How to Switch to Active Bar Prep Before It's Too Late

Active learning will help you pass the bar exam. With the time you have left until the bar exam, here's how to make sure you're learning actively.

Passive learning is defined by absorbing and memorizing information without actively engaging with the material. Active learning, on the other hand, requires students to be more proactive and engage with study material more mindfully.

Though no one uses just one technique, active learning helps generate better results on law school finals and the bar exam.

Here are two key ways you can make yourself a more active learner:

1) 25/75 

You should be spending 25% of your time using passive learning techniques, which include things like reading outlines and listening to lectures. The other 75% should be spent using active learning. That means practice questions and practice writing essays. 

In essence, you should be spending 3/4 of your time practicing what you're learning. 

2) Convert to active learning

If you aren’t meeting the 25/75 ratio, then convert some of your learning techniques from passive to active. For example, if you’re watching a video lecture, pause the video when the lecturer has shared a black letter law rule, and think about how you could apply it in a hypothetical real world scenario. Or find a bar exam essay question that relates to the subject.

Furthermore, quiz yourself on rules rather than just reviewing them. Flashcards are a great way to utilize active learning.

Active learning techniques are the most effective, but of course, they take more time and energy as well. So don’t forget to take breaks and rest your mind so you don’t burn out.