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Originally posted by baltassoc
I disagree with this. Anything short of triplets and I'd go ahead and take the bar immediately.

Its not silly at all, Chief, but I'm inclined to agree with Balt and try to gut out the bar in July. I will reconsider my plans to take two (current state and target state) and take my prospective target state as necessary.

Clerking for anything higher than traffic court is not really viable for me. My field of law is federal, limiting my opportinities to clerk and raising the bar to clear.

I dislike paper classes and it shows in my performance. I'm better overall at targeting an exam, preping for it, attacking it, and getting it over with. Partially why I want to do the same with the bar.

I guess the other question is: do you already have a job in hand? If so, you're in a lot better position. Last semester grades will be much less critical. Getting As when you've got a three day old may be a challenge, but Cs are a different matter. It would be highly unlikely for a firm to pull an offer for bad last semester grades under the particular circumstances.

I have a an offer to stay at the firm I've been with (working full time; law school at night). However, I am concerned about long term prospects should I want or need to lateral. My GPA doesn't have far to go before slipping below what might be considered respectable (see clerkship prospects, above) and I do not want to have to hide from my transcript more than I already do. Point of fact, law school had a side benefit of sanitizing my UGPA (see test-taking preference).

But if at all possible, don't work while studying for it. No one will blink at just studying for the bar the summer after graduation, but if you try to take it some other time, you'll be studying for the bar, raising a kid, and working. While it's doable, I think you'll find that the area that gets shortest shrift in that situation is raising the kid, and this will be disappointing to you.

I'd like to think I'll feel the same way about that state of priorities, but right now the timing has me vexed. I've tried to be supportive, but I'm afraid I've been less than ecstatic about the news.

So sign up for Barbri, take a morning class, read another two hours in the library and then go home. Catch another hour or two of study while the kid naps. You'll be okay.

Thanks for the support.