Model Bar Exam Answers
There's nothing clever about this post. I'm simply going to quote a sentence from a model answer to a con law essay question posted on the bar exam's website (Q5 from Feb. 03, p. 44 of the pdf, bottom of para. 2):
Arguably, his ability to indicate his claim is a vested property right, which was undeniably denied by the commissioner.This was part of a model answer. Now if only I can get half as many issues as this moron.
Labels: Bar Exams
posted by Armen Adzhemyan at 12:24 AM
24 Comments:
Here's another gem (Winter 2003, Q3, p. 21)
"Present Sense Impression:...The State will argue that Wes, upon seeing Don, merely expressed that he recognized him as the murderer. It was an impression at the present he was expressing. However this exception will probably not apply in this case since [sic]."
I'm still waiting to find out why the exception doesn't apply. Don't leave me hangin!
(Unfortunately the jerk spotted like every issue ever.)
self-centered rising 2L here - Armen, is there any chance we could get a bump on the "classes" thread before my Phase II bearfacts comes up? I was wondering if anyone has feedback Gamage for Tax (i think he's new?) as well as taking seminars generally.
Oh, and good luck on the bar! You have some good karma stored up from having run this blog . . .
Spotting the issues does appear to be the rub doesn't it. Once spotted, the analysis is easy, not a ton of facts to pour over, and no need for any depth, but you need to spot them first.
I really want to know how many points you lose for missing one of the issues. for winter 2003 q3 for example if you get everything, but miss that the cop wants to testify ie. creating a hearsay issue how many points is it possible for you to get?
I want to know. Any bar exam readers out there?
The answers posted are passing answers, not model answers. The point is really to give you a realistic expectation of what you can write and still pass.
They're not just passing answers, they are answers that received good grades. Says so right in the file.
Actually I wish they also provided just passing answers. I wouldn't be hyperventilating.
Good point Armen
9:52 as Armen pointed out the sample answers are far from the marginal pass answers.
Instead of providing 2 of the best answers in the state, they should give us 1 answer that got a 90, and 1 answer that got a 70.
That would help us to calibrate our own scores pretty well
Hmmm, what "file" are you looking at that says they are good answers? I can't see anything like that, for example, here:
http://www.calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/admissions/GBX/G0607-Selected-Questions.pdf
But looking at them now, they do seem fairly over the top. I never looked at them myself when I went through this process. Which, hopefully, should make you feel better. I know this is a stressful time for everyone sitting in July, but my advice is to just relax. The Bar exam is a minimum competency exam, and when you begin practicing you will be shocked, SHOCKED at who passes it, and realize that you worried a lot over nothing. No offense to those who, for whatever reason, fail, but the exam is not difficult and you do not need to know even 5% of what is in those BarBri books to pass.
12:09, it's sort of in the preface/introduction to the essays (at least in the Winter 03). But thank your for your reassuring words. They're undeniably soothing.
yes, soothing words appreciated. half the time the bar exam seems like a ridiculous and easy exercise, but why do 15% or so of boalties who take CA fail (~30-40 people, right?)?
i guess there is just a lot of FUD. but failing would just be so embarrassing.
FUD?
Am i missing something?
FUD==Fear, uncertainty and doubt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt
People fail because when they see sentences like these examples and say, "well, that's horrible writing, I can do better than that." And then they go back and try to write a prettier sentence. I know that's what I keep doing while I practice my essays. I just can't seem to stop...
I'm starting to think this isn't a minimum competency exam, but a maximum competency exam. If you actually slow down to answer these questions with the competency, diligence, and zeal that would be required of you under the RPC, you would fail.
I'm starting to think this isn't a minimum competency exam, but a maximum competency exam. If you actually slow down to answer these questions with the competency, diligence, and zeal that would be required of you under the RPC, you would fail.
Best Comment Award!
As a 1L I never had trouble focusing or studying, but as a bar candidate I can't focus for more than an hour and a half at a time. This is the most important exam of my life and I can't focus at all. Its not that I hit the wall, because its been like this all summer.
I think its because I look at the exam and it just doesn't appear to be that hard, except of course for the physical side of 3 6 hour days. I think the best training for the bar exam probably takes place in the gym.
Am I going to fail?
