Advice for The Florida Bar Exam

I graduated from law school in 2017, but I didn’t sit for the bar. We had just started KPG and I simply didn’t have the time to step away and study. My thought was that I was only going to take this thing once, and I wanted to make sure I passed it on the first try. I was planning to finally sit for it in 2020, but COVID happened and I didn’t want to risk studying for several months, only to have the exam get canceled. Thankfully, I was able to take the exam this past February and I am happy to say that I passed. My passing MPRE score expired, so I need to retake it in August. Therefore, I can’t get admitted to the Florida Bar until later on this year, but at least the big hurdle is out of the way.

Let me start by saying, this exam is not fun. It consists of 300 complicated multiple choice questions and 3 essay questions, spaced over the course of two days. It will challenge you mentally, physically, and spiritually, but it can be conquered. If I had to do it over again, I would do things far differently, so I thought I would share some of my takeaways. This advice is geared towards the bar exam, but I think it can be applied to any professional examination, including real estate. And remember, this is what worked for me. What works for you may be different.

Applying to the Florida Bar and purchasing a bar prep course is not cheap. Florida imposes a $1,000 fee to apply and a professional bar prep course can cost several thousand dollars. I used the basic Barbri course, which cost $2,000, and although very useful, I could’ve saved a lot of money doing things differently. I found that I only needed the outlines and MBE practice questions. The Florida Board of Bar Examiners posts a study guide every year, with the actual essay questions from previous exams and a sample of multiple choice questions. They are not trying to hide the ball, the FBBE studying guide is your best basis for studying for the Florida specific part of the exam. If I were to do it over again, I would have purchased the conviser outlines from Barbri, used Adaptibar for MBE prep and the study guides provided by the FBBE. This likely would’ve saved me a lot of money and given me the same result.

When it comes to studying, set a schedule that works for you! I started by using the schedule in the Barbri course and about halfway through I realized it wasn’t working for me. I quickly adjusted to a schedule that would work for me and how I study, and stuck to it. If I were to do it over again, I would stick to review, retention, and practice. I would’ve taken the first two weeks to review, reading through every outline, combining similar subjects. For example, when I reviewed contracts, I would’ve also reviewed Articles 3 and 9 of the UCC and remedies. Then, I would’ve shifted to practice and retention. Also, I would’ve given myself at least one day per week off. There were times when I felt myself burning out, and I would give myself an entire weekend off to rest. However, I think a set schedule, with at least one day per week to myself, would’ve prevented any burnout. It is also important to get out of your house everyday. Take an hour, get coffee or lunch, clear your head.

Each section of the exam is different and requires a different approach. The MBE is just as much about reading comprehension as it is knowledge. The best thing you can do is practice questions. Start slow, reading each question carefully, without concern for time. Then, as you progress, start putting yourself on a time limit. When it comes to Florida multiple choice, the questions are very specific, but the FBBE study guide will give a great idea of what you need to know and how the questions are presented. I found that the best way to study for the essays was to read past essays, issue spot, and then read through the sample answer. You will quickly see which subjects are most likely to be tested on the essay portion and what issues are likely to be tested for each subject. With that info you can make note cards to memorize the commonly tested rules and prioritize your studying to ensure you devote more time to the subjects most likely to be on the exam.

When it comes to exam day, confidence is going to be your best friend. If you start second guessing yourself, you aren’t going to make it. If you’ve put the time in, you know it. Even if things aren’t jumping out at you, trust your gut and in yourself. 

Day one is Florida, and it all starts with the essays. Read every essay before you start writing and prioritize your time based on what subjects you are strongest at. In February the subjects were Florida con law, torts, and trusts, in that order. I read the Florida con law question and my mind was blanking. I worked backwards, and spent the majority of my time on the trusts and torts questions. By the time I got to the Florida con law question I only had about 30 minutes left, but that was ok. I wrote what I could, but left the testing room confident, because I knew that I had racked up a lot of points on the other two. Another thing that I did was hand write my essays. This is something I did in law school and I would only recommend it if you are comfortable with it, but I think it can really help. Hand writing requires you to really stick to the issue, rule, analysis, and conclusion, with a big emphasis on the issue and rule, because you will not have time for fluff. I do not know anything about how the essays are graded, but the graders have to grade a lot of essays. I’m guessing the easier you make it for them, the better.

I found that the Florida multiple choice questions were specific, but straight forward. I came away feeling like they were really trying to test my knowledge of Florida law, not my ability to decipher a question. If you put the time in to study the subjects, you will be ok. They are testing you on the important stuff, the detailed stuff, the stuff that really matters.

The MBE however, that was something completely different. I think a person could be the preeminent legal scholar of our time and still fail the MBE. It is just as much about your ability to break a question down, as it is your knowledge of the subject. I would say the answer to 25% of the questions jumped out at me, 25% of the questions I had no idea what the answer was, and with 50% of the questions I was able to narrow it down to two answers. This is where confidence will win the day. Trust in yourself, trust your gut, and do not second guess yourself! Even if the answer isn’t jumping out at you, you know it. Watch your time, do not let yourself linger on a question for too long, but do not be afraid to take all of the time they give you. I finished each section of this exam with a minute to spare.

I walked away from day one feeling good, and I walked away from day two feeling unsure. But, overall, I walked away from the exam feeling nothing. The truth is, there is no way to know how you did until the results are posted. It is that kind of exam.

Whether it be the bar exam, the real estate licensing exam, or any other test, I hope this helps at least one person. I wish future takers of the Florida bar Exam the best of luck. And I say this with all sincerity, feel free to reach out to me.

Until next time,

Zach