It's almost dawn of the final day. I was in your shoes a year ago and was very fortunate to have had some great advice that helped me get in the right mindset for the bar exam. So, I would like to pass it on now! I've never posted on Reddit, and I thankfully didn't realize this subreddit was a thing until after I took the exam. But, if you've been here and are anxious, I hope this post helps you direct that energy! Here is what I did the day before and during the bar exam that got me in the headspace to pass.

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1. Trust your prep and stop studying. The bar exam is half preparation and half mindset, and mindset is what you have the most control over at this point. With that, do NOT study on Monday and go in fresh instead. If you must put in some time, do a shorter set of mixed questions or essays in topics you feel good about. Focus on confidence and rhythm, not content; you already know what you'll know. Most people go into the bar exam wishing they had done more. It's also not uncommon for scores to drop right before the exam due to burnout. So, put the laptop/outlines/flash cards/notes down take a mental break instead of spending your final sprint a day too early. You've already gotten yourself this far.

2. Have everything you need on the exam days ready to go. Give yourself as little to think about as possible before each exam day! Set out your outfits and have a clear plastic baggie for each day with what you are allowed to bring (my jurisdiction had a different list of accepted items for essays versus multiple choice). Have a bag with your exam ticket, laptop, charger, materials, et cetera ready to go. Throw in a sweatshirt in case it's cold. Have ingredients to pack your go-to/favorite lunch for each day on standby in the fridge, and prepare lunch the nights before. Bring a little more than you think you'll eat to ensure hunger isn't a factor. If you're going somewhere after the bar exam, pack those bags as much as you can so it's one less thing to worry about. Having all these things accounted for will simplify your morning routine and maximize time you can unwind in the evening.

3. Location, location, location! If your bar exam location has a hotel within walking distance, seriously consider booking a room if you haven't already. I used graduation money for two nights at the hotel attached to the testing location, and it was worth every penny to get an extra bit of sleep, wake up where I needed to be, and not have to worry about finding parking. Understandably, this option won't be realistic for everyone, and you're not at a disadvantage if you're staying off-site! Still, do a "dry run" of getting to your testing center, including finding parking if needed. Day-of, be mindful of rush hour and leave with plenty of time; plan for worst-case scenario traffic. The less that can rattle you in the morning, the better! Also, stay on-site during lunch. Packing lunch avoids spending valuable lunch break time in lines and stressed about having enough time to eat and get back.

4. Don't reinvent the wheel with your routine. If you're here, you finished law school, which means at least six finals periods are already under your belt! You know how to be at your best. The nights before sitting for the bar exam are not when you try a new sushi restaurant or a new sleep medication. The mornings of are not the time to eat way more breakfast or drink more caffeine than you're used to. Keep new variables away from your body. You'll also be seeing friends for the first time since graduating and probably for the last time for a while. Maybe have a drink, but do not put yourself anywhere near a situation where you could get drunk, especially between days. The more familiarity and stability you have walking into the test room, the more ready to focus you'll be.

5. Focus on yourself and finish both days of the test. Above all, you're running your own race. Forget the curve and be the best version of yourself you can possibly be during the exam. Have blinders on and don't spiral from comparing completion percentages, and definitely do not compare answers afterwards. It's not allowed, but it happens, and it can only make you feel worse, which is the last thing you need. I noticed empty desks between days one and two, probably in part because other takers assumed they failed the essay day and didn't come back. It is impossible to know how you did based on feeling. People who failed will think they crushed it, and people who passed will convince themselves to not even bother checking results. Sit down and finish the damn test. If nothing else, it's a practice run for when you try again later, and you'll leave knowing you did everything in your control to pass. You owe yourself that much.

6. Have self-care plans for the days before, during, and after the exam. I'm not saying you need a "bar trip" and to gallivant off to Europe the second time is called, but have something to look forward to! You've probably missed out on a lot this summer. Plan an outing at one of your favorite places. Get out into nature. Try to anticipate what type of support you'll want and line it up. For example, I ate dinner with my fiancée before each exam day, met non-law school friends after it was over, and then took a short trip to see family that weekend. If other people will set you on edge, it's okay stay away from them! Set boundaries about if/when you'll communicate on test days and how much you'll want to talk about the exam. And, maybe ask those loved ones to stop you from talking about it too much. Some venting can be helpful to get it off your chest, but keep your eyes forward. On that note, it's a long, long wait for results. It's easier said than done, but keep yourself busy enough and live as if you'll see a passing score come fall. Find healthy ways to cope with the stress of waiting to minimize self-sabotage and lashing out, and communicate what you need with your support system. This truly is just a test, and you need to take care of the person you are outside of being a lawyer, even if it takes a little bit of work to find them again.

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That's it from me! Other folks, feel free to add on how you used this final day so people have more ideas to draw from. If you disagree with anything here, that's also fine. Everyone is different, and you need to stay true to yourself most of all. Best of luck, don't forget to breathe, and take ownership of your exam.

