“If you’re playing a poker game and you look around the table and can’t tell who the sucker it, it’s you.”  Paul Newman – Movie Star

The most common complaint I hear from applicants preparing to take the Performance Test is this: “I had trouble organizing my answer. This created so much pressure to finish within three hours.  There is so much material in every Performance Test and so little time to absorb and deal with it.”

 “Practice makes perfect” in performance test writing; the more you write the better you’ll get.  That said though, you can also practice spotting the sucker – not being a sucker.

Here’s how.

Every performance test is unique in many ways – it’s intended by the drafters to be.  But, if you were, say, a “bar geek” like me (get a life Adam) you might consider it interesting to go through as many of the 120 or so past questions to see if they have anything in comment.  If you did, you might be able to describe the major types of performance tests and invent strategies for each one.  No way you say?

 Well … you’re in luck.  Stay tuned!

About

Adam Ferber is Assistant Director for Academic Development at Santa Clara University Law School. A former long-time California Bar Exam grader, Member of the California Committee of Bar Examiners, and State Bar Examinations Director, he has unique insights into what it takes to be successful on the Bar Exam. He shares those insights in this blog, along with "insider" information concerning how the Exam is put together and graded, and tips on how to get yourself ready in mind, body and spirit.