The bar exam is one of the most demanding milestones in your legal career. And the bar prep journey will likely challenge you.
That's why there's a lot that should go into your action plan for bar prep. From considering school obligations, like final exams, graduation requirements and extra-curriculars that may not necessarily end when the semester does, to work and life commitments, you’ll probably have a few things to juggle along with your studies. Just remember that the less time you allow yourself to study, the less you’ll be able to make time for other obligations and still be sufficiently prepared for your bar exam.
Creating a personalized study experience will be critical. A flexible bar prep plan can help you stay on track, maintain balance, and focus on the material that matters most. With BARBRI’s Personalized Study Plan (PSP), you can build a study schedule tailored to your needs while still covering the content most important for success on exam day.
Think Calendar Customization
Since we all know life doesn’t stop during bar prep, BARBRI Bar Review helps you manage your schedule. It allows you to customize everything from your start date to the days you need off, giving you complete control over your studies. You may still be wrapping up coursework, attending graduation events, working part-time, relocating, or managing family commitments. A personalized study plan helps you balance those demands without sacrificing progress toward your exam goals.
The earlier you begin preparing, (a good four months in advance of the exam is ideal), the more flexibility you can build into your schedule. With more control over your study calendar, you can easily make adjustments when unexpected events arise and remain focused on the topics and subtopics that matter most.
If you start to fall behind, your PSP will automatically adapt your recommended assignments so you don’t have to worry about what you should study next. You can feel confident you're getting the assignments that give you the greatest probability of passing the bar exam.
Get Added Flexibility with Half-Day Calendar Customization
Not every scheduling conflict requires a full day off. Sometimes you just need a few hours for a doctor's appointment or work responsibilities. Or maybe you simply want to study for a shorter period.
BARBRI’s Half-Day Calendar Customization feature allows you to block either the morning or afternoon portion of your schedule while continuing to make progress. When you select a half-day, your PSP automatically adjusts your assignments by redistributing the remaining study hours across your available calendar. This added flexibility helps reduce stress while allowing you to maintain momentum throughout the learning process.
How to Personalize Your Studies
From your very first login to BARBRI Bar Review, you can shape your study experience. Once your PSP is activated, you will be prompted to set a start date and customize your schedule. You can account for full study days, half-days, and days off.
It’s okay if you’re not ready to do this the first time you sign in. You can customize at any point during your course. Here’s how:
- Access Your Schedule: On the “My Assignments” page, look for the progress module in the upper left corner. Click on “View & Customize Schedule” to see your study plan progress, along with completion targets throughout the course.
- Edit Your Weekly Schedule: Scroll down to the monthly calendar and click “Edit Schedule.” Here, you can set your preferred start date and select any recurring days or half-days you need off each week. You can also proceed with the default BARBRI schedule, but starting earlier can help you manage your workload.
- Set Individual Days Off: Return to the main customization page with the monthly calendar. You can set individual full or half days off by clicking on a specific date. As you adjust your schedule, notice how the “average hours per day” for completion changes. This helps you decide what is manageable for you.
Remember, the average hours are just a guideline. You can easily study more on some days and less on others to find a good balance and stay on track.
How Half-Day Calendar Customization Works in Your PSP
When you choose a specific date to take a “Half Day,” the system then takes the expected study hours for that day and divides them by two. The remaining half of the hours are intelligently redistributed across your remaining study days.
Your PSP will also feed you daily recommendations and assignments so you can work ahead on days you can spend more time.
Create a Bar Prep Plan That Works for You
Successful bar preparation isn't about following someone else's schedule. It's about building a study experience that fits your life while keeping you focused on passing the bar exam.
You may want to keep a general calendar for your other life commitments in addition to your PSP calendar. However you plan to tackle your bar prep alongside other obligations, it will be important to set boundaries and communicate them with others. Setting clear expectations for your availability during this time with family, friends and your employer will help you stick to your studies and not feel bad saying “no”.
BARBRI's Personalized Study Plan gives you the flexibility to customize your calendar, take full or half days off when needed, adapt to changing circumstances, and prioritize the content most important to your success. With a personalized approach, you can prepare confidently while maintaining balance throughout one of the most important periods of your legal education.
Explore the Calendar Customization feature through our free Bar Prep Preview or NextGen Prep Preview demos, with no commitment. See just how much control you can have over your bar prep studies.
When you’re ready to begin studying, enroll in BARBRI Bar Review or BARBRI NextGen Bar Review.
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