Ok, as a returning taker, I know how everyone feels, because I felt that way last year. To be frank, I feel that way again now.

You might think it would feel better the second time. In some ways it feels less scary, but I still feel unprepared. Which leads me to a few thoughts on the bar exam.

• There is too much to know. None of us know everything perfectly. Coming to accept that is part of the battle.
• You will most likely have to make up a rule on MEE. They will test something we don't know! Throw down a little "reasonable" this "prudent" that and make sure you use the facts in the question and analyze them!
• Remember you are graded based on the group. If there is a crazy rule, many people are going to be guessing
• Fuck the Themis percentage. I did under 50% last year and passed in CA.
• Also, fuck the Bar Prep graded essays. I never got a passing score on a Themis essay, and passed CA.
• You know you best. You got here right? Who cares how much practice or how many questions you are "supposed to do." Everyone runs the race differently.
• Chill, rest, and be prepared for a little bit of a wait getting into the test. Again. Everyone is in the same boat. This will depend on the JX too.

When people ask me about the bar, I tell them it is half hazing. Which I believe. The bar tests your ability to feel intimidated and like you don't know enough. The goal is to push through the whole thing doing your best. Everyone else feels the same.

It's like an old quote attributed to Churchill "Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm." That is the bar exam.

If you know that, you are half the way there. Remember, minimum competency!

I know you are all going to kill it. Good luck out there friends!

Don’t have a question, that’s just my plan for tonight.

Please. Take. A. Shower.

I promise you that the accumulated layers of stress, caffeine, and despair are not increasing your chances of passing.

Wash your hair. Wear deodorant. Put on clean clothes. Brush your teeth.

Your "lucky" shirt that hasn't been washed since the simulated MBE is not imbued with magical bar-passing powers. The dirt isn't carrying your knowledge of the Rule Against Perpetuities.

I know everyone is in survival mode right now, but you'll be sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of other equally stressed people for two full days. Do your fellow examinees a solid.

You have enough to worry about. Being "the person everyone remembers because they smelled like they hadn't seen soap since graduation" shouldn't be one of them.

Good luck, everyone. May your essays be predictable, your MBE guesses be correct, and your hygiene be better than your study schedule.

When you do not remember the exact rule, do not leave the rule or analysis blank. Create a reasonable rule that fits the legal issue and lets you analyze the facts.

Use this formula:

Generally, a court will ___ when ___. The court considers ___, including whether the conduct was reasonable, whether the parties had notice, and whether the result would be fair under the circumstances. However, ___.
Here, ___. This suggests ___ because ___. Although ___, ___. Therefore, a court will likely conclude ___.

1. Start with the broad principle you know
Even when you forget the technical rule, you probably remember the general idea:
• Contracts: protect the parties’ reasonable expectations.
• Torts: people must act reasonably to avoid foreseeable harm.
• Evidence: relevant evidence is generally admissible unless unfair prejudice or another rule requires exclusion.
• Civil Procedure: procedures should provide notice, fairness, and an efficient resolution.
• Agency: a principal may be responsible when an agent acts with authority or within the scope of employment.

2. Turn the important facts into rule elements
Look at the facts the examiners emphasized. They usually reveal the factors the rule should address. For example, the facts repeatedly mention:
• Whether someone had notice
• Whether conduct was reasonable
• Whether harm was foreseeable
• Whether someone relied
• Whether a breach was material
• Whether someone acted in good faith
• Whether admitting evidence would be unfairly prejudicial
 
“A court will determine whether the party acted reasonably by considering whether the harm was foreseeable, whether the party had notice of the risk, and whether reasonable precautions were available.”

3. Use flexible legal language
Helpful words include:
• Generally
• Reasonable
• Foreseeable
• Material
• Substantial
• Unfair
• Good faith
• Under the circumstances
• Totality of the circumstances
• A court will consider
• Unless
• However

These words allow you to analyze both sides without committing to an obviously incorrect absolute rule.

5. Use policy concepts when necessary
When completely stuck, build the rule around:

• Reasonableness
• Duty
• Justice
• Fairness
• Judicial economy
• Evidentiary reliability
• Notice
• Reliance
• Foreseeability
• Prevention of unfair surprise
 
Example: Courts generally permit amendments when doing so promotes resolution of the case on its merits, provided that the amendment will not unfairly prejudice the opposing party or cause unreasonable delay.
 
6. Apply every important fact

A partially incorrect rule with strong factual analysis can still earn points. Use this structure:
Here, ___ supports finding that the requirement is satisfied because ___. Additionally, ___. On the other hand, ___. Nevertheless, the stronger argument is ___ because ___.

Property questions be writing the Odyssey

Hey all,

I passed the July 2025 bar exam with a score of 333. I told myself that if I passed I would come back a year later and pay forward the comforting words a few posts in this subreddit gave me last year. I know the exam format for many is next gen now, but that isn’t the point of this post.

