If you know my story, then it will probably come as no surprise to you that the only reason why I wanted to pass the Bar exam was so that I could move on with my life and pursue ANYTHING ELSE besides the legal profession.
But regardless of your ambitions, I wanted to make my outlines and cheat sheets free to anyone who has to sit through this thing. I took the Bar in 20123, so some of this content may be out of date. But these are the EXACT outlines that I prepared to take and pass the then 3-day exam and I want you to have them. Also, here is my advice to all bar-takers:
Tips for passing the California Bar exam:
Follow your Bar prep course, and don't try to be THAT overachiever. Seriously- don't overdo it. The Bar is a marathon, not a sprint, and these bar prep companies have it down to a science. I finally understood what my Torts professor was trying to teach my all semester after a Kaplan lecturer broke it down in 15 minutes.
Schedule in breaks to do HUMAN things. You know, like eat, exercise, experience joy. This exam is all-consuming, but it doesn't mean you can't be healthy and happy while you prepare.
Surround yourself with support. In addition to a study partner, make sure you have a mentor or someone you can vent (or breakdown) to. Remember, it's stressful for anyone else taking the exam, so having someone who can look at it from the outside and support you that way is important.
Practice is better than perfection. Even if you aren't getting the right answers, just keep practicing! The more you practice, the closer you'll get, so trust the process. Remember, you can apply the wrong law and STILL pass an essay question or performance test. The graders are looking for your analysis and your process, so practice, practice, practice writing your answers out.
Always ask for feedback. Take advantage of Kaplan's unlimited essay grading feature so you can practice AND improve. You also want to see how a bar grader will be assessing your answers.
Download my outlines below. And best of luck to you on the exam!!