7 Tips on Passing the Bar

Saturday, Mar 10 2:16 PM by Ivan Maxino Bandal

When I took the Bar examination in November 2011, toppin it never entered my mind! "## I $anted $a% to pa%%! &nti# no$, the rea#ity o' havin p#a(ed )op 6 in the Bar examination my%ti'ie% me! I do not kno$ ho$ I did it! What I*m on#y %ure o' i% that I did my be%t durin tho%e 'our Sunday% o' November 2011! +urin tho%e month% o' preparation 'or the Bar, my parent%, ,ud e -o%endo B! Banda#, ,r! and +r! .ope Maxino Banda# a#$ay% ave me the %upport and en(oura ement $hi(h a##o$ed me to hurd#e the Bar examination %u((e%%'u##y! My brother, "tty! ,a%on, a#$ay% ot in tou(h $ith me to ive me tip% on ho$ to prepare 'or the exam! No$ that I have a#ready pa%%ed the Bar exam%, I rea#i/ed that I have #earned a #ot o' thin % a#on the $ay! .ere they are: 1! +o not re#y on your%e#'! )ru%t in 01+! Pray 'or .i% uidan(e! )o pa%% the Bar exam%, you a#%o need %ome amount o' #u(k! "% you prepare 'or the Bar exam%, you*d rea#i/e that there are 2u%t %o many thin % to %tudy! "t %ome point in your revie$, you have to (hoo%e $hi(h thin % to %tudy! 3ou*re #u(ky i' $hat you %tudy i% a#%o $hat $ou#d be a%ked durin the examination! Pray to 01+! Pray 'or uidan(e! 2! )he be%t #a$ %(hoo# to prepare 'or the Bar 4xam i% the %(hoo# $here you are (urrent#y enro##ed! I' you rea##y $ant to pa%% the Bar exam, you (an do it no matter $hi(h %(hoo# you*re enro##ed in! I have been to three di''erent #a$ %(hoo#%: San Beda 5o##e e o' 6a$, &niver%ity o' the Phi#ippine%7+i#iman 5o##e e o' 6a$ and Si##iman &niver%ity 5o##e e o' 6a$! )hey are a## the %ame! "## o' the%e %(hoo#% tea(h u% the %ame #a$%, the %ame 2uri%pruden(e! Pa%%in the Bar i% %imp#y a matter o' attitude! By that I mean that one %hou#d have the determination to pa%% the Bar exam%! So no matter $hi(h %(hoo# you are enro##ed in, 2u%t make the mo%t out o' it! It i% up to the %tudent i' he or %he $ou#d $ant to pa%% and ex(e# in the Bar exam%! More than the %(hoo#, the attitude o' the %tudent or examinee to$ard% the Bar examination i% rea##y $hat $ou#d determine i' he or %he (an %u((e%%'u##y hurd#e it! But I do a(kno$#ed e that my %u((e%% $ith the Bar examination $a% be(au%e o' the trainin I ot 'rom the San Beda 5o##e e o' 6a$, the &P 5o##e e o' 6a$, and 'rom the Si##iman &niver%ity 5o##e e o' 6a$! "## the%e three #a$ %(hoo#% are very ood! )he %ame i% true $ith the San Seba%tian -e(o#eto% -evie$ 5enter, the p#a(e $here I enro##ed 'or my Bar revie$! )hey prepared me $e## 'or the Bar exam! "nd a## o' them p#ayed a bi ro#e in my pa%%in and toppin the Bar exam8 Prepare 'or the Bar exam the very moment you enter #a$ %(hoo#! )he time bet$een one*% raduation 'rom #a$ %(hoo# and the a(tua# date o' the Bar exam it%e#' %imp#y i% not enou h to revie$ everythin that $a% tau ht durin one*% %tay in #a$ %(hoo#! Ima ine, it u%ua##y take% a %tudent 'our year% to %tudy a## #a$ %ub2e(t%! But 'or purpo%e% o' the Bar exam, a #a$ raduate on#y ha% about 'ive :i' September i% the %(hedu#e o' the Bar 4xam; or %even :i' November i% the %(hedu#e o' the Bar exam; month% to revie$ everythin $hi(h took him or her 'our year% to #earn! Moreover, durin the exam it%e#', %to(k kno$#ed e o' the #a$ i% very u%e'u#! When you on#y have about a minute to an%$er every <ue%tion, your ma%tery o' the %ub2e(t matter $ou#d enab#e you to (orre(t#y %pot the an%$er in a %horter period o' time! 3ou (annot ma%ter a %ub2e(t i' you %tudy 'or it on#y durin the month% #eadin to the Bar exam! 3ou %hou#d try to ma%ter it $hi#e you*re in #a$ %(hoo#! >ind time to en2oy a% you prepare and revie$ 'or the Bar exam! Preparin 'or the Bar examination i% %o %tre%%'u# emotiona##y, phy%i(a##y, menta##y, and p%y(ho#o i(a##y! It i% menta##y and emotiona##y drainin ! 3ou*d not kno$ $hat to do %o you (an 'ini%h readin and revie$in everythin ! )he enormou% amount o' data and in'ormation you*d have to ab%orb i% %ometime% too mu(h 'or you to hand#e! "t time% you et depre%%ed be(au%e you 'ee# that no matter ho$ hard you %tudy, %ti## it %eem% that your e''ort% are not yet enou h to be ab#e to pa%% the Bar exam! Many time% you*d rea#i/e that nothin o' $hat you read i% a(tua##y bein

9!

