According to a survey conducted by Nielsen company, the top New Year’s resolution in 2015 was staying fit and healthy. However, Time Magazine reports that “losing weight and getting fit” is also the most common resolution to be broken. As the New Year (and the bar exam) steadily approach, make a resolution that you know you can fulfill. Choose from this list of New Year’s resolutions, compiled by AdaptiBar, to make 2016 the year you pass the bar exam.
- Stick to your study schedule.
Distractions are unavoidable. No matter the time, day, or place, there will always be something else that you could be doing besides bar prep. What becomes problematic, however, is when bar examinees allow these distractions to impact their studying. After all, what’s an extra hour of free time here and there? Nevertheless, these hours quickly add up and significantly reduce the amount of information learned at the end of each week. Make it a resolution to fully commit to your study schedule and take control of your distractions, before they take control of you.
- Go the extra mile.
Start studying, study outlines and bar prep, finish studying. This is what the typical schedule for an upcoming bar examinee looks like. However, what would happen if you went above and beyond the goals that you set for your bar prep? What if, instead of monotonously going through the motions, you authentically strived to learn and improve each day? Most likely, your knowledge of the law would dramatically increase, resulting in an increase of your bar exam score. Not to mention, going the extra mile now will ensure that you don’t have to put in extra work to retake the bar exam later.
- Find out your strengths and weaknesses.
Your strengths and weaknesses are not limited by which law concepts you know the best and worst. Rather, there are various transferable skills that are necessary for success on the bar exam, from writing to time management. This year, take note of the skills that you already perform proficiently in, and those that could be improved on. Use the list below to help you. Once you have completed this step, seek ways of applying your strengths to your studying, all while continuously striving to improve on your weaknesses before the bar exam.
- Make the most of your study time.
Are you studying with licensed MBE questions? Are you studying with questions that appeared on past exams? Do you know the exact score that you are projected to receive on the bar exam? If you answered ‘no’ to any of these questions, you may not be studying as efficiently as possible. Only AdaptiBar’s adaptive technology prepares you with 100% licensed MBE questions and adjusts the presentation of those questions to you based on your performance in each subject and subtopic. No matter your learning style, using the right study tools and techniques is central to making the most of your study time.
- Stop memorizing.
No doubt, there is a ton of information to memorize for the bar exam. A ton may even be an understatement. This being said, it’s incredibly easy to arrive at the point in your studying when you are memorizing the law more than you are actively learning it. This can harm your bar exam score by making it easier to “draw a blank” on key law terms or mixing them up on MBE or essay questions. Make it your resolution to put an end to the vicious memorization cycle. Find ways to apply the concepts you encounter in your bar prep to daily life, all while keeping in mind the ways that you learn best. Ultimately, not only will you maximize your studying by taking these steps, but you will also increase your chances of passing the bar exam this time around.
