TIPS FOR MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS Here is a compilation of tips for answering the MCQ Bar Examination, sourced

from the talk of Justice Abad & Atty. Abad: 1. In answering a question, look first at the question and answering it yourself before looking at the choices. 2. In case of doubt, look at the intent of the examiner. You can also use the process of elimination. 3. If you have to, guess. But guess intelligently. 4. In guessing, stick to one letter if you cannot arrive at an intelligent guess. 5. The MCQ will only have one answer that experts will generally agree on, so do not worry about outlier answers. 6. Since it is choose the CORRECT not the BEST answer, pick the answer that provides a correct response to the question. 7. Do not leave anything blank, it is not a right minus wrong exam. 8. Do not dwell on one number too long, if necessary, skip it. You need to budget your time. 9. Mark unsure answers so you can review them before time is up.

10. Make sure you are shading the correct number. 11. Keep in mind the purpose of the questions: a. Examinees knowledge of law and basic principles and ability to recall them (KNOW and RECALL) 20% b. Ability to understand the meaning and significance of the law and its basic principles (UNDERSTANDING) 40% c. Ability of the examinee to analyze legal problems and provide solutions to them (ANALYSIS and SOLUTION) 40%

TIPS FROM THE PREVIOUS BAR TOPNOTCHERS ATTY. PJ BERNARDO TOP 8, 2005 BAR EXAMINATIONS Review Tips Studying on Sundays is often necessary to keep pace with the three-reading schedule. While it is advisable to scale-down study on Sundays, it is good to put in a few hours of study in order to keep the pace going. A completely study-free Sunday can mean difficulty starting-up again on Monday, resulting in wasted time. But do take breaks. Perhaps you can schedule them in between each reading (i.e. after finishing your first reading of all the subjects). Go to the Beach, drive to Tagaytay, indulge in the spa. Taking breaks especially come August is a good way to relieve stress. Choose the Bar Lectures which you will be attending. Nothing is better than actually sitting down to read for yourself; lectures can only serve to point to you important point which you should already know (i.e. sitting at the lectures, youre attitude should be: ah, okay, alam ko na yan!) I suggest, however, that you absolutely attend: Domondons Tax Lectures (and get a copy of his cut-andpaste, especially in tax), Jacks Political Law Pre-Week Political Law and Commercial Law lectures, and the lectures on Legal Forms and Land Titles. Stick to a book, and read that throughout.

The Bar is not a depth exam, but a breadth exam. Reading too many books on the same subject can often clutter your understanding and leave you confused. Do not rely on reviewers; often, the books you read in law school are the best review material. Read past Bar exams. While there is no guarantee that the Bar will repeat previous questions, it is always good to have a feel of what the Bar questions are like. The UP Law Center publishes a compendium of past Bar exams in every subject, and having a copy of these compendia would be good preparation in knowing the style of questions which are asked. Sometimes (as in Tax), there are several central principles which are often asked, and while questions may vary from year to year, the concepts are the same. If you are sharp, you will see the same pattern in other subjects. So, try to read through the last ten years bar exams. Do it gradually, over your four or five month review, perhaps before going to bed (Youre going to dream about the Bar, anyway, trust me). Focus on Criminal Law, Taxation, and Ethics. Ateneans are generally known to excel in Political Law, Commercial Law, and Remedial Law. However, our waterloo is often Criminal Law, Tax Law, and Ethics. Thus, pay extra-care to these subjects, which are often the tricky ones in the Bar. In fact, during our 2005 Bar, only 19% passed the Criminal Law Exam! It would be heartbreaking for a bar candidate to flunk it because he/she gets disqualified in Ethics (and mind you, this has happened many times). For Ethics, know the Canons.

