8/12/2019 How to pass the bar exam by Justice Panganiban

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How to pass, nay, top the barexams

By Artemio V. Panganiban

Philippine Daily InquirerFirst Posted 23:46:00 04/19/2008

Filed Under:Laws, Education

MANILA, Philippines?Last Sunday, I commented on the dismal results of the 2007 barexams.

I said that it was high time the Supreme Court, the Philippine president and the law schoolscollaborated 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 tipson 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 barbecause 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 donot 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 guideas to how many days you can allot for every subject.

Have a study plan and be realistic about it. At the start of the barreview, set aside all thematerials 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, organizeyour reviewmaterials. Time is of the essence during the barreview. You cannot afford to waste

time by looking for misplaced reviewmaterials. 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 barreview?study more, play less. That?s nice but it rarely happens. So, in setting a study plan, bekind to yourself. Give yourself time to attend reviewlectures, to wake up late, to be lazy, to go

out and to have fun. The bartest is difficult enough without making yourself sick because of

unrealistic expectations.

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8/12/2019 How to pass the bar exam by Justice Panganiban

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Do not compare yourself with other reviewees. We all have our own rhythm. Listen to yours.

Barpreparation 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 thedifference.

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 reviewclass or do personal reading? If you know the subject well

enough, refresh yourself by attending reviewclasses. If not, read up first. Reviewclasses assume

a certain level of knowledge and, without it, you?ll be lost during the discussion and wastevaluable time. Know that you still have the pre-week reviewfor all those ?bartips? 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. Thelast thing you need is additional source of stress when preparing for the baris draining enough.

Avoid all distractions. Keep your focus.

Perfect your handwriting and grammar. Barexaminers have to go through thousands of exambooklets, and they are only human. As would any other normal person, they appreciate, andunderstand 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 barwas 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 youstore 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 baroperations team to includeabbreviated facts in the updates, because barquestions 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., barexaminers, kinds of questions). Devote all your energies to studying and

positive thinking. Good luck!