=!

ab%orbed and %tored in your memory! "## the%e (an make you o (ra/y i' you*d %tre%% your%e#' too mu(h! 3ou*d be %tre%%ed out! )o pre%erve your menta# %tate, you*d have to 'ind time to re#ax and have 'un! It i% impo%%ib#e to %tudy %trai ht 'or 10 hour% or 2= hour%! 3ou need to pau%e at time% and re#ax! When I $a% revie$in , I $ent to the ma##% to re#ax! Me and my ir#'riend $at(hed movie% and $ent %hoppin 're<uent#y! )hi% re7ener i/ed u%! It enab#ed u% to %urvive the very very %tre%%'u# %ituation $hi(h ea(h Bar revie$ee under$ent durin the month% #eadin to Bar exam! ?! 5hoo%e <ua#ity over <uantity! " Bar revie$ee $ou#d et and re(eive %o many materia#% durin hi% or her revie$ 77 book%, revie$er%, memory aid%, and a## %ort% o' materia#%! )he vo#ume o' materia#% to read i% %o ma%%ive and enormou%! 3ou*d not have enou h time readin a## o' them, no matter ho$ mu(h you*d $ant to do %o! 3ou rea##y have to (hoo%e $hi(h materia#% to %tudy! Sometime%, readin %o many materia#% (an on#y (on'u%e you! In 'a(t, durin the pre7$eek, one $ou#d not have enou h time to read a #ot o' materia#%! "% 'or me, durin the revie$, I on#y (ho%e t$o materia#% 'or every %ub2e(t @ one book, and one revie$er or memory aid! I ma%tered the%e t$o materia#%! "#thou h %ometime% I had doubt% i' the%e t$o are enou h, I 2u%t had to tru%t my 2ud ment! "nd I $a% not di%appointed be(au%e %ti(kin to t$o materia#% per %ub2e(t enab#ed me to be more 'ami#iar $ith the materia#% and enab#ed me to an%$er 'a%ter durin the Bar exam it%e#'! )ake (are o' your hea#th durin the exam $eek! 1ne*% 'itne%% to take the exam i% a% important a% the revie$ pro(e%% it%e#'! -emember, it $ou#d take you 'our (on%e(utive Sunday% to (omp#ete the Bar exam! 4verythin $ou#d be u%e#e%% and a## your e''ort% $ou#d be put to $a%te i' you*d not be ab#e to (ontinue takin the exam be(au%e you are %i(k durin the exam day it%e#'! I rea#i/ed thi% durin the 'ir%t Sunday o' the exam! )he ni ht be'ore the exam, I $a% not ab#e to %#eep be(au%e I ot very di%turbed by the 'a(t that I $a% not ab#e to 'ini%h readin everythin I thou ht I had to read! 1n the day o' the exam, a% I $a% an%$erin <ue%tion number 90 o' the 1007item mu#tip#e (hoi(e exam in Po#iti(a# 6a$ under extreme time pre%%ure :$ith on#y about a minute to ana#y%e the %ituation iven, and (hoo%e the (orre(t an%$er amon the 'our (hoi(e% iven;, I a#mo%t 'ainted! I 'e#t very (o#d! I 'e#t I $a% about to vomit! My mind %topped $orkin ! I 'e#t %o $eak and tired! I $a% in extreme 'ati ue be(au%e I $a% not ab#e to %#eep the ni ht be'ore! "t that time I rea##y 'e#t I $ou#d not be ab#e to (ontinue takin the exam! I pau%ed 'or about ? minute% and took deep breath%! )hank'u##y I re(overed! +urin that brie' period o' time, I opted not to in'orm the pro(tor about ho$ I 'e#t! My ob2e(tive $a% (#ear: to pa%% the Bar exam! +urin the 'ourth Sunday, I $a% havin #oo%e bo$e# movement :6BM;! )hat $a% rea##y very (ha##en in ! But a'ter %o many month% o' preparation 'or the Bar exam, ivin up $a% %imp#y not an option! ,u%t do your be%t! 1n the day o' the exam, no one (an a%%i%t you a% you an%$er the te%t <ue%tion%! 3ou (an*t re#y on anyone but your%e#'! So no matter ho$ you 'ee# about ho$ you prepared 'or the exam, and even i' you 'ee# you have not done enou h to prepare 'or the exam, 2u%t do your be%t in an%$erin tho%e <ue%tion%! Be the be%t that you (an be! "% I $a% an%$erin the Bar exam%, I (on%tant#y remembered and app#ied thi% <uotation: B)o be a $inner, a## that you need to ive i% a## that you have!C

6!

A!