CATES Blog

What are the dos and don’ts in the week leading up to the NYS Bar Exam?

studying for the bar exam

The week you take the New York Bar Exam is a stressful one indeed. You have spent years in school, months studying, and this one exam is all that stands in the way of your career taking off. Here are a few pointers to help make it a little more relaxed.

First, you should plan on staying at a location close to your NY Bar Exam test site. A hotel is ideal since it offers privacy and quiet, but anywhere close to the New York Bar Exam site will do. Also, you should plan on arriving the day before the bar exam (Monday) as that will give you time to settle in and mentally prepare for the daunting task ahead.

Next, you should resist the temptation to bring Bar Exam study materials with you; however, if you simply cannot live without them, I would suggest only a list of New York law distinctions or some MBE questions. Don’t cart all your NY Bar Exam study materials with you: you won’t need them and chances are all that extra baggage will only create added anxiety.

Most importantly, in between Bar exam days you should try to relax and get plenty of rest. Make a point of eating a satisfying meal alone or with company that doesn’t care to discuss the Bar Exam. Don’t stay out too late or have too much fun in the day between the Bar exams, as there is still work to be done. After the second day of the Multistate Bar Exam, if you are not taking the Bar exam in a second state, you should celebrate your accomplishment in whatever way you see fit.  Cheers to you for a job well done!!

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How can I use my summer to prepare effectively for my SAT or ACT exam?

The importance of getting a head start on standardized test prep can’t be overstated.  While it’s important to give yourself a break over the summer, to clear the clutter of your school year, by July 5^th, it’s a good idea to get back to studying for the ACT or SAT.

If you start over the summer, until waiting until the school year begins, you’ll be able to focus on your SAT or ACT test prep without the distraction of schoolwork, and you’ll be much more comfortable with the SAT or ACT test by the time you finally take it in the fall, winter, or spring.  You’ll be able to fully absord the standardized test-taking techniques you need to master, before the craziness of the school year starts up again.

Think about it.  If you learn just 50 new SAT vocabulary words a week over the summer, you’ll have mastered 600 words by the end of August.  Compare that to a student who starts cramming new SAT vocabulary words for the first time just a couple of weeks before he or she takes the ACT or SAT test.  Giving yourself the extra time to work through practice math and reading problems is also going to improve your score.

Best of all, if you give yourself the opportunity to take three or four practice ACTs or SATs over the summer, you’ll feel much better prepared to tackle

the massive length of these standardized tests (three hours and twenty-five minutes for the ACT exam; three hours and forty-five minutes for the SAT exam).  By giving yourself a little extra practice, you come into your junior or senior year feeling like an expert in taking standardized tests—rather than a frightened beginner.  In other words, you’ll be able to hit the ground running.

Just like going to the gym, studying for the SAT or ACT exam is a lot easier with a coach to help you structure your preparation, and to suit your particular needs.  A SAT or ACT tutor can help you determine a study plan that works for you, working around your vacation plans and summer jobs.  Come in and take a free SAT or ACT test, see how you do, and then talk to CATES about helping you organize your time in a way that maximizes your preparation and minimizes your stress level.

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Is it important to use the summer to prepare for the SAT and ACT Tests?

The importance of getting a head start on standardized test prep can’t be overstated.  While it’s important to give yourself a break over the summer, to clear the clutter of your school year, by July 5^th, it’s a good idea to get back to studying for the ACT or SAT.

If you start over the summer, until waiting until the school year begins, you’ll be able to focus on your SAT test prep without the distraction of schoolwork, and you’ll be much more comfortable with the SAT or ACT test by the time you finally take it in the fall, winter, or spring.  You’ll be able to fully absord the standardized test-taking techniques you need to master, before the craziness of the school year starts up again.

Think about it.  If you learn just 50 new SAT vocabulary words a week over the summer, you’ll have mastered 600 words by the end of August.  Compare that to a student who starts cramming new SAT vocabulary words for the first time just a couple of weeks before he or she takes the ACT or SAT test.  Giving yourself the extra time to work through practice math and reading problems is also going to improve your score.

Best of all, if you give yourself the opportunity to take three or four practice ACTs or SATs over the summer, you’ll feel much better prepared to tackle

the massive length of these standardized tests (three hours and twenty-five minutes for the ACT exam; three hours and forty-five minutes for the SAT exam).  By giving yourself a little extra practice, you come into your junior or senior year feeling like an expert in taking standardized tests—rather than a frightened beginner.  In other words, you’ll be able to hit the ground running.

