It's here. The Summer 2009 Bar Exam is here.
If you've been studying for the Bar Exam and are for some reason here on DKos tonight trying to calm down, welcome. Not studying anymore, if your state's exam starts tomorrow morning, is a good move.
Two weeks and a day ago, I wrote this diary on passing the bar exam, which has been linked to in my sig line since then (and will probably remain so through the week.)
There are things in there still worth your reading, if you're so inclined, but there's only one that really bears repeating today:
Fake It To Make It
The Bar Exam is a loaded die that you get to load yourself. You've prepared as much (or as little) as you could (or would.) But now you still have to roll the thing. Some well-prepared people will fail, and it will totally be due to luck. Some ill-prepared people will pass, also due to luck. You aren't responsible for the outcome. You're only responsible for rolling the die now that it's your turn.
Chances are, you'll pass.
To pass, when you are in doubt, remember that "fake it to make it" is your creed.
Your enemies on the exam are doubt and delay. If you don't know the answer to a multiple choice question, you've been told to guess. What they may not have emphasized is: guess quickly. If a question is going to take you too long to puzzle through, then unless you're one of the lucky folks who can power through the multiple choice exams in no time, just guess, don't put your time into it. Your having answered question #37 correctly does you no good if it keeps you from having time to answer questions #98 through #100.
Similarly, on an essay exam, if you don't know much about a topic, then bullshit your way through the answer. Regurgitate the most basic facts you are given. Take a stab at the answer, even if you don't know the law, and then use the "if on the other hand I am incorrect about this then ..." or the "the opposing counsel will content that ..." gambit. You're just trying to get the grader to tick off marks on a checklist. Don't get fancy. Fake your way through and put it behind you. If it's a topic you know nothing about, vomit up some stuff onto the paper and then move on to a question where you can rack up your score.
On the performance test -- well, they've already told you to pay attention to the footnotes in the cases, right? The other thing is: keep aware of the assignment you're given and just do that. Anything else you might want to do doesn't have nice boxes to check off on the grading checklist.
Fake it and move on. Don't look back, don't think back. You're brash and haven't a care. You're going to eat lightning and crap thunder -- or at least get close enough to convince yourself that that's what you've done.
Then, when you're done, come back here and celebrate. We've missed you.