Do well in the afternoon subjects. The afternoon subjects are often more compact that the morning subjects whose breadth is often wider. Afternoon subjects tends to be more to the point and more manageable to answer. Thus, strive to do well in the afternoon subjects because they can serve as buffers for the often more difficult morning subjects. Know the Codal. You can never go wrong with the code. Even if, for example, the examiner has a specific case in mind which you do not know, remember that these cases are merely interpretations of a specific provision of law. Thus, spend time knowing the codal, if possible, knowing it by heart. In fact, I suggest that you do not read commentaries on your pre-week; rather, focus on Codal provisions. Take a rest the day Monday after each exam. Actually, you really have no choice, because your brain will simply refuse to work on Monday, following each exam. After the Bar exams, you will probably be too exhausted to indulge in any strenuous activities. Most of you will just want to plop into bed and sleep: this isnt a bad idea. Sleep in. Upon waking up the next day, see a movie. Start studying again in the late afternoon, if at all. Most importantly, forget about the previous Sundays exam. Not only will it make you nervous about the exams in general, it will just distract you from studying for the next Sundays test.

Good luck! Know that for someone whos been there, I can honestly say that Ateneo Law School has given you what it takes to pass the Bar with flying colors. Again, its only a question of focus and discipline on your part. Study to top, not merely to pass. Magis requires nothing less.

TIPS FROM THE PREVIOUS BAR TOPNOTCHERS ATTY. MENCHIE ONA TOP 1, 2007 BAR EXAMINATIONS Review Tips Read this manual (at least thrice). That was the first thing I did to prepare for the Bar. Psyche yourself. Understand the nature of the Bar Exam. Nothing comes close to the Bar. It, therefore, should not be surprising that preparing for the Bar will require every barristers 101%. Bar Review is synonymous to SACRIFICE. Understand that you have to forego things you love when you prepare for the bar. The earlier you say bye-bye to your happy days, the better. The bar exam requires serious, systematic and smart preparation. Choose your review materials wisely. It is so timeconsuming to shift to another material and start all over again. a. Be partial to those books/materials you have already read during your law school days, provided, of course, they are bar review materials (i.e. reasonable in length). One, reading them will take less time, as you dont have to highlight or mark them. Two, it contains your notes. Three, even by just looking at the material, youll know where the important parts/concepts are. b. Its better to have a copy of a reviewer/handout and then decide not to read it than to have no copy of it and then decide you need it. Its best to have options.

c. Tables and diagrams in reviewers (Ateneo, Beda) are useful. Organize your review materials. Time is of the essence during bar review. You cannot afford to waste time by looking for misplaced review materials. I maintained eight drawers for each of the subject. This is also a good way to store all the reviewers youll get. Make a schedule and follow it. Count the number of days from the start of your review until the last day before preweek Anticipate and exclude all those dates when you cant study. (Youll realize you dont have much time!) Divide these days per subject (and per book) according to your preference. Subjects which are longer or which you have weak foundation in should be given priority. Be flexible, though. Adjustments are inevitable. Still, a schedule is a must to provide a guide as to how many days you can allot for every reading. (I misplaced the notebook which contains my sched. Sorry. Anyway, youre the best person to know what suits you this applies not only in making a sched but for the entire bar preparation as well.) Dont procrastinate. You cant buy time. There is not enough time! (I cant stress this enough.) There is no way to stretch your review period you can only reduce time allotted for one subject to make up for another. This is the best time to bribe your friends (who are not preparing for the Bar), family and loved ones to do tasks for you (like buying your pens, books, getting review materials, preparing meals, etc.)

