Bar Exam Tips

AUG UST 9, 2008 / 3 COMME NTS
BAR EXAMS TIPS
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PART I
I was just an ordinary student in law school who passed the 2007 Philippine Bar Exams on my first try. I wanted
to share to the bar examinees the things that I did so that they will have an idea how to study for the bar. I do hope
that it will help them somehow. Here are my tips:
1. Pray to God for guidance. Before I reviewed for the bar exams, I asked God to guide me all through out so that I
would pass the bar exams on my first take. I asked Him to help me become physically, emotionally, spiritually,
mentally and psychologically well- prepared for the exams. I asked Him to give me the following:
a. a REVIEW PLACE where I can stay during the entire review. I needed this because I am from Pampanga. I
wanted to be away from home so that I could really focus on my review. Choose one where you are most
comfortable. In my case, I chose the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in United Nations Avenue in Manila. Why?
Because I felt that it could sustain my spiritual needs. The Salesian sisters there were very supportive of us. They
would also include you in their prayers. It felt good that there were people praying for you. There was also a chapel
there where one could hear the mass everyday in the morning, lunch time or evening. The Novena to our Lady of
Perpetual Help is also said every Wednesday. Then, there was also the adoration chapel where the Blessed
Sacrament is exposed. Everyday, I prayed there and I talked to God and told Him about how I felt at that moment.
b. a REVIEW BUDDY who I am comfortable with. The advantage of having a review buddy is that I can discuss
the provisions of laws that I are not clear to me. We can also check on each other whether we are studying well.
Also, when one gets bored, the other may crack jokes. In my case, my review buddy was my friend since high
school. We wake up early morning and jog at Luneta Park so that we could release our stress.
c. a REVIEW CENTRE where I can get the updates in law. I enrolled in a certain Review Center because it was
the one nearest the Pope Pius. However, I did not attend much of the reviews because I felt that I needed to study
by myself. I have nothing against the Reviewers because they were all legal luminaries. In the review centres, the
rooms were extremely cold and I would feel sleepy or sometimes my hyperactive imagination would wander around
(I have been like that since my preschool days. I get bored easily.) That is why I felt that it would be best if I would
study alone. I would take the lecture notes given by our reviewers and then I leave. I read them only when I have
the spare time. I admit I did not read most of them. With the others, they might be better off attending bar lectures.
It varies you know. And;
d. the REVIEW MATERIALS which I will read
2. Get hold of books on bar review tips in the book stores. I bought the BAR REVIEW METHODS AND TECHNIQUES by
Atty. Janet Abuel. I also bought the SLAYING THE BAR EXAMS DRAGON by Dean Rufus Rodriguez. And of course the
BAR BLUES. I felt that I needed books which would guide me how to study for the bar exams. If I would like to win
the war, I should fight my battles well-prepared. The books may cost me much but they are cheaper compared to
repeating the bar exams. They were very helpful in my review. There were times when I would check on the books
whether I was doing the right things and whether it was just normal to feel so sad during the review period. I also
compared them and adopted the tips which would apply to me.
3. Plan your review schedule. I got a real big calendar and divided the days according to the number of the bar
subjects and their weight and difficulty. I divided my schedule into three reviews. My FIRST OR COMPREHENSIVE
REVIEW started in April and ended in June. This must be an exhaustive reading. I started with the subjects that I
found difficult. I marked those topics which I found important. My SECOND OR QUICK REVIEW started in July and
ended in the third week of August. I read only those which I marked important. Also, I reversed the bar exams
schedule. I started with Legal Ethics & Practical Exercises followed by Remedial Law and ended with Labor & Social
Legislation, and Political Law & Public International Law. Lastly, My THIRD REVIEW OR PRE-WEEK REVIEW started in
the last week of August and ended in September of course. In this manner, those that I studied during the last week
of my Quick review were still fresh on my mind. When I was already on my Pre-week review, I was just making
finishing touches. I did not procrastinate. There were so many laws to study and time was running out. However,
there were times when I needed to readjust my schedule for several times because I failed to finish some subjects
as scheduled. In my case, since I am a morning person, I wake up early morning and sleep by 11 PM or midnight. I
must be asleep by midnight. I also take my power naps during the day. I sleep whenever I wanted to sleep because
it would help my brain to rest for a while.
1.
4. Decide which review materials to study. There are many good review materials in the market. I decided to use
those review books that I used in fourth year because I was already familiar with them. You know, I bought some
new books but I failed to read them. If I would still read them, I would run out of time. You see, Less is more. That
was one of the advice given to us. Actually, I told myself that Only one reviewer per subject is better if I am
familiar with it rather than I read a lot of books but I dont remember much. However, there are some reviewees
who use more books and they still passed the bar exams. It varies you know. Focus on the books written by the
legal luminaries. They know what they are writing about. They would never write anything which would tarnish their
name. There were some subjects wherein I used the codals alone. But most of them, I used the reviewer books. I did
not use voice recording because I prefer reading books. But I believe this technique is helpful to others
jayarhsals MARCH 7, 2014 9:13 PM
Hi atty.!.. Good evening.. Your post is very informative especially to those aspirants who will be taking the bar this
year.. I would just like to ask where we can buy atty. janet abuels book?.. My ate will be taking the bar this year..
She asked me to look for atty. janets book.. I already asked rex bookstore and they said that they dont have a copy
of it anymore.. If theres a way that i can grab a copy even just a reproduction.. I hope you can help me with this..;)
Thank You..;) [email protected]
(Post author)
fabulouslawyer MARCH 7, 2014 9:25 PM
hello. its nice to hear that some find this post informative. thank you. I bought mine at Rex. but that was years ago.
I lent my 3 books (how to slay the bar exams dragon, atty J. Abuels book and another which I forgot the title) to a
friend but she didnt bother to return them after passing the bar exams. my plan was to lend it to bar examinees but
she didnt return them. She told me that they were among her things that were shipped to her province. :(
Maybe you can find 2nd hand books. I really dont know where to buy one nowadays. if you cannot find that of Atty.
Abuel you can find tips n the internet. Good luck to your Ate. :)

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AUG UST 9, 2008 / 3 COMME NTS

BAR EXAMS TIPS

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