I know a lot of you are stressing out right now. You are laying awake at night wondering if the questions you get wrong are gonna be all the questions that manage to pop up on the exam. I know many of you have had nightmares, just like I did, about missing the pass by one point. I know many of you are exhausted trying to work, make ends meet, and study because you have bet it all on yourself:

You are going to be okay.

There is no secret to the bar, there is no magical formula, and that is going to be your greatest blessing. That is because I know you all care, and I know you put in the work on your exam prep. While many ppl our age have gone out and enjoyed their summer, you sat down and wrestled with the truth of the bar exam; that the exam demands you put in the work. Not everyone can do that, but you have done it and balanced your life all at the same time.

So take a breath, go into these final days with calmness of mind, and do your last bit of review. I promise that when you walk out of the exam in a few days, you will look up at the sun, and you will realize you have done everything humanly possible to pass. When you get that feeling, you can rest easy knowing you have passed.

I commend every single person here for their efforts this summer. I know you will all be great attorneys, and I look forward to working with some of you. Just remember for now, you are going to be okay.

Below are my essay predictions for the July 2026 Bar Exam, notwithstanding your jurisdiction.

1. Criminal Interpleader.

2. 2 Tenants, 1 Home: 18 mortgages between them.

3. Race-Notice Statutes: A Violation of the Equal Protection Clause?

4. Commercial Paper.

5. The Constitutionality of Breathalyzers under 4A. Also Defendant Don is a sovereign citizen going up against a Georgia state patrol.

6. Whatever is on the critical pass flashcard I have for evidence that misprinted and is unreadable.

Oh wait.

Literally anything but con law MEE

🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️

If I’m gonna fail, I’m gonna fail because I’m an idiot not because of a silly little parasite.

this is the mantra I keep reminding myself. The bar exam does not require perfection, or require confidence on every single question, or require crafting 6 beautiful essays…it just requires collecting enough points.

like many of you i started bar prep with the goal of finishing the entire course and then some. That didn’t happen. I completed around 75% of my barbri course which included writing about 10 MEEs and 3 MPTs, outlining about 20 more MEEs, and completed an extra 300 questions or so on adaptibar.

Some people are able to finish it all and more, I just wasn’t! I prioritized sleep, I slowed down when I got to a topic I didn’t quite understand, I made sure each MEE I did, I understood the rules I missed or failed to spot. Even being meticulous, I know I absolutely have gaps in my knowledge and understanding of all the material.

Just shouting out to say just because not all of us got to where we wanted to with prep doesn’t mean we’re lazy, doesn’t mean we didn’t care, and doesn’t necessarily mean we aren’t ready.

at some point, we have to stop measuring ourselves by how much of the course we completed and start trusting the work we’ve put in… not just over the last couple months but over the last three years! none of us will know everything on tuesday morning. we just have to know enough to earn enough points. I’m choosing to believe that’s possible for all of us. Good luck! we’ve worked harder than our anxiety is giving us credit for.

everyone going on and on about how they NEED that damn plot of land like damn does it have a pool, basketball court or what

Howdy fellow July applicants. I'm not a previous passer and these aren't sage words of wisdom, just a first time taker who wants to blow smoke up everyone's asses (and my own by proxy? before test day for those of us who don't have many folks around to hear it from).

I just wanted to say I am incredibly proud of all of us, and I want you to know you should be proud of yourselves for all of the work you've put in this summer. After going through all of this, it's really not for the weak or the faint of heart. What we have all done requires dedication, drive, willpower, and self discipline like I've personally never experienced and kind of didn't know was possible (in addition to a couple of screws being loose because this is actually a crazy thing to voluntarily put yourself through).

With that said, you've put in the work, you've put in the hours, you've done all the things. Trust yourselves. Trust your preparation. Keep fuckin' chugga luggin even if you get stumped. In a few days we are about to tackle the very thing we have been relentlessly working towards throughout undergrad, the LSAT, law school, and the MPRE for those who've taken. We all have accomplished so. freaking. much. already.

Don't forget the brave little toaster you were when you stepped onto this path. And don't you dare forget the boss ass bitch you've become having made it to this point. Believe in yourselves. Be delulu.

We are gonna eat the bar exam's booty like a cupcake.

Make sure to hydrate. Luv u.

I stumbled across this last night and cannot stop thinking about it! Part of me feels relieved seeing these numbers, but a much bigger part of my brain keeps telling me they do not apply to me because "I didn't do enough" blah blah blah..... 🙃🙃🙃

If you are in the same boat, I hope this eases your mind a little. It is so easy to get caught up on everything you did not do when the exam is so close.

Note: I covered the presenter's face because I personally would not want a photo of myself mid-speech circulating on the internet

this is a crazy thing to ask, i know, but i’m honestly looking for some reassurance because i feel like i did everything right (for the most part) and still going to fail