Every year, law students approach us with a critical question: Should I start studying early for the bar exam? They wonder if it helps or if it's an unnecessary burden. Our experience and extensive data provide a clear answer. Students who begin studying for the bar exam early position themselves for success.
Give Yourself the Best Opportunity to Pass
The goal is to pass the bar exam on your first attempt. While many students succeed by dedicating 8-10 weeks to their BARBRI Bar Review course, our data reveals a powerful trend. Those who engage with BARBRI tools and materials even earlier are statistically more likely to pass.
This isn't about adding overwhelming pressure. Even a small amount of early work can make a profound difference. It helps you understand what to expect and builds a strong base of knowledge.
Recent enhancements to BARBRI Bar Review include early access to gain a competitive edge. You have up to 16 weeks of full access to all assignments and materials, so you get a head start and more time to prep. Since you don't have to wait for a static course start date, you can begin reviewing Foundations Episodes and other assignments early to get an introduction to key subjects.
Flexible calendar customization, including the ability to set entire days or half-days off, only available in our proprietary Personal Study Plan (PSP), also allows you to adjust your start date to ensure you aren’t left to sprint to the finish line.
Spread the Workload to Avoid Burnout
Rather than having that last-minute sprint, a smarter approach to bar exam prep is to view it as a marathon. Starting early allows you to distribute the workload over a longer period. Time spent building key skills early is time and stress you save later. You will enter your more intense study period feeling prepared and prevent the burnout that can derail even the most dedicated students.
Why Cramming for the Bar Exam Doesn’t Work
We’ve all crammed for a final exam, and sometimes, it was just enough to get by. That strategy will not work for the bar exam, however. The sheer volume of material and the need for deep, analytical understanding make cramming an ineffective and risky approach. The bar exam requires true learning and retention, not last-minute memorization.
This is precisely when to start studying for the bar—before the pressure is on. Through our animated Foundations Episodes, you lay the groundwork for knowledge building. That foundational knowledge stays with you, making the intensive study period more about refinement and less about initial learning.
Simply put, you can position yourself for passing the bar exam by starting your bar prep early. Give yourself the decisive edge with BARBRI Bar Review.
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