That preparation should begin with grieving for a little while. If you are like most people, you can't commit three years of your life to learning the law and not be disappointed that you cannot practice it. For this reason you need time to deal with the emotional, psychological, and physical ramifications of not passing. Take time to grieve so that you can be done with it and will not need to grieve while you are studying.

Second, begin a regular exercise routine. Studying for the bar exam the second time is frustrating and you are going to need a productive way to deal with that frustration. Also, you will need to do things to lift your spirits during your studying and there are few things that contribute to being in good mental health as much as being in good physical shape. This will also help you improve your energy. High energy levels are essential for passing the bar exam because the exam also tests your mental and physical endurance.

Third, review the exam you failed question by question. If possible, do this with someone who is familiar with what it takes to pass the bar exam. Determine where you did well and where you did poorly so that you can tailor your studying to remain strong in the areas in which you did well and improve in the areas in which you did poorly.

Fourth, speak to other people who passed the bar exam and have a similar lifestyle to your lifestyle. If you are a single parent speak to other single parents, and not to someone who does not have children. A person without children can never truly understand how the responsibility of children can greatly impact studying for the bar exam.

The websites below provide additional thoughts on retaking the bar exam.

http://www.passthebar.com/comt04.html

http://academic.udayton.edu/legaled/barpass/Other/resource02.htm

Other related articles on this website include Bar Exam Review Courses and Bar Exam-The Physical Preparation.

Good luck on the bar exam!

If you have any questions or comments about this article, or want to write your own article about the pre-law or law school process, feel free to contact me.