Hey people, relax. If Jerry Brown, Pete Wilson, and Antonio Villaigarosa passed--...oh, wait.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05340/618227.stm
(I'm assuming the Kathleen Sullivan angle is old news...but the story is fun just to see what an ass William Urquhart of Quinn Emanuel sounds like in blaming "the person who graded her exam.")
I think the conclusion is -- and Tom should check me on my understanding of regression analysis and causation -- that you should actually FAIL the bar if you want a successful career in California politics. So close the books, get out there, and shake some hands today, Martin White.
-- Clearly Anonymous Rising 3L
How many people are actually writing the essays to practice them vs. just outlining answers?
re: 11:38--some of each. I've been trying to write out 1 a day. Outlining is all I really need I think b/c I don't generally have a time problem, but I tend to get lazy with the outlining and just skip ahead.
Anyone want to start offering up essay predictions? Are they going to cross over agency and partnership with torts? Will we see a community property question?
At this point, I'm mostly just outlining answers (notwithstanding Sakai's admonitions) because I want to see if I'm catching the issues and have a vague idea of the applicable rules. I think at this point, most of us can IRAC.
11:38
...a little of both. On subjects where my weakness is issue spotting, I'm just outlining the essays. On subjects where my weakness is adhering to IRAC form, I'm actually writing.
At this point, I think it's more important to address one's test-taking weaknesses rather than strictly obey the PACE program.
Whats the pace program?
ok
Is anyone else suffering from procrastination issues? This is the most important exam in my life, and yet I keep wasting time.
On most days, I've studied no more than 2-3 solid hours. I haven't even taken a full MBE practice exam. I do about 10-15 questions at a time, maybe 30 in a day. Today, I've done zilch, after putting in uncharacteristically (for me) long days of 5+ hours.
I've always had problems with focus. When I spend more than a couple hours at something, my mind wanders. I'll be reading the words on the page but I won't retain any of the information.
I also have serious memory issues. I've read outlines for the six MBE sections several times, yet for whatever reason, I forget half of the material within two days. This dampens my enthusiasm for studying because I figure I'll forget it all again, so why bother?
At first, I made flash cards to test myself, then gave up on that because I found them time-consuming and counter-productive. Then I started making mnemonics for various legal doctrines and quit doing that too...I simply couldn't keep them straight.
Then there are the essays which I didn't start studying for until a few days ago. I got bored studying the ones for property, so now I'm doing next to nothing.
Desperation is starting to set in because I know I should be doing a lot more work and I haven't followed the BarBri pace plan at all. I'm nowhere close to being prepared for this test and I've also read that one cannot get away with cramming for it.
With only a week to go, I feel as though failure is inevitable. I figure I'll read through the MBE sections one last time the day before the exam (in hope that I'll retain the information this time) and then run through a checklist of the issues that might come up for the essays. But this all seems so fruitless.
I wish I had the mental energy to just bear down and study; I'm just not that type of guy. In both college and law school, I took essay-based courses whenver possible. I've always done poorly on exams. It's a miracle I passed the MPRE.
1:55 PM, yes. But I'm more hopeful. There's still plenty of time. And despair never helps anyway, so we just have to do the best we can.
I also suggest prayer/meditation/sleep.
1:55, straighten up and fly right! I relate to everything you're saying. I suffer from procrastination, I have lots of trouble focusing, I read slowly. Fortunately, I've been motivated enough by fear to make up for my overall lack of discipline.
But listen: while you're at a big disadvantage, if you committed yourself right now to having an insane week of practicing and just having a stab at it next Tuesday, I promise, you would not be the first person to pass this exam under those circumstances. If you do nothing, I imagine you'll have a miserable week anyway, and to top it off I really wouldn't like your chances.
So come on, I don't want to see anyone fail, but I really don't want to see anyone give up.
For what it's worth, my advice - coming from someone who really has put in a lot of time this summer doing a lot of different things - I would say just to skip your outlines at this point. Start doing essays. Do them blindly. If you don't know the rules, make shit up and apply it soundly. But practice writing! Practice the time crunch of a one-hour essay.
I'm telling you, you would not be the first person to pass with one week of decent practice! Obviously you're a smart guy! You can do it. It's not too late!
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