How to pass, nay, top the bar exams

By Artemio V. Panganiban Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 23:4 :!! !4"#$"2!!% Filed &nder: 'a(s) *du+ation

,A-I'A) Philippines.'ast /unday) I +ommented on the dismal results o0 the 2!!1 bar e2ams. I said that it (as high time the /upreme 3ourt) the Philippine president and the la( s+hools +ollaborated to produ+e better la(yers. .4e +on+ur). +horused many readers. But the more pressing query o0 la( students and re5ie(ees 0or the 2!!% test is . 3an you gi5e us tips on ho( to pass the 2!!% tests. 6a5ing ta7en the e2ams eons ago) I 0elt inadequate ans(ering the question. Besides) I pla+ed only si2th. /o I +alled someone more quali0ied) 2!!8 topnot+her 9oan de Vene+ia. In turn) she summoned help 0rom t(o other numero unos) Arlene ,ane:a ;2!!2< and ,er+edita =na ;2!!1<. In+identally) Arlene +omes 0rom &/>) 9oan 0rom &P and ,er+edita 0rom Ateneo de ,anila. 6ere are their +ommon tips. Belie5e that you deser5e to ta7e the test. Forget the times you bot+hed up a re+itation or 0ailed an e2am. ?ou.re past that. Belie5e that you ha5e been allo(ed to sit 0or the bar be+ause you ha5e a 0ighting +han+e to pass it. 3ulti5ate +omposure (ith that thought. ?ou.ll need it. ,a7e time 0or serious sel0@e5aluation. 6a5e an honest assessment o0 the sub:e+ts you are good at) and those you 0eel you ha5e an inadequate 0oundation on. I0 you sin+erely belie5e that you do not ha5e su00i+ient 7no(ledge o0 a parti+ular sub:e+t) a++ept it humbly and 7no( that you still ha5e a number o0 months to study 0or it. Ad:ust the number o0 days de5oted to ea+h sub:e+t a++ording to the results o0 your sel0@assessment. A s+hedule is re+ommended to ser5e as a guide as to ho( many days you +an allot 0or e5ery sub:e+t. 6a5e a study plan and be realisti+ about it. At the start o0 the bar re5ie() set aside all the materials you (ant to +o5er.all the boo7s) re5ie(ers and notes 0or ea+h sub:e+t. ,a7e it your guide and pa+e yoursel0. People (ithout a plan either underestimate the (or7load or get s(amped (ith a5ailable materialsA either (ay) they don.t 0inish e5erything. /o too) organiBe your re5ie( materials. >ime is o0 the essen+e during the bar re5ie(. ?ou +annot a00ord to (aste time by loo7ing 0or mispla+ed re5ie( materials. ,aintain eight separate bo2es or dra(ers 0or ea+h o0 the sub:e+ts. >his (ill help you sort through your materials and de+ide (hi+h to read during your pre@(ee7. Be realisti+ about your +apabilities. People say they (ill .start a0resh. during the bar re5ie(.study more) play less. >hat.s ni+e but it rarely happens. /o) in setting a study plan) be 7ind to yoursel0. Ci5e yoursel0 time to attend re5ie( le+tures) to (a7e up late) to be laBy) to go out and to ha5e 0un. >he bar test is di00i+ult enough (ithout ma7ing yoursel0 si+7 be+ause o0 unrealisti+ e2pe+tations. Do not +ompare yoursel0 (ith other re5ie(ees. 4e all ha5e our o(n rhythm. 'isten to yours. Bar preparation is an indi5idual tas7. It is ultimately your understanding o0 the la( and its 5aried nuan+es) not ho( many readings you do) or the la(s that you memoriBe 5erbatim that ma7es the di00eren+e. Be physi+ally 0it. >ry to get regular e2er+ise. *at nourishing meals. Cet enough sleep e5ery day. >a7e 5itamins and supplements. ,anage your stress. Demember) all your e00orts (ill be (asted (hen your body bogs do(n. &se your time (isely. /it in a re5ie( +lass or do personal reading. I0 you 7no( the sub:e+t (ell enough) re0resh yoursel0 by attending re5ie( +lasses. I0 not) read up 0irst. De5ie( +lasses assume a +ertain le5el o0 7no(ledge and) (ithout it) you.ll be lost during the dis+ussion and (aste 5aluable time. Eno( that you still ha5e the pre@(ee7 re5ie( 0or all those .bar tips. that most re5ie(ers gi5e. Abandon all emotional problems. In0orm your 0amily and 0riends about (hat you are going through in preparing 0or and in ta7ing the e2am. As7 0or their understanding and support. >he last thing you need is additional sour+e o0 stress (hen preparing 0or the bar is draining enough. A5oid all distra+tions. Eeep your 0o+us.

Per0e+t your hand(riting and grammar. Bar e2aminers ha5e to go through thousands o0 e2am boo7lets) and they are only human. As (ould any other normal person) they appre+iate) and understand more) an ans(er that is at the 5ery minimum) readable and logi+al. All three topnot+hers ha5e good hand(riting) and belie5e that their passing) nay topping) the bar (as in large part due to this. /o) pra+ti+e (riting neatly) legibly and 0ast. I0 you are a 5isual person (rite do(n your notes. >his e2er+ise (ill aid your quest 0or a beauti0ul penmanship) and help you retain the 0a+ts and the la( that may be di00i+ult to retrie5e as you store more in0ormation in your brain ban7. /tudy smartly. /treamline. 3odal pro5isions) a good re5ie(er 0or ea+h sub:e+t and updates on :urispruden+e should su00i+e. ,aster the basi+s. &nderstand the substan+e o0 the la( and ho( to apply it to gi5en situations. De+all legal pro5isions during your spare time. 'isten to audio +odals (hen you tra5el. As7 0or updates. Do+trines that you ha5e studied in s+hool may ha5e already been o5erturned or modi0ied by the /upreme 3ourt or by 3ongress. Dequest your bar operations team to in+lude abbre5iated 0a+ts in the updates) be+ause bar questions are o0ten 0a+ts@based. Pray. Pray. Pray. A 0inal reminder. >here is no short+ut to passing the bar. I0 you (ant to pass on the 0irst ta7e) you ha5e to put in the hours) and get yoursel0 in the mood to study. Do not 0o+us on things you +annot +ontrol ;e.g.) bar e2aminers) 7inds o0 questions<. De5ote all your energies to studying and positi5e thin7ing. Cood lu+7F GGG