ii
02
WHY BAR PREP READING
FEELS DIFFERENT
Those legal terms and complex sentences in the bar exam materials aren’t light
reading. While reading, your brain is actually:
Processing new concepts;
Connecting ideas to previous knowledge;
Trying to understand practical applications; and
Converting legal jargon into plain English.
1. Dense Technical Language
2. The Stakes Make It Harder
Let's acknowledge the elephant in the room: bar
exam materials aren’t a brochure that someone hands
out to why while waiting at the crosswalk. This exam
stands between you and your legal career, and
therefore, builds pressure in our minds. As a result,
it’s likely your brain will be:
Hyper-critical of what you're reading;
Second-guessing your understanding; and
Re-reading sentences or paragraphs to make sure
you "got it."
You might even find yourself trying to memorize while you read and the normal
reading flow gets interrupted by anxiety and stress, so it’sno wonder your reading
feels slow.