A little FAQ with M-E

Since I've finished up school last week, I've had pretty much some version of the conversation below with just about everyone I've come in contact with.

How does it feel to be done with school?

I wouldn't actually know. I graduated on a Saturday and last Monday I started a 40-hour mediation course that required me to attend class for eight-hour days five days in a row. I spent a total of seven hours a week in the classroom last semester, so eight a day made it hard to feel like I was done with school.

Since then, I've been studying for the bar, which is a lot like studying for class, except I can do it in my PJs and the results actually matter.

Wait, so you're not a lawyer yet?

No. I still have to pass the bar and get my licenses before I can become a lawyer.

When is the bar?

The last two days of July. It's only offered twice a year in Idaho, in July and February.

What's the bar like?

It's a two-day test. The first day is a six-hour, 200-multiple choice test. The second day consists of six essays and two multistate performance tests, also essays.

So are you like studying for the bar?

Yes. I'm going to study for it pretty much for the next 66 days, all the way up to the exam.

What are you doing to get ready for the bar?

I'm using Kaplan, a bar prep course. It's a program that tells me everyday what to complete that day to study and it gives me the weekends off. The program says to allow for 10 hours of studying a day, but I've found I can knock out the list in six to eight hours.

Are you worried you're going to fail?

No. I'm committed to doing the work to pass and I believe if I do the work, I'll pass. Besides, I haven't failed a test before, there's no reason to start now.

Wait, so you went to law school for three years and you don't know everything you need to pass the bar?

Yes, that would be correct.

So you're gave another company a lot of money to teach you what you need to know to pass the bar?

Yes.

So you paid three years of law school tuition, then paid more money for someone to teach you what you need to know to actually pass the bar?

Yes.

Can you take the bar exam without going to law school?

No, you must got to an ABA approved school to sit for the state bar exam.

Law school sounds like a scam.

Yes. Yes it does.