Philippines Bar Exam 101

So, you recently graduated from law school and after a long debate with yourself, you decide to take the bar this year. What do you need to know?

Actually, preparing for the bar exams starts from the moment you enroll in law school to the day you take it. Learning the basics is very important for any aspiring lawyer, and memorizing it is very important, especially during your four years in law school.

After graduation, what is the next step? There is a lot of advice offered when it comes to preparing for the exam, but I have created my own based on my personal experiences. Here are some tips when you are preparing for bar exams:

Budget. Guys, this is one of the most important considerations when you are about to take the bar, especially if you come from the provinces. Being worried about finances is the last thing you want to think about when you’re about to take the bar. Everything in Manila is expensive compared to the province, depending on where you rent, eat and do your review. You must allocate everything from bar exam fees, books, transportation, food and lodging, and miscellaneous fees for photocopying and other necessary expenses.

Study Schedule. Bar exams are like a war zone. It is better to be prepared for it than to end up regretting the fact that you were not. Create a study schedule that is comfortable for you. There are people who can study better at night than during the day. When you are a night person, just make sure that when the bar exams are coming up, you will be able to reset your body clock to the day, since the exams are done during the day.

Review center. I have heard some success stories about some law students making it through but doing a self-assessment. However, I will not recommend this as there is little chance that it will pass without the help of a review center. There will be times when you are too tired to read and just want to listen to lectures. Review centers also provide you with updates on new case law, law amendments, or new laws. What is 10k or more compared to what you will earn once you become a lawyer? There are many revision centers here in Manila, but if you are on a tight budget, look for revision centers located in your province.

law books. Believe me, six months is not enough for you to be able to read all the Law books that are available in the REX Bookstore. You have to be very selective when it comes to the textbooks you will use during the review. If you have good textbooks from your law school days, use them. Review centers will give you a lot of reviewers to read, so it is very important that you know how to prioritize one law book from another. Stick with an author or legal luminary that you are comfortable with in terms of your presentation. Just make sure the law book is up to date because we all know that laws and case law matters change from time to time.

Presentation of Petition to take the bar exams. Be sure to have everything ready from your birth certificate, testimonials from three attorneys, non-derogatory background check, marriage certificate (for married women), transcript of records, and other documents the Supreme Court may require in the future. You will need to attach them as attachments to your petition. Be sure to state all material and truthful facts in your petition, because false statements made in your petition are grounds for disqualification (if passed by the Bar Association) or refusal to take the Bar Exams.

Rest, eat and sleep. I’ve heard stories of some law grads losing their marbles because they’re not only pressured to pass (or even beat the bar), but also don’t get adequate rest, eating, and sleep. I don’t care what anyone else says, but it’s impossible to keep the same pace and momentum through the entire six month review. It is important to keep in mind that you have to be well rested before taking the bar. Please, do me a favor: Let’s eat guys! Don’t starve yourself because you might end up in the hospital during bar exams. If you feel like you’re not absorbing anything, go see a movie, have a couple of beers with friends, and even spend two or three hours playing online games. It won’t hurt you and is a great way to de-stress.

Maintain the status quo. Now is the time to focus, not to fall for her seatmate in revision class! If they take you then stay as such. It’s not the time for breakups either. Stay single if you are single. It is very important that you control your emotions during these crucial moments, as it could affect your review and your chances of passing your bar exams, so leave all your emotional baggage behind and focus! Focus! Focus!

Support group. Have a group of friends or your family cheer you on and keep your spirits up. Never listen to negative or ill-intentioned people because this can depress you. Make sure they understand how important bar exams are to you and don’t pester you during the review with trifles and jealous outbursts!

Prayers. No matter how prepared you think you are, you will still need Divine Intervention to pass your bar exams. There will be times when you experience blackouts, nervousness, and other anxiety or panic attacks, especially if this is your first time taking the bar. Aside from studying and preparing for bar exams, faith is also an important factor since after all we are nothing without God. With God nothing is impossible.

Study hard, prepare well, laugh and have faith. If you have these four factors, then the chance of passing the bar exams is great and very possible.

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