How to Top the Bar ExamBY

ATTY. FREDJULY 5, 2007POSTED IN:BAR EXAMSMake an honest assessment of all subjects. For subjects that youre good at, you could put them last so that youll have some leeway should you exceed your limit in other subjects. Allocate more time for the subjects that is the least familiar to you. This is crucial in drafting your study schedule.

Choose the review classes you want to attend. Ask around who are the better lecturers. Some simply repeat what they wrote in their books or would waste your time with jokes. If you add up the time spent in going to the lecture venue, the time you wait for the lecturer to arrive, the jokes, the useless talks, youd realize that you could cover more topics when reading alone.

Dont compare your pace with others. Unless youre ahead that the rest of the reviewees, comparing your pace with that of others will only add up to the intense pressure. This is the reason why I never studied in the student lounge. Gauge your progress with your study schedule.

Pay attention to your handwriting. Your answer, even if correct, will get you nowhere if the examiner cant read it. I suggest spending some time every day every day to write the alphabet as if youre back in Grade 1 (a a a a a, b b b b b b). Youll realize, however, that youll most likely revert to your usual handwriting as soon as you get to question No. 2 in Political Law. At least try.

Focus on understanding the law, more than memorizing it. There are enumeration-type questions, true, but these questions are integrated in a problem. You cant give an enumeration unless you understand the problem given. Youre not required to cite a specific provision or case.

Read recent jurisprudence. If theres a bar ops supporting your group, ask for digests. While you dont have to attend all review/lectures, as stated in No. 2 above, get the materials because updates on jurisprudence are usually included in these materials.

Relax and pray. Preparing for the bar examination is pressure-packed. Its not known as the most difficult exam, at least under the Philippine sun, for nothing. From time to time, go to the beach or watch a movie. Maybe youve heard of the law on diminishing returns (it wont be asked in the bar exams; it simply means that after a certan point, your brain will absorb less even if you push harder). If you feel guilty when going out, bring a codal. By the way, if you dont believe in a God, you could meditate.

Go through the Answers of the previous bar exams. Theres a book published by the UP Law Center. If you dont have the time to get it or read it, at least be familiar with the style in answering bar questions. You cant just write everything you know and hope that the examiner will find the answer or the patience to go over everything you wrote. The 3-part answer worked for me. Start with: Yes (or no), the accused is correct (or wrong) in arguing that his arrest is unlawful (theres no such thing as it depends). Second, give a short discussion on the instances of warrantless arrests. Third, explain shortly why the facts dont fall under any of the instances (or why it falls under one). Assuming that your conclusion is wrong, at least the examiner will see that you know the law. Maybe youll get a point for the second part.

Know what to expect on the day of the exams. Read about thathere.

