In an ideal world, preparing for the bar exam would be your only job. That said, for many law school graduates, that simply isn’t an option. Whether due to financial obligations, existing employment, or the hope of turning a temporary position into a long-term opportunity, some graduates must juggle bar prep with work responsibilities.
This dual responsibility isn’t ideal, but it’s often reality. Even a part-time role can quickly consume more time and energy than expected, especially if you’re trying to make a strong impression with the hope of securing a permanent position later. And once that first paycheck arrives, it’s easy to find yourself wanting to double your hours to earn more. The lines between part-time and full-time can blur quickly. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t waste energy wishing things were different. As much as I hate the overly used saying, it is what it is. Instead, focus on what you can control.
Here are five practical strategies to help you manage both work and bar prep effectively.
1. Build a Micro-Schedule, Not Just a Weekly Outline
Traditional study schedules assume you have full days to devote to bar prep. When you’re working, that’s just not feasible. Vague plans like “study in the evening” aren’t specific enough to be effective. Instead, break your day into 30- to 60-minute blocks and assign concrete, manageable tasks to each block. Rather than writing “study Evidence,” try: “Watch Character Evidence Lecture” or “Complete 10 Character Evidence MBE questions and review explanations.” Focusing on discrete topics like character evidence can make your study time more efficient and digestible, especially when your schedule is tight.
This approach keeps your momentum going and transforms bar prep into a series of achievable wins. With limited time, specificity and structure are your best allies. Also, don’t overlook the power of planning your study time the night before—spending just 5–10 minutes organizing the next day can save you from wasting precious minutes trying to decide what to study when time is tight.
2. Maximize Weekends and Early Mornings
Unfortunately, you’ll have to say goodbye to fun weekends and leisurely mornings. Weekends and early mornings are prime real estate for studying. Use them strategically. Early morning study sessions—even just 45 minutes—can set the tone for your day. Focus on targeted tasks like reviewing flashcards, outlining, or tackling a few practice questions. Try pairing your morning coffee with a daily mini-quiz or brief review of key rules to create a consistent routine.
On weekends, aim to bank at least six to eight hours of study time across both days. You might not have full days free, but even multiple shorter blocks can add up to a productive weekend. Treat these sessions like sprints: High-focus, high-yield, and free from weekday distractions.
Additionally, replace the late-night doom-scrolling on Reddit (you know who you are!) and instead try to add a brief 15- to 30-minute review session before bedtime each night. Use this time to revisit flashcards, review rules, or quiz yourself on a single topic. Done consistently, this habit can add up, contributing an extra two to four hours of study time each week. Over the course of a typical 10-week bar prep period, that’s 20 to 40 hours of additional studying. Think of that as the equivalent of a full workweek’s worth of extra preparation.
These hours are cumulative and valuable. Layer your bar prep like bricks: each short session is one more step toward building a stable foundation for exam day.
3. Focus on Active Learning, Not Passive Consumption
When you’re tired or pressed for time, it’s tempting to default to watching lectures. But watching videos alone won’t prepare you for the bar. You need to engage actively with the material.
Here’s what you should prioritize:
- Completing MBE question sets and reviewing answer explanations thoroughly
- Practicing essay questions and performance tests
- Condensing outlines into flashcards, one-pagers, or mind maps
- Taking simulated examinations under timed, test-like conditions
Active learning builds memory, sharpens your skills, and ensures you’re preparing for the actual test, not just going through the motions. If you only have 20 minutes between tasks or during a lunch break, review your flashcards, sketch out rules from memory, or answer 5–10 MBE questions. These moments matter. They reinforce learning through retrieval practice, which is one of the most effective ways to retain information long-term.
4. Communicate with Your Employer
If you haven’t already, have a candid conversation with your employer. Be transparent about your bar prep responsibilities and ask if flexible scheduling is possible, such as remote work, reduced hours, or a modified schedule during peak study periods.
Many legal employers understand the significance of the bar exam and are often quite accommodating. They know that your success benefits them, too. After all, hiring someone who passes the bar strengthens their team. Being proactive about your needs shows maturity and foresight—qualities that legal employers genuinely respect. Even small accommodations can make a meaningful difference in your ability to manage both responsibilities effectively.
If you’re working outside the legal field, the conversation may be different, but not impossible. Emphasize that the bar exam is a critical, time-sensitive milestone. Offer solutions—such as earlier start times, compressed shifts, or even making up hours post-exam—to demonstrate flexibility and professionalism.
5. Plan for Setbacks and Show Yourself Grace
It’s inevitable: You will fall behind at some point. You’ll miss a study session. You’ll feel too exhausted to concentrate.
Build flexibility into your plan. Every Sunday, spend 10 minutes reviewing your progress and adjusting the week ahead. Maybe you shift focus to a subject you’ve neglected or squeeze in a bonus study block on your next day off. The key is to stay agile and avoid letting one tough day derail your week.
Because bar study is compressed into a roughly 10-week period, it’s especially important to assess, reassess, and pivot frequently. You simply don’t have time to stay stuck in a bad routine or let a missed assignment linger. Small course corrections each week can have a huge cumulative effect. Your ability to adapt is just as important as your ability to stick to a schedule.
Just as important: Be kind to yourself. Bar prep isn’t about perfection. It’s about persistence. While the ideal bar prep schedule is to show up consistently, do the work, and keep moving forward, the reality is that working—even part-time—can make that incredibly difficult. On some days, simply squeezing in one or two hours of review may be all you can manage—and that’s okay. Progress will look different for everyone, and what matters most is continuing to make forward motion, however small.
It’s Doable—But Working Through Bar Prep Comes with Real Challenges
Let’s not sugarcoat it: Studying for the bar exam while working is not ideal. If you had the luxury of full-time study, you’d take it. And if you do have that option, you should. Working during bar prep, even part-time, often means trading certainty for risk. The bar exam is high stakes. A missed question or a weak essay might not just mean a lower score. It could mean not passing.
That said, sometimes working is unavoidable. Bills need paying. Families need support. Opportunities don’t pause just because the bar exam is approaching.
If you’re navigating this dual challenge, know you’re not alone. But also recognize the very real uphill battle you’re facing. This isn’t about inspiration or grit alone. Working while preparing for the bar exam means you’re operating with limited time, reduced focus, and increased stress—all of which can materially impact your chances of passing. It’s not impossible, but it is significantly harder, and every decision you make must reflect the seriousness of the task ahead.
