Classes to take in law school that may help with the Bar Exams

[Billy]

Hi all, hope everyone is having a great summer so far! 

Was curious to hear everyone's opinion or knowledge on this topic. What elective classes are helpful in preparation of the Bar exam? Any advice for a 3L student in choosing their classes. Would love to hear your input. Thank you! 

[QMT20]

You don't need to take elective classes to prepare for the Bar Exam. You just need to review the bar materials that the LSO sends you about a month and a half before your exams and get used to doing practice exams with an index or the detailed table of contents. 

Law school classes will ask you to engage critically with issues in each area of law. The bar exam basically just tests on information and doesn't require critical analysis. 

Some subjects such as civil procedure, business associations, and public law will be mandatory in law school anyway so you don't need to take electives for those. Others such as criminal procedure, real estate transactions, and family law appear on the bar exam but taking those courses won't really relieve you of having to do practice tests with an index or the detailed table of contents. Conversely, if you just get used to using the index or the detailed table of contents and read through your bar materials, you won't need to have taken those classes to pass. 

[Billy]

4 minutes ago, QMT20 said:

You don't need to take elective classes to prepare for the Bar Exam. You just need to review the bar materials that the LSO sends you about a month and a half before your exams and get used to doing practice exams with an index or the detailed table of contents. 

Law school classes will ask you to engage critically with issues in each area of law. The bar exam basically just tests on information and doesn't require critical analysis. 

Some subjects such as civil procedure, business associations, and public law will be mandatory in law school anyway so you don't need to take electives for those. Others such as criminal procedure, real estate transactions, and family law appear on the bar exam but taking those courses won't really relieve you of having to do practice tests with an index or the detailed table of contents. Conversely, if you just get used to using the index or the detailed table of contents and read through your bar materials, you won't need to have taken those classes to pass. 

Wow, thank you for this information! It really gave me a different perspective about the bar exam.

[easttowest]

Taking courses you’re not interested in to prepare for the bar would be a massive waste of your time in law school. I didn’t take Family Law, Real Estate or Secured Transactions (and probably others, but I’ve somewhat forgotten the bar) and it was fine.