Passing The Baby Bar The First Time
Students enrolled in the J.D. degree program at the California Desert Trial Academy (CDTA) who successfully complete their first year of law studies must pass the First-Year Law Students Examination (FYSLX), also known as the Baby Bar, required by Business and Professions Code 6060(h) and Rule VIII of the Rules Regulating Admission to Practice Law in California, as part of their requirements to qualify to take the California Bar Examination.
At CDTA, your first year of law school is not only geared toward learning the first-year subjects, but it is particularly geared towards passing the Baby Bar. Our school boasts a passing average well above the state average. CDTA provides a comprehensive Baby Bar Review course from Fleming’s Fundamentals of Law and Professor Jeff Fleming. Our 1L students have already begin to prepare for the examination in June by completing the two day Fleming’s Writing Workshop. They will continue with the 5 day Baby Bar Review. All CDTA students are provided, at no additional cost, both attendance at the review course and 24/7 online access to the recorded videos of the courses.
A student who passes the First-Year Law Students Examination within three administrations of the examination after first becoming eligible to take it will receive credit for all legal studies completed to the time the examination is passed. A student who does not pass the examination within three administrations of the examination after first becoming eligible to take it, must, unfortunately, be dismissed from the JD program until he or she passes the Baby Bar. If the dismissed student subsequently passes the examination, the student is eligible for re-enrollment in this law school’s J.D. degree program but will receive credit for only one year of legal study. Thus, it’s crucial to pass this test the first time sitting for it.
Create a study schedule
Like the actual California Bar Exam, this is not a test for which students can cram for and expect to pass. Test-takers must formulate an effective study schedule that includes enough time to memorize the material and apply it to various types of practice questions. It is also important to schedule time away from studying to relieve stress.
CDTA provides students with a comprehensive schedule in January to prepare for the June exam. The schedule incorporates four full simulated Baby Bar Examinations. Every Saturday, 1L’s will practice writing essays and completing multiple-choice questions. Professors provide critical feedback. By the time they sit for the examination, they are well prepared both substantively and physically to stay focused during the day-long examination.
Focus on generating points on the examination with great issue spotting, memorizations, and application
Students must understand how best to generate points on the Baby Bar. Legal writing is unlike any other type of writing students may have practiced in college. The best answers will be short, succinct and written in the IRAC method. Students at CDTA are taught this from the first day of classes. There is great deal of memorization, but unless students understand how to issue spot and apply the facts to the elements, they will falter. Fortunately, these skills are practiced weekly at CDTA and individual assessment of each students writing is provided.
Practice time managing test responses
Time management is crucial for both the Baby Bar’s testing formats, multiple-choice and essay. Examinees have only three hours to complete the multiple-choice questions and four hours to complete the essay questions. This allows 1.8 minutes to answer each multiple-choice question and 1 hour per essay. This is why every practice exam, midterm and final examination at CDTA is completed under Baby Bar and Bar Exam conditions, using the same software, ExamSoft, that the State Bar uses. If questions are taking too long to answer, determine what is causing the problem, and take positive, active steps to solve the problem, whether it means improving issue-spotting or issue-outlining skills.
Review the answers to multiple-choice questions and essays
Reviewing the answers for the multiple-choice questions practiced is more important that the number of questions practiced. Students are provided with hundreds of practice questions as well as explanatory answers to prepare for the exam. Also, there are sample student answers to essay questions on the State Bar of California’s website. Keep in mind that these answers may not be perfectly correct, but they are representative of what was written in the time allocated on the exam.
Like traditional law schools, CDTA’s curriculum is designed to teach students the substantive law of core subject areas. Unlike traditional law schools, CDTA emphasizes training and developing students to be capable and competent advocates in any courtroom. The California Desert Trial Academy is a 21st Century law school that moves students toward a successful legal career on the first day of class. We believe that practical experience in tandem with legal knowledge is the best road to a successful, rewarding, and prosperous legal career. Call us today at (760) 342-0900 or find out more online here.