I Hope There Isn't A Swimming Section

The Wall Street Journal takes notice of the misery and links to this essay, an excerpt:

The California Bar provides a list of twenty-three approved items, including "up to two pillows without cases," "silent analog watches, timers and clocks not measuring larger than 4x4 inches or smaller," and "ear plugs or plastic material normally associated with the sport of swimming." Huh? Is there a swimming section on the California bar exam? Maybe that's why so many people fail. Or maybe they fail because the questions are written by the same guy who wrote the "not measuring larger than 4x4 inches or smaller" clause. That leaves clocks measuring… exactly 4x4 inches? I guess so. It must stem from some episode in which a test taker tried to wheel in a "good luck" grandfather clock. Or something.

Even putting aside the hours of enjoyment you can have packing your test-day clear plastic storage bag, preparing for the bar exam isn't a heck of a lot of fun. Most people say the worst part is doing hundreds and hundreds of practice multiple choice questions, but I think the worst part is how doing those multiple choice questions makes you feel about the world. Nothing good ever happens to the people in practice bar exam questions. Everyone who crosses the street gets hit by a car, every doctor botches the surgery, parachutes never open, contracts never get fulfilled, anyone who uses a lawnmower ends up in the hospital, as soon as you write a will your whole family dies, employee benefit plans never pay out their benefits, computers all get viruses, your friends are always intoxicated, stealing your farm equipment, and driving it into the barn, police search you all the time for no good reason, you can never find a good place to hide your weapons, banks never recognize a signature as a forgery, and the forger always flees the country.

Bar Exam Essay Predictions Are Out

Of course there's this little disclaimer from the guy who makes the predictions for Barbri:

There's just no guaranteeing which subjects they'll actually test on. And as Sakai says, he does these predictions for fun - there's no method to how he actually comes up with his predictions - it's just a hunch from looking at what's been tested in the past.

And I just have to mention that for the July 2004 bar, he was completely wrong. On all but two counts. Sorry, but I ain't playing those odds.

And there are even a couple of conspiracy theories out there.

Don't believe essay predictions from Sakai at BarBri or anyone else. It's my opinion that the CalBar Examiners are now actively trying to throw off people who look for patterns. Be ready for anything.

Should I have taken the BAR/BRI predictions about what would be on the test? Absolutely not (I'm convinced Sakai is working for the State Bar).

Anyway, here's one set of non-BarBri predictions for the California bar exam essays:

• Corporations,
• Evidence,
• Professional Responsibility,
• Constitutional Law,
• Community Property, and
• Remedies.

And if I remember correctly, BarBri's predictions are:

• Corporations,
• Evidence,
• Criminal Procedure,
• Trusts/Professional Responsibility,
• Community Property, and
• Constitutional Law

Do with those lists as you please. And for many more predictions that will make your head spin, you can go over here. From a quick glance at that message board, it appears that Con Law, Evidence and Professional Responsibility are a consensus pick to be on the Bar.

Great Question

I'd go through everything on Paul's list. But I wouldn't go through everything imagineable - I mean seriously, an armadillo? So I do have my limits, though I would probably go through that whole armadillo thing too.

I Guess This Is One Way To Get Motivated

Don't kill the tiny people.

I also dreamed I was taking the MBE, but it graded itself as you went along, and every time I got a wrong answer these little tiny people on the page would be hanged. No pressure! So I was sitting there getting all the answers wrong and all the little people were crying and begging me to save them and I was sobbing about how stupid I am and killing them all.

I'm fairly certain that this imagery is going to seep into my own bar exam studies.

Inside Exhibit Hall B

This is where I'll be taking my exam. For more videos about the Ontario Convention Center click here. And yes, I'll be staying at the Marriott which means I'll have to deal with this.

People Will Use Anything As An Excuse To Take A Break From Studying For The Bar

I like to use sleeping, eating, going to the gym, going #1 or #2, watching tv, blogging, reading blogs and other websites, daydreaming about life after the bar, people watching at Starbucks, napping, listening to music, figuring out the meaning to life, and watching paint dry as valid reasons to take a break from studying.

True

Too bad it's not an acceptable response to any essay or MPT.