Zen of Passing the Bar Exam Book
Thank you for your interest in my book, The Zen of Passing the Bar Exam. I wrote the book in order to help examines along their arduous path of studying for and passing the bar exam. The book contains many tips, strategies, essay & multiple choice exercises, and model answers for doing well on the exam. You can order the book at most every internet book seller website (e.g., Amazon.com) or you can order directly from the publisher by clicking on the link below. To give you a feel for the book, I have included the Introduction section and the Table of Contents. Good luck and happy passing.
Introduction
When the student is ready,
the teacher will appear.
Since 2003, I have been tutoring for the bar exam. I currently lecture nationally for BarBri bar review, and I also teach seminars throughout the country on the topics covered in this book. About the time I started tutoring for the bar exam, I began to notice the many parallels between how one should approach the bar exam, and how Zen principles teach one to approach life. I incorporated many of these principles into my tutoring, and the results have been incredible. I’ve written this book to reach an even larger audience, in the hope that others might also be helped on the path to passing the bar exam.
Zen is a way of life – and so is passing the bar exam. I have written this book to offer a comprehensive way to approach studying for (and passing) the bar exam. In Zen, the ultimate goal is to reach enlightenment (or nirvana). As for the bar exam, the ultimate goal is passing. Accordingly, throughout the book I liken the end goal of enlightenment of Zen with the end goal of the “enlightenment” of passing the bar exam.
In each section, I offer a Zen quote to introduce concepts that can be applied to studying for the bar exam in order to maximize your chances of passing. I truly believe that this approach is, for many, the best approach to passing the exam. Zen is about balance, knowing yourself, knowing your universe, and staying focused on the path to enlightenment. Similarly, these principles should be the foundation for maximizing your chances of passing the bar exam.
In addition to offering a comprehensive approach to studying, I also offer specific, practical advice and exercises for doing well on both the essay and MBE portions of the bar exam. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Enjoy your path to enlightenment.
The journey of a thousand miles
must begin with a single step….
Table of Contents
Introduction: 4
Chapter 1: Preparing for the Journey 5
Your Personal Relationships during the Bar Exam 8
Lifestyle during the Bar Exam 9
It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint 10
Chapter 2: Knowing Your True Self 11
What Kind of Essay Writer Are You? 12
Chapter 3: Your Presence is Requested 19
Writing the Essay 23
A Quick Recap 33
Chapter 4: Noreuil’s Top Ten Tips for Essay Writing 34
What the Graders Say 40
Chapter 5: Studying for the Multi-State Bar Exam (MBE) 41
How to Study for the MBE 41
Starting the MBE Study Process 42
Timing 43
Reviewing Your Practice MBE Questions 45
Breaking Down the MBE 46
A Quick Recap 53
Chapter 6: Noreuil’s Top Ten Tips for the MBE 54
What the NBCE Says 63
Chapter 7: Handling the Bumps in the Road and Negativity 65
Fear of Failure 65
Fear of Not being able to Learn Everything 66
Feeling as if You are not doing well enough in Practice 66
Fear/Anxiety over not “Getting” a Particular Subject 68
Anxiety that Others are Studying More than You 70
Anxiety/Fear in General 71
Chapter 8: Knowing Your Universe 73
Knowing the Exam Location 73
Knowing the Rules of Protocol 73
The Day of the Exam 73
Concluding Remarks 75
Chapter 9: After the Exam 75
Appendices
Appendix A: A Note to Repeat Takers 77
Appendix B: The Energy Notebook: A Tip for Learning the Law 79
Appendix C: Additional Essay Exercises and Model Answers 81
Appendix D: What the NCBE Says 88
Appendix E: Note from the Author & Additional Zen Quotes 91
“Enter on [to the bar exam] scene a new book, The Zen of Passing the Bar Exam by Chad Noreuil, that is part self-help book and part coach for the marathon that culminates in the bar exam… The prospective lawyer who reads [this book] will find practical tips, commonsense study routine suggestions, and a can-do approach to achieve the professional goal of passing the bar exam.”
— Maricopa Lawyer
Unsolicited Testimonials from Students
“If you ever need a quote or perspective from a bar taker who used your book please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am more than happy to do anything I can to help spread this valuable message!”
– Sherin L.
“Just wanted to thank you for passing along your insights to the rest of us via your new book. Getting myself in the proper place mentally and emotionally has been the biggest challenge. Read your book last night when I was too tired to absorb any more Property, and have awakened with a new sense of how to take this journey. Thank you again for taking the time to think about these challenges and for sharing your conclusions!”
– Kathy W.
