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You can successfully take and pass he bar exam. These basic facts and tips will help.

First, understand the context: about 2/3 of those taking the bar exam pass. Those are decent odds. Depending on the state you are in and the law school you go to, those odds can get even better. Before you even taken the test, understand that the odds are in your favor. Now that some of the stress is relieved, here are some basic tips to help you along the way.

If you are completely anal(an attribute that will get you through the exam) and reading this before you even choose a law school, then consider a law school in the same state you plan on taking the bar. While a significant portion of the bar exam is the same throughout the country, an important portion relies on the law of the state in which you are taking the exam. Most state law schools focus from day one on getting its students to pass the exam. Thus, throughout your law school experience you will here professors say things like, "this is the type of question you'll see on the essay portion of the exam," or "this is a favorite topic of bar examiners." You'll also learn a great deal of state law in law school. Since state law differs from state to state, it's obviously helpful to learn the law of the state you plan on taking the bar exam in.

Take more than the required legal writing courses. When I went to law school (1997-2000), there were only two required legal writing courses. I took four. Not only has it helped me in my legal career, but those classes provided vital knowledge and confidence to get me through the essay portion of the bar exam. If you don't have to worry about your writing, but can focus instead on the WHAT your are writing, you'll breeze through this portion of the exam. Furthermore, even if you know what you are saying, if you don't know how to say it properly, it might not be conveyed in a way that impresses the reader. Remember, there are real people reading your exam essays. These people have lives, good and bad moods, and other things competing for their attention. Make sure your essays don't irritate them.

Take a test prep course. You will spend a lot of time studying on your own. Everyone does. You should also take a bar exam prep course. Most people do and the pass rate for those who do is much higher for those that don't. The course is expensive, but so is having to take the test twice and delaying your law career by 6 months to a year.

Studying for the bar exam is a full time job. Don't underestimate

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