How to pass, nay, top the bar exams
With Due Respect – Philippine Daily Inquirer
April 20, 2008
MANILA, Philippines—Last Sunday, I commented on the dismal results
of the 2007 bar exams. I said that it was high time the Supreme
Court, the Philippine president and the law schools collaborated to
produce better lawyers. “We concur,” chorused many readers. But the
more pressing query of law students and reviewees for the 2008 test
is “Can you give us tips on how to pass the 2008 tests?
Having taken the exams eons ago, I felt inadequate answering the
question. Besides, I placed only sixth. So I called someone more
qualified, 2005 topnotcher Joan de Venecia. In turn, she summoned
help from two other numero unos, Arlene Maneja (2002) and Mercedita
Ona (2007). Incidentally, Arlene comes from UST, Joan from UP and
Mercedita from Ateneo de Manila. Here are their common tips.
Believe that you deserve to take the test. Forget the times you
botched up a recitation or failed an exam. You’re past that. Believe
that you have been allowed to sit for the bar because you have a
fighting chance to pass it. Cultivate composure with that thought.
You’ll need it.
Make time for serious self-evaluation. Have an honest assessment of
the subjects you are good at, and those you feel you have an
inadequate foundation on. If you sincerely believe that you do not
have sufficient knowledge of a particular subject, accept it humbly
and know that you still have a number of months to study for it.
Adjust the number of days devoted to each subject according to the
results of your self-assessment. A schedule is recommended to serve
as a guide as to how many days you can allot for every subject.
Have a study plan and be realistic about it. At the start of the bar
review, set aside all the materials you want to cover—all the books,
reviewers and notes for each subject. Make it your guide and pace
yourself. People without a plan either underestimate the workload or
get swamped with available materials; either way, they don’t finish
everything. So too, organize your review materials. Time is of the
essence during the bar review. You cannot afford to waste time by
looking for misplaced review materials. Maintain eight separate
boxes or drawers for each of the subjects. This will help you sort
through your materials and decide which to read during your pre-week.
Be realistic about your capabilities. People say they will “start
afresh” during the bar review—study more, play less. That’s nice but
it rarely happens. So, in setting a study plan, be kind to yourself.
Give yourself time to attend review lectures, to wake up late, to be
lazy, to go out and to have fun. The bar test is difficult enough
without making yourself sick because of unrealistic expectations.
Do not compare yourself with other reviewees. We all have our own
rhythm. Listen to yours. Bar preparation is an individual task. It
is ultimately your understanding of the law and its varied nuances,
not how many readings you do, or the laws that you memorize verbatim
that makes the difference.
Be physically fit. Try to get regular exercise. Eat nourishing
meals. Get enough sleep every day. Take vitamins and supplements.
Manage your stress. Remember, all your efforts will be wasted when
your body bogs down.
Use your time wisely. Sit in a review class or do personal reading?
If you know the subject well enough, refresh yourself by attending
review classes. If not, read up first. Review classes assume a
certain level of knowledge and, without it, you’ll be lost during
the discussion and waste valuable time. Know that you still have the
pre-week review for all those “bar tips” that most reviewers give.
Abandon all emotional problems. Inform your family and friends about
what you are going through in preparing for and in taking the exam.
Ask for their understanding and support. The last thing you need is
additional source of stress when preparing for the bar is draining
enough. Avoid all distractions. Keep your focus.
Perfect your handwriting and grammar. Bar examiners have to go
through thousands of exam booklets, and they are only human. As
would any other normal person, they appreciate, and understand more,
an answer that is at the very minimum, readable and logical. All
three topnotchers have good handwriting, and believe that their
passing, nay topping, the bar was in large part due to this. So,
practice writing neatly, legibly and fast.
If you are a visual person write down your notes. This exercise will
aid your quest for a beautiful penmanship, and help you retain the
facts and the law that may be difficult to retrieve as you store
more information in your brain bank.
Study smartly. Streamline. Codal provisions, a good reviewer for
each subject and updates on jurisprudence should suffice. Master the
basics. Understand the substance of the law and how to apply it to
given situations. Recall legal provisions during your spare time.
Listen to audio codals when you travel.
Ask for updates. Doctrines that you have studied in school may have
already been overturned or modified by the Supreme Court or by
Congress. Request your bar operations team to include abbreviated
facts in the updates, because bar questions are often facts-based.
Pray. Pray. Pray.
A final reminder. There is no shortcut to passing the bar. If you
want to pass on the first take, you have to put in the hours, and
get yourself in the mood to study. Do not focus on things you cannot
control (e.g., bar examiners, kinds of questions). Devote all your
energies to studying and positive thinking. Good luck!
by former Supreme Court Justice CJ Panganiban
