadya. You killed yourself studying for the bar both times, and it didn't work out in your favor. Maybe if you did the opposite and took a more relaxed approach with the July bar things could turn out in your favor. You're talking about waiting a whole year to find out bar results, plus about 8 months of stressing about the February bar. Could you handle being in limbo for that long? Like I said, there's only about 6 weeks or so left for July (I refuse to count) but you shouldn't panic. Just sign up for it. You know the material. You know the law. And at least if you take the July bar you won't wonder "what if?"

I say just take the July bar for the heck of it.

Anonymous said...

BB - I know how you feel and totally understand not taking it until February. I was close to waiting, but I need to get this shit overwith and have a kid before I turn 35.

I broke down yesterday in the 6th hour of the Essay Advantage workshop, left, and literally cried the entire 45 minute drive home thinking about the same thing. I don't want to stop working, again. I don't want to study and take the stupid bar again. I don't want to be a massive cranky bitch to my husband and those I care about, again. Most of all, I do not want to fail it again. However, in the end, I don't feel like there's any guarantee that all these things will be different in February and that I'll even pass then. Plus, for me it would mean 6 more months of dwelling on how much money, time and agony I invested in this crap with nothing to show for it. I'm angry as hell, do not want to do this again, but feel like I really have to.

Also, I think a lot of people were arbitrarily screwed in the Feb bar and I think this is not uncommon with the Feb bar.

I do not know if any of this helps. Talking to my friend who passed on the third try has been the only thing inspiring me to continue. SHe said the third time she did it for herself and only herself and that seemed to make the world of difference.

You already know the law. 2 of the new "subjects" are no big deal. If you're a civil paralegal, you already know the sections of CA civ pro you need to know for the bar (e.g. limited v. unlimited jurisd., how to serve someone). Hell, I'll send you the relevant conviser pages on CA evidence and civpro. They layout the evidence distinctions at the beginning of the chapter.

Agency is the only substantively new subject and you could learn it in a day. (I'll also send you that section, too, if you want.)

If you decide to take it, 6 weeks is plenty of time for you, especially considering how hard you worked the first 2 times. Knock the thing on its ass and write a friggin' model answer!

In end you have to do what what your heart tells you (yes, that's totally cheesy). Good luck with whatever decision you make :)

~E

calbar blondie said...

I agree with FBE. Several of my classmates who failed this last time are sitting this one out. I think you lose your drive or spirit doing that, plus the knowledge that's been crammed into your brain both in law school and in bar review.
BB, I need to know..did you have a bad experience with a tutor? You mentioned something like this on your blog, I think. It concerns me(since I just hired one). I know in the end they are certainly not the end-all be-all cure for repeating. It all comes down to practice and the individual.
SO, I vote yes, too.

Blonde Blogger said...

FBE - what is this "relaxed approach" you speak of?!?!?! That sounds like crazy talk! You are absolutely correct, though, I think I stressed myself out of passing both times. If there is a way to over-over-over think things, that's what I did!

E - SO sorry about the meltdown - been there, done that. I am so tired of crying all the time! It is making me look older than I already am! And I totally agree with you in that people are arbitrarily screwed in February sometimes.

CBB - No, I didn't have a bad experience with a tutor - I didn't have a private one, I took Cal Bar Tutorial the second time. I was just disappointed that I did everything I was supposed to do and it still didn't work for me....but really, if I was over-thinking myself out of passing, then I can only blame myself. Which SUCKS!! Although, I still feel pretty comfortable throwin' some blame Barbri's way....

THANK YOU all for your comments and suggestions. They are so valuable and it is interesting to me to read everyone's different take on things....It is very comforting to know I am not the only one struggling with these issues.....

Anonymous said...

Perhaps "relaxed" isn't the word to use. :) I meant that perhaps you could try a different, less strenuous approach, such as studying on your own and not going to any bar prep classes. Or even not studying as much. I'm kind of glad there's only 6 weeks left instead of 4 months or so because the 4 months wait would stress me out even more. I hope you decide to take the July bar!

Blawgin' said...

I have to agree -- I think you should take February. As much as I hate taking this thing, I hate waiting even more. I can't wait another entire year to find out if I pass when I have the chance to pass it this time. If they offered it every month, I'd take it every single month until I passed! And besides, you know February exams are sucky as hell. ;)

We're with you on this if you want to take it! But ultimately, you gotta do what's best for you and your family. Everyone's situation is different...but either way, you have my support!

calbar blondie said...

E, are you willing to sell a copy of the new sections of the Conviser? I can't contact you because you don't have a blog or other contact info. thanks.

Anonymous said...

So what's the verdict on the July bar? I hope you decide to sign up!

GC said...

I think you should sign up for July. July exams are still, for some reason, easier to take than the February one. My scores were always higher during July for some strange reason. I agree with Blawgin' that if the exam was offered every month, I would take it every month till I passed.