COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF LEGAL EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND INCREASED MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW

ADVICE FOR THE ROAD

1. Take the exam seriously. Historically three to four out of every ten exam takers fail the exam. If you don=t pass the exam, you cannot practice law. Just graduating from law school does not guarantee passage of the bar exam. The good news is that there are things you can do to greatly improve your odds of passing.

2. Start planning now. Get Maryland's application and determine what is necessary for admission. Also find out what is covered on the bar exam, how the exam is scored, and the percentage pass rate. Take courses in the subjects covered by the bar exam.

3. Make time for the bar examination. Take time off from work and minimize family and social responsibilities in the six weeks prior to the exam. Ask (or rather demand) from your employer time off for studying for the bar exam. The bar exam requires full-time attention. Arrange appropriate child care during this period if you have children. Limit family demands as much as possible. BUT, at the same time, acknowledge your and your family's needs and incorporate these needs into your schedule. The period prior to the exam may be the time that you and they may need support and reaffirmation of your relationships. Do not ignore or neglect these important people in your life.

4. Shop around for a bar review course. Save enough money for a bar review course and for living expenses while you take time off from work. Figure out when you will take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (almost every jurisdiction requires it before you take the bar exam.)

5. Take a bar preparation course. A bar review course provides students with the most up-to-date version of the law tested on a given bar exam. A good bar review course not only reviews the subject matter covered on the bar exam, it also provides practice questions, guidance on test-taking techniques, and recommends study schedules. Some courses stress the review of Black Letter law, while others stress practice exam taking. Shop around and find a course that best fits your needs.

6. Keep a positive attitude and steer clear of negative people and influences.

7. Pace yourself. The bar exam is much like a marathon in that you will need to tap reserves of energy , determination and concentration that you did not think that you had inside of you. Don=t let other people=s voices or the voice inside your head discourage you from your goal. Think of the bar exam as a time for professional growth and development. Law practice is marked by many of the same skills you will rely on when preparing for the bar exam. The preparation for the exam will give you insight into your personality and aspects of your life that will ultimately assist you in your future career.

8. Develop a realistic schedule for study and preparation.

With
Howard U. Sch. of Law
&
Black Women's Bar Association of Suburban Maryland

Not quite ready for the Bar Exam Yet? Then check out:

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sharon Christmas-Deberry
President
Derron R. Parks
President-Elect
Bridgett A. Greer
Treasurer
Mia L. Woodard
Recording Secretary
Nakia V. Gray
Corresponding Secretary
Hon. Hassan Ali El-Amin
Immediate Past President
Holly D. Reed
Executive Officer
Abigale Bruce-Watson
Executive Officer