Lawyers moms: Question about bar exams

[t2009]

Hello lawyer mamas!

I am graduating at the end of my current semester and hope to take the February bar. I'm having trouble gauging how much time I will have to devote to studying & therefore how much childcare I will need to plan on during the months of December, January & February.

My student loans have so far covered the cost of a nanny we share with another family 4 days a week. However, once I graduate, I won't have loan money (well, I'll have a little saved up, but not enough to cover it all). So we were hoping to cut back on child care expenses once I'm no longer in school.

If I'm caring for DS during the day & studying during naps and on nights and weekends, do I have any hope of passing the bar on my first shot? Do we need to suck it up and cut expenses elsewhere so we can pay for child care until I take the test?

I just don't want to underestimate (or overestimate, for that matter) the task of studying for the bar.

Thanks for any advice!

[CatsCradle]

It think it might also depend on if you are a good test-taker. I have never done well on standarized tests, so I had to literally study and take practice tests every day for the two months preceding the bar exam. I passed two separate state bar exams the first time around, but I can say with confidence that it was because I put in the time. That being said, I normally put in about seven hours per day (3 hours of bar preparation class in the morning and 4 hours of study in the afternoon). Then, I would relax in the evenings and during most of the weekends. I treated it like a job. A few weeks before the exams, I put in more intensive time and study, but felt I was polishing my knowledge and test-taking skills by that point.

I went to law school and took the bar exams before I had DD, so my time was completely mine. I think the key for you would be to set a strict schedule of study/practice, and don't veer from it. Devote a certain amount of hours a day to it and stay consistent. I have a good friend from law school who had toddlers and she was able to pass with flying colors. Good luck!

[Super~Single~Mama]

I'm also taking the feb bar exam in my state. But ALL my friends took it in July (I had a baby so I'm graduating a semester later than my classmates), and since I'm in NY - they were all studying like MAD all summer.

I would say, cut expenses elsewhere, do as much studying as possible, and do your best to make sure you pass on the 1st try.

That might depend too on where you're taking it, Cali and NY have the 1st and 2nd hardest bar exams in the country - elsewhere its not as difficult. So find out from some people who graduated from your school last semester and took the summer bar how much/little they studied. You might want to wait until after results come out though, so you can find out from the passing people how much time they put in.

[sweetest]

Depends ( I good lawyer answer )

If you are super structured it is do-able. Take a look at what the bar-bri schedule looks like. For example, one day you might spend 2-3 hours studying black letter contracts, then take 2 practice tests and then do 50 MBEs - yep- six hours without counting breaks. Which can be done during naps and in the evening/ early mornings. But you will be exhausted.

If you can do it, have childcare 2 mornings a week so you can take practice exams under exam conditions. For me, studying for the bar was nothing like law school. The bar was all about memorizing the rules and recognizing when the question called for spitting out which rule - very little critical thinking ( Im in CA.) There is some technique to getting your timing down ( especially if your state has a Performance component)

If you decide to forego child care and study during naps/evenings/mornings/weekends, by all means make a schedule and schedule in fun "mom" activities so you can relax and enjoy yourself some time ( easier said than done.)

Splurge on a hotel room during the Bar exam so your attention is focused.

Good luck!