11 Weeks Until the February 2011 California Bar Exam

Dear California Bar Reviewers,

Welcome to the latest installment of our CA bar exam newsletter. In this issue, we consider:

• Important Upcoming California Bar Exam Dates
• California Bar Exam Study Strategy: The Spacing Effect
• California Bar Exam Essays In-Depth: Essay Time Management
• BarReviewSolutions.com CA Bar News & Announcements:
• Performance Test Tutorial Now Available For 2011 California Bar Exam
• California Bar Exam Newsletter-Only Discount
• Next Issue Preview

Important Upcoming California Bar Exam Dates

• Final Filing Deadline (All Takers): January 18, 2011
• California Bar Exam: February 22-24, 2011

California Bar Exam Study Strategy: The Spacing Effect

The "spacing effect" is a cognitive science concept that helps explain how humans learn and remember information (e.g., the law tested on the California bar exam). A simplified explanation of the spacing effect is that humans more easily remember or learn information when they study the information a few times over a long period of time rather than studied repeatedly in a short period of time. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacing_effect.

How You Can Use The Spacing Effect to Better Prepare for the California Bar Exam

In terms of preparing for the CA bar exam, you can take advantage of the spacing effect by integrating spaced review and practice in your exam preparation. For example, if you review a subject like Torts, in week 1 of a planned 8 week review schedule, then you should integrate regular, scheduled reviews of Torts in the remaining 7 weeks of your study. This will enable you to regularly review the subject throughout the duration of your exam preparation instead of waiting to review the subject again immediately before the exam. Likewise, you can apply the spacing effect to both practice essays and practice multiple choice. At a minimum, weekly practice essays will better enable you to learn and remember proper essay technique and presentation.

By taking advantage of the spacing effect, you can make your CA bar exam review more effective and efficient. Our CA bar exam sample study schedules integrate these principles with suggestions for weekly reviews and regular practice essays and multiple choice questions.

California Bar Exam Essays In-Depth: Time Management

Our Essays In-Depth feature is an excerpt from our California Bar Exam Essay Solution On-Demand Workshop or one of our subject-specific California Bar Exam Essay Primers. This week we identify the value of time management and discuss several time management guidelines.

The Importance of Essay Time Management

The value of effective time management on the CA bar exam essays cannot be overstated. Adhering to sound time management principles can prevent a host of bar exam calamities, including the "I only had 20 minutes for the last essay" or the "I don't know what happened, I just stared at the fact pattern for 45 minutes." Problems like these can be avoided if individuals adhere to a few, simple time management guidelines.

Obey the 1-Hour Time Limit

Each essay on the California bar exam is designed and tested to be answered in 1 hour. Accordingly, and although seemingly obvious, an individual should spend no more than 1 hour per essay. The primary problem created by exceeding the 1-hour time limit on an essay is the collateral damage inflicted upon subsequent essays. For example, if you spend 90 minutes on Question 1, then you will only have 90 minutes to answer Questions 2 and 3. Since each essay is designed to be answered in 1 hour, trying to answer one or two subsequent essays in only 45 minutes places an individual at a fundamental disadvantage. You can avoid such a predicament by simply obeying the 1-hour time limit for all 6 essays.

The 1/3-2/3 Rule

Another common time management problem individuals face on an individual essay is spending either too little or too much time reading, organizing, and outlining their answers. Some individuals will read the question and begin writing an answer immediately. The result is typically an unorganized mess that omits a number of key issues. Conversely, other individuals will spend too much time reading the question, fretting and worrying, instead of simply getting down to the business of writing out an answer.

To avoid either of the above scenarios, we always espouse that individuals follow the "1/3-2/3 Rule," allocating 1/3 of their time to reading, organizing, and outlining an answer and devoting the remaining 2/3 of the allotted time to writing out the answer. For individuals that adhere to the 1-hour time limit per essay, the application of this rule results in 20 minutes for organizing an answer and 40 minutes for writing the answer.

By adhering to the 1-hour time limit per essay and following the 1/3 - 2/3 Rule, you can place yourself in a position to answer competently all 3 essays in either essay session.

BarReviewSolutions.com CA Bar News & Announcements

Performance Test Tutorial Now Available For 2011 California Bar Exam

Performance Test tutorials are now available via our February 2011 California Bar Exam Performance Test Tutoring Solution. Unlike our other California bar exam programs, which address both essays and performance tests, this program focuses only upon Performance Tests. You can learn more about our February 2011 California Bar Exam Performance Test Tutoring Solution.

California Bar Exam Newsletter-Only Discount

As a reminder, we are offering $50 off one of our online, 1-on-1 CA Tutorial Programs (Ultimate, Paced, or Fundamentals) through December 15, 2010. To obtain the discount, simply enter the code CAEARLY at checkout.

Next Issue Preview

In our next issue, our Essays In-Depth feature will examine common mistakes individuals commit when addressing Equal Protection issues on Constitutional Law essays.

If you have any questions about this newsletter or any of our products or services, then please feel free to Contact Us.

Study smart,

-The BarReviewSolutions.com Team