http://attyatwork.com/how-to-top-the-bar-exam/Bar Exam Tips & Secrets

THE GREAT FORMULAIN PASSING THE BAR EXAMINATIONSContributed by:Atty. Glenn M. Mortel(espogi4@yahoo.com)"There is nothing that can help a bar examinee most than a constant and intensive study of the provisions of the various codes and the interpretation and application thereof by the Supreme Court in its decisions. By study is meant, that the provisions must be correctly understood and the thought or words thereof put to memory. After a chapter, for example, has been studied, the next one should be studied next, and after this, a review of all that has already been studied re-reviewed, to keep the subject matter and the provisions fresh in mind."-Alejo Labrador1. Actual preparation for the bar examination starts from the first day a law student attended class during the first year in the law school.2. The blooming secret in passing the bar examination is this: Present good answers that will make theexaminers take notice. Good answers anchored upon logical reasoning, written in readable English and more importantly, justified by appropriate legal authority.3. If the candidates are ata loss as to what specific legal provisions or case doctrines to use in answering problems, the only alternative left forthem is to use their owncommon sense.4. The key to passing the bar examinations is contained in one word:ARTICULATION. Articulation is expressive of the following basic fundamentals: good language, impressive presentation, logical reasoning and substantial background knowledge of law and procedure.5. The examinee who has a fairly good command of English, assuming that he is prepared in all other matters, stands definitely with a much better chance of passing.6. The responsive character of a given answer would depend to a great extent, on command of good language, logical reasoning and impressive presentation. This objective of preparing impressive and responsive answers can only be achieved byconstant practice.7. Get this straight right now. Passing the bar examination has been, still is, and will always be adifficult proposition!8. No one can really help you pass the bar examination butyourself.9. The greatest blooming secret of passing the bar examination is and will always be:PREPARATION!Not just any kind of preparation, but proper, sound and systematic preparation.10. Systematic review can only be done by the use of what we callscheduleswhich the candidate must follow vigorously to the letter if he expects to attain the best results.11. There will be times when you become sleepy while reviewing but never for one moment, tell yourself: Man, this review can wait!Do not be stupid. Always remind yourself that time is of the essence and is decidedly running too short for you.12. Force yourself to read, understand and absorb what law you reviewed. Otherwise, all your efforts will go towaste.13. Love and reviewcannotmix in the business of preparing for the bar examination.14. Early to bed, early to rise, that is the way to make a man healthy, wealthy and wise.15. Amorning showeris a must.16. Never stay up late to the wee hours of morning, cramming law into your head. This would not do you any good. Remember, you have to conserve as much energy as you possibly can.17. Remember, keeping yourhealthin good running condition is just as important as reviewing and passing the bar examination.18. Good handwritingis decidedly a great factor in passing the bar examination.19. To beat time, never writekilometricanswers.20. By far the most important tool that the bar candidate could equip himself with which to tackle the examination that isinherently personal to him iscommand of written English.21. You have to write simple, grammatically correct English if you want to hurdle the examination.22. Presentation of answers that are not only good but logical, full of substance and supported by law and other authorities, aregemsto the examiner, whether he has a good or black heart.23. Make your motto now:Stick to codal provisions!Complimentthis with doctrines laid down in recent decisions of the Supreme Court.24. Impressive answers showing the candidatesreasoning facultyis what the examiners want to read in your examination notebooks.25. Ability to retain your understanding of thesubstanceof the law through efforts of study is more desirable quality to possess than mere ability to memorize legal provisions.26. Memorizing a particular provision of law word for word but without understanding it and its various implications is a lot ofwasted effort.27. Never fail to read thenewspaperswhen you are preparing for the bar examination. Read newspapers from 20 to 30 minutes every day.28. You can never expect to pass the bar examination withoutpreparation.29. Predicting probable questions based on important principles or provisions of law is the safer method of speculating what the examiners are likely to ask in their examinations.30. Never depend ontipsfor your passing. But never brush these tips aside as nothing but trash. They may likely cause your downfall. Never, however, bank too much on them.31. Cheatingis one sure way to endanger your future career as a prospective member of the legal profession. Never commit such atrocious act like cheating in the bar examination.It never pays. Depend on your own capabilities. Fight yourbattleroyaleon a high plane!32. Fountain or sign pensare really the most important equipment in bar examination. Never start for the examination without bringing along with youtwo or morefountain or sign pens.33. Like theweather, examiners are absolutely a bunch of unpredictable fellows, capable of asking unpredictable questions.34. Do not try to memorize 50 definitions or distinctions in any given time. Two or three will do.35. The real secret in remembering the matters contained in anenumerationis the use ofkeywords. Make your keywords on enumerations you consider important.36. Never leave ablankin an enumeration! However, if you use the letters a, b, c, etc. for numbers in the enumeration, so much the better. Ten to one, the examiner may not count his fingers. Make thefirst fourin the enumeration definitely good.37. The bar candidate should do well to be always on guard againstcatchy questionscapable of being answered in a number of ways, e.g. What is a complaint? The perfect answer should includeboth definitions incriminal andcivilprocedure.38. Never be content to answer questions with amereyes or no. You must, at all times, give justification why your answer is a yes or no. Unless, of course, the examiner qualifies his question with instruction enclosed in parenthesis like: (Answer with a yes or noonly).39. Always determine thereal facts(examiners have the bad habit of including irrelevant facts to confuse you) and theissue or issuesin controversy. Which side you take, alwaysjustifyyour side with reasons based onlaw, rule, equity and justice. Whatever your answer may be, provided it is written in legible language, the examiner will never deny you the corresponding credit you deserve.40. Always remember, make efforts to frame your answers so that they areresponsiveto the questions.Never beat around the bush. Go right straight ahead with your answer. Avoid citations if and when you arenotabsolutely sure about them. The shorter the answers are, the more direct, the better. Avoid display offlowery expressionswhich are complicated by legal verbosity.All you need are sensible, direct and reasonable answers that are responsive to the questions.41. Legal knowledge isnot enoughto solve a particular legal issue. What is important isability to applythis knowledge to the solution of legal controversies.42. The most convenient method of tacklingproblem questionsis to present immediately theconclusionof a given answer. Practice, practice, constant practice will help the bar candidate write good answers that examiners will give favorable credit.43. The technique ofwriting downanswers responsive to questions is a matter that the candidate must learn as a matter ofimperative necessity.44. Brevity and directness when done properly could make an answer both effective and impressive. However, whenoverdoneto a point where the ideas sought to be conveyed becomes vague and difficult to understand, they become a liability.45. Never forget that every candidate is apotentialbar topnotcher.46. So, if you are a candidate just preparing for the bar examination, whose chances of passing are quite problematical, just limit your ambition for the present to just working hard to obtain a75 percentin the great battle of your life.47. Take comfort in this: That even those who become lawyers by"just luck", are making good in the practice of law. Nothing can really put a determined man down.48. In your preparation for the greatest battle of your life, call uponHimwho is the source of all knowledge, wisdom and understanding. In deep humility, bended knees and tears,Hewill make all things beautiful inHistime.Victory belongs to the most persevering!Note:All excerpts, except the last (No. 48), were taken byAtty. GLENN M. MORTELfrom the book"SECRETS ON HOW TO PASS THE BAR EXAMINATION"by Dean Wenceslao G. Laureta, 1990 edition.