Analyzing equal protection questions can be tricky. But here's the good news: whether you encounter them on the MBE or in an essay, you can tackle any EP question by applying this straightforward, step-by-step analysis.
It's right around this time each year that bar exam test takers will feel the need to shift their focus away from MBE subjects and on to secondary subjects, like wills or trusts and estates.
In some ways this is a valid feeling: it's certainly important to study all subjects that will appear on your jurisdiction's bar exam. But you'll land yourself in trouble if you start to let a week or even several days pass without working on your MBE subjects.
Here's a few reasons why you should keep a steady diet of MBE subjects on your schedule throughout the summer.
1. Non-MBE Subjects May Not Be Tested--But ALL MBE Subject Will.
Whether you're taking the bar in a UBE jurisdiction or not, you'll face non-MBE portions of the bar exam that can test different subjects. But here's the problem: you don't know which subjects will be tested. There's a decent chance, for example, that you'll never see a question about family law.
The same can't be said for MBE subjects. You know you're going to get tested on all of them, and you even know how frequently each subject will arise.
2. MBE Subjects Are a Huge Portion of Your Score.
We've written before about why the MBE is so important given how the bar exam's scoring breaks down. In a nutshell, the MBE is often a huge portion of your score, accounting for as much as 50% of your total bar exam score in many states.
But also remember that usually 1/4 to 1/2 (or more) of the essays on the bar exam are MBE subjects. The implication is clear: you should focus on studying for MBE subjects beyond when it's covered in your bar exam class.
3. Making MBEs a Priority Will Pay Off.
While you may have some time now to study non-MBE subjects, at some point you're going to have to prioritize. As you make those decisions, keep this in mind: knowing just the basics of an essay-only subject can go a long way in issue-spotting and writing a good answer. But the same can't be said for MBE subjects, which have a multiple choice format. You either know the material or you don't.
So what's your major takeaway? Resist the urge to keep MBEs on the shelf for too long, and ensure they are a consistent priority in your study schedule.
Now that you're a few weeks into studying for the bar exam, you've probably noticed that your study schedule can really take a toll on you physically. One of the key ways to keep pace with the grueling schedule and finish strong is to make your health and wellness a major priority.
It has been a few weeks since Bar Prep has started and it’s been a round-the-clock endeavor. In these past weeks, I have developed a routine and found a rhythm. There are two things that stand out as important and significant in my studying.