Top 5 Mistakes Students Make When Studying for the Bar (and How to Avoid Them)

Preparing for the bar exam is one of the most challenging periods in a law student’s journey. The pressure, the massive amount of material, and the high stakes often lead candidates into study habits that do more harm than good.

In this post, we’ll break down the top five mistakes students make when studying for the bar — and give you strategies to avoid them. Whether you’re preparing for the Ontario bar exam or another jurisdiction, these lessons will help you maximize efficiency and boost your chances of passing.

Mistake #1: Treating the Bar Exam Like a Law School Exam

One of the biggest misconceptions is thinking the bar exam is just another law school test. It’s not.

• Law school exams often involve essays, policy discussions, and demonstrating analytical depth.
• The bar exam, particularly in Ontario, is multiple-choice, open book, and competency-based.

Students waste time writing long summaries or diving into case law details, forgetting that exam questions test application of rules, not scholarly debate.

How to Avoid It:

• Focus on breadth over depth — know where to find rules, not every tiny detail.
• Train in exam-style multiple-choice questions instead of relying only on reading.
• Remember: efficiency and speed matter more than essay-style mastery.

Mistake #2: Over-Reliance on “Reading” Instead of “Practicing”

A common trap is spending endless hours reading and highlighting the bar materials without practicing questions. While it feels productive, it doesn’t mirror exam conditions.

On test day, you’ll face 160 multiple-choice questions in 4 hours. The challenge isn’t just knowing the law — it’s applying it under intense time pressure.

How to Avoid It:

• Start practicing questions early in your study period.
• Use timed drills to build pacing and stamina.
• After each practice set, review why each wrong answer was wrong. This strengthens comprehension.

Bar prep is about active learning, not passive reading.

Mistake #3: Poor Time Management and Lack of a Study Plan

Many students either cram too late or burn out by starting too early without structure. Without a clear timeline, it’s easy to spend too much time on some subjects and neglect others.

How to Avoid It:

• Create a realistic study calendar. Break down weeks by subject areas, leaving room for review and practice tests.
• Stick to the schedule but be flexible — adjust as needed if you fall behind.
• Treat prep like a job: block study hours, take breaks, and protect your energy.

Remember, the bar exam is a marathon, not a sprint.

Mistake #4: Neglecting Exam Strategy

Many students assume bar prep is purely about memorization. But because the Ontario bar exam is open book, success often depends on how well you can navigate the materials under pressure.

If you haven’t practiced flipping quickly through the materials or using an indexing system, you’ll lose valuable minutes on exam day.

How to Avoid It:

• Use tabs, highlighting, or digital search tools to make your materials easy to navigate.
• Practice answering questions with the same system you’ll use during the exam.
• Remember: the exam is not testing if you’ve memorized everything — it’s testing whether you can locate and apply the right information quickly.

Mistake #5: Ignoring Mental and Physical Health

Bar prep is stressful, and many students make the mistake of sacrificing sleep, exercise, and self-care in the name of “more study time.” Ironically, this often backfires.

• Sleep deprivation reduces concentration and memory.
• Anxiety spikes when breaks and relaxation are ignored.
• Burnout is real — and dangerous in a high-stakes setting.

How to Avoid It:

• Prioritize consistent sleep. A rested brain recalls faster.
• Build short breaks into your study schedule.
• Exercise and nutrition boost focus and stamina.
• Seek support — study groups, mentors, or prep platforms like BarBuddy provide accountability and community.

Bonus Mistake: Not Practicing Under Real Exam Conditions

Even students who do practice questions often forget to simulate exam conditions. Writing practice questions in a relaxed environment won’t prepare you for the time-pressured, high-stakes reality of exam day.

How to Avoid It:

• Do full timed mock exams.
• Mimic the exam day setup: same materials, same breaks, same timing.
• Train your brain and body to handle the 4-hour grind.

Key Takeaways

• The bar exam is not a law school exam — strategy matters as much as content.
• Practice > reading.
• Time management prevents both cramming and burnout.
• Navigating materials is a skill that must be trained.
• Your health is part of your study plan.

Conclusion: Why BarBuddy Helps You Avoid These Mistakes

At BarBuddy, we’ve seen thousands of students make the same mistakes — and we’ve built our platform to solve them. From timed practice questions to exam simulations and study community support, our tools ensure you prepare smarter, not just harder.

If you want to avoid the most common pitfalls and walk into exam day confident:

• Use BarBuddy’s 160 practice questions.
• Train with full-length mock exams.
• Join a supportive study community.

👉 Start studying smarter with BarBuddy today.

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