Just like going to the gym, studying for the SAT or ACT exam is a lot easier with a coach to help you structure your preparation, and to suit your particular needs.  A SAT or ACT tutor can help you determine a study plan that works for you, working around your vacation plans and summer jobs.  Come in and take a free SAT or ACT test, see how you do, and then talk to CATES about helping you organize your time in a way that maximizes your preparation and minimizes your stress level.

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What should I do after the end of the school year?

It’s summertime!

If you’re a junior, you’ve finished what was probably one of the most intense academic years of your life.  Chances are, you’ve made it through some challenging AP or Honors classes, and (after weeks of anxious waiting) you’ve gotten your ACT or SAT test results back.

Whether or not you’re planning on taking another SAT or ACT test in the fall, we recommend you take at least a little time to kick back and unwind.  Finishing another year of high school, especially as the frenzy of preparations for college admissions and SAT and ACT exams begins to heat up, is a reason to celebrate.  Take a breath.  Take a break.  Take the time you need to clear your head.

After a couple of weeks, though—and no later than July 5^th—you’ll want to hit the books again.  Summer is the perfect time to improve your mastery of testtaking techniques, and to build your SAT vocabulary or, if you’re taking the ACT exam, to get the hang of those tricky trigonometry problems.  You’re no longer in the middle of the hustle and bustle of your junior year, and you’re not yet in the breathless dash to the finishline of senior year.  This is the perfect opportunity for sustained SAT or ACT prep.  Once your senior year starts, it’s going to be a whole lot harder to find the time or headspace for it.

If you’ve just completed your senior year, on the other hand, and wrapped up not only the dreaded ACT or SAT exam, but your last high school exam as well, then congratulations!  Just the fact that you’ve finished the long process of applying for college, taking the SAT exam, and graduating from high school represents an enormous achievement.

Take some time to relax, and also: take a moment to reflect on everything you’ve accomplished, in the process of studying for the SAT or ACT.  You’ve proven that you’re capable of working hard and diligently, that you’re someone who’s capable of great things and committed to succeeding.  These are lessons you’ll be able to apply not only in your college classes, but after college, as well.  Not only is there life after standardized test prep; standardized test prep turns out to be pretty good practice for life.

You’re on the brink of leaving your home and your parents behind, and though you’ll miss them, you’re bound to be pretty excited about heading to college.  You should be.  It’s a thrilling place to be, and you’ve earned the right to take your place there.

Have a great summer, and best of luck next year!

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How should I approach writing my college admissions essay?

Writing your college admissions essays can seem pretty overwhelming–especially when you’re trying to finish them on top of juggling a full class load, extracurricular activities, and SAT prep. On top of that, the personal statement (also known as simply “the college essay”) on the common application essay prompt is vague and open, which only increases the intimidation factor. Here’s the good news: nobody is asking you to prove that you’re the “perfect” applicant or the next great American writer.  College admissions officers just want to see that you can write a clear, engaging essay that reveals something about who you are as a person.

In other words, the college admissions officers who read your essay want to know who you are— not what you think they want to hear.  Don’t pepper your admissions essay with references to how you’re “hard-working” and compassionate,” or other “says who?” adjectives.  If you’re genuinely hard-working, that hard work is likely to lead to a higher GPA, and if you’re truly compassionate, it’s likely to have an impact on the types of extracurricular activities you pursue.

It’s always better to demonstrate positive qualities than to declare them on your college admissions essay.  You’ll also want to avoid clichés.  It’s not a great idea to write about how climbing a mountain made you realize that, with enough determination, there’s no obstacle you can’t overcome.  (Admissions officers have seen that one a lot.)  Another common college application essay relates how, through helping others (e.g., volunteering at a homeless shelter), you received unexpected benefits yourself (e.g., realized that money is less important than happiness.) Of course, if you have had a genuine experience climbing a mountain, or volunteering for the needy, and feel like you have a new perspective to offer, go for it.

Finally, don’t write your college admissions essay the way you would write a standard four-paragraph or five-paragraph essay, complete with introduction and thesis, two or three developmental paragraphs (each focused on a distinct, concrete example) and formal conclusion.  This format works well for an English paper or an SAT essay, but to write a first-rate college application essay, you’ll probably want to take a less formal approach.

Here’s the bottom line: show the college admissions officers what makes you tick.  Tell a story about a meaningful experience and how it changed you, or about the impact a teacher or mentor had on you.  Make your admissions essay so specific to who you are that it couldn’t possibly be written by anybody else.

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