If you’re preparing for the bar exam and need a little motivation, you need to take a short break to read these inspiring tips from law school professors…
The bar exam will be here before you know it. But until then, we know you’re studying like crazy. And it feels like so much. That’s why we asked some of our faculty to share their favorite quotes and words of encouragement for anyone gearing up to take the bar exam.
The bar exam does not define you
Monica Teixeira de Sousa
Professor of Law
“The people who truly love you will continue to do so no matter the outcome of a single test. And all the wonderful qualities you possess will remain intact throughout this process. But in order for you to be able to look back on this experience and feel no regrets, my advice is to give everything you have to these last few weeks of bar preparation. You can do this!”
Take a deep breath
Thomas G. Shack
Lecturer in Law
Comptroller of the Commonwealth
“The bar exam is simply two days out of many years of hard work, preparation, and determination. When you walk through those doors, remember you are a Juris Doctor—nothing will ever change that fact. So take a deep breath, write like a lawyer, and cross the finish line confidently, Doctor!”
It’s a marathon and not a sprint
Russell Engler
Professor of Law
Director of Clinical Programs
“Take care of yourself. In all your studying, I hope you are getting sleep, eating, exercising—at least a bit—and even giving yourself breaks. It’s a marathon and not a sprint, so it’s just not possible to go 24/7.”
You have what it takes
Caryn R. Mitchell-Munevar
Clinical Law Professor
Attorney at Law
“The bar is a necessary evil; know that you possess all that is necessary to face this challenge and succeed. ‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure,’ Marianne Williamson.”
This is one step on the journey
Patti Jones
Adjunct Professor
Entertainment Law
“Ignore the blah blah of others around you who will only distract you. Tune them out. Shut out the outside world and imagine yourself in a bubble of confidence, focus, and calm. Trust that everything you studied has been deeply embedded in your subconscious and that you will be able to access every detail at the appropriate time. And believe this! View this episode in your life not as an exam but as a life-changing event, a process that will contribute to who you are becoming as a person. Look at this adventure as a means to an end and not as self-defining. And if you falter, take heart and know that there will be many other opportunities to realize your objectives and your life’s purpose. What you learned in law school will never be in vain.”
Remember the bigger picture
Wilton Hyman
Professor of Law
“‘The business of the law is to make sense of the confusion of what we call human life—to reduce it to order but at the same time to give it possibility, scope, even dignity,’ said Archibald MacLeish. I like this quote because it really focuses on what the study and practice of law should be about. It may not be directly applicable to your bar prep efforts, but it applies to the broader and bigger picture of where you are trying to get to and, hopefully, why you are trying to get there.”
You are prepared
Richard E. Welch III
Adjunct Professor
Associate Justice of the Superior Court of Massachusetts (ret.)
“Having been a Justice of the Superior Court for 23 years, I have heard many lawyers argue and read their briefs. Based on this experience, I can assure you that you are all bright enough and prepared enough to pass this exam and join the bar. Go forward with confidence and you will succeed.”
Have faith in yourself
Gary Monserud
Professor of Law
“Remember your hard work and your successes during exams. Have faith in your own intelligence and will power. Every faculty member is 100 percent behind you. You can succeed!”
You've made it this far
Larry Plavnick
Lecturer on Law
General Counsel, Voxpop
"If you've made it through three years of law school and have spent the better part of the past several months preparing for the exam, you know more than enough to pass. So take a deep breath and spend the night before the test relaxing and away from your notes and bar review materials. And most important of all, believe in yourself! Good luck to you all!"
Get a good night’s sleep!
Davalene Cooper
Professor of Law
“Get a good night's sleep the nights before the exam! You need to be alert, focused, and clear-headed as you take the exam. Being tired just makes everything more difficult.”
Learn more about New England Law’s bar prep programs.