Still, be kind to yourself. Set aside some time to relax and breathe. Sometimes your brain just cant absorb anymore. Youll be more effective if you stop reading. Watch a movie, go out, have dinner with your loved ones, whatever. (But not too long, just enough to recharge you.) I went out during Saturdays. When I feel tired or when I feel my brain cannot absorb more info, I stop - watch t.v., sleep, mangulit sa mga kapatid ko esp. Kenneth, Udy, Mae. Monitor your progress. I logged both the number of hours spent reading and the number of pages I covered. This helped me paced myself. This may not work for everyone though. April and early May, I was so slow I think 50 pages a day. I started logging my hours end of May. Come August (siguro dahil sobrang takot na ko), I averaged 150 to 200 pages and 9 hours a day. Study smartly. Do not read too many stuff. Streamline. Codal provisions, a good reviewer for each subject and updates on jurisprudence should suffice. (note that I did not read all the review materials I listed 3x) Master the basics. Knowing what is important and relevant makes a big difference. Understand the substance of the law and know how to apply the law. Force yourself to absorb what you have reviewed. Recall legal provisions during your spare time. Listen to audio codals when you travel. Take care of your health. Try to get regular exercise, even 30 minutes a day. (This I failed to do, so during the exam days, I had difficulty breathing. My sister told me it may be because I gained a lot of weight and failed to exercise for a loooong period). Nutritious food. Vitamins. Vaccines. And get enough sleep everyday! (at least 9 hours for me) Your brain processes info while sleeping. Manage your stress.

Ask for understanding and support of your family, friends, esp. boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband. Let them know what youre going through to prepare for the Bar Exam. The last thing you need is additional source of stress when the Bar is draining enough. Avoid distractions. Avoid conflicts in your personal relationships with others. Choose the review classes youll attend wisely. I did not attend too many review classes (I recommend Domondon on Tax Remedies and Balane on updates on jurisprudence). I realized that I would cover more topics by reading. Note that a lot of your time will be wasted by preparing, going to school, the useless talks, etc. (This may not apply if you plan to study in school.) If there are handouts for a given lecture, I suggest that you dont attend the class anymore. Most probably, the lecturer will only repeat whats already in the handout. This also applies if the lecturer was your professor. Weigh the pros and cons of attending a review class. (But make your assessment quick, you cant spend much of your time assessing whether to attend or not.) Strive for 3 readings, excluding pre-week. I did 3 readings. Dont memorize on your first reading. Just familiarize yourself. 1st reading was the lightest for me (I just highlighted my materials and made marginal notes). Second reading: force yourself to absorb what you are reading. Thus, this will take a longer time. (I think, I started making short notes on my second reading for some subjects. Late ko narealize I need these notes pala). Third reading: I reviewed the short reviewers, some codal provisions, and my short notes. Dont compare yourself with others. It will only add up to the pressure. Thats why you have a schedule. Bar preparation is an individual task. Handwriting

a. Practice writing legibly and FAST. I dont have good handwriting. And my hands tire easily. (I remember my Persons exam; I wanted to cry because my hand was already twitching, I cant control it. A friend commented that my Oblicon bluebook is dirty) With these, I knew practising my handwriting is a must. If the examiner cant understand my handwriting, all my preparation will be put to waste. I didnt maintain a regular schedule for this though. I think I set aside 30minutes to 1 hour on some Saturdays (it was not really regular). I used grade 3 pads. Pero, on the exam day itself, I reverted to my usual as and ss. Pero at least better kahit papano ang handwriting ko. Practice really helped. The Bar exam is long you need to develop stamina. b. Learn to write really big! Your letters should at least be readable with proper spacing. Dont forget the margins. c. Choose your pen now. I used Rotring pigmented ink 0.4. Try to read the past Bar exams once I a while. A least be familiar with the style in answering questions. Dont worry about your physical appearance. Dont worry if youre getting fat. Remember youll have all the time to get slim again after the Bar. Pray. Whenever you feel tired, scared, bothered, pause and talk to God. Submit everything to Him. Have faith. You cant conquer the Bar by yourself alone. Do your best, let God do the rest.

Decisions. Decisions. In your review, you will have to make a lot of decisions. Whether to shift from one book to another, whether to read a new handout, whether to attend a review class. There are no easy answers for these questions. I only suggest one approach pause, reflect, assess yourself, ask for Gods guidance, decide. After making your decision, abandon all worries and move on (yes this is difficult. But who said Bar preparation is easy?

TIPS FROM THE PREVIOUS BAR TOPNOTCHERS ATTY. JOHN PAUL LIM TOP 3, 2009 BAR EXAMINATIONS General Tips Prepare to top, not to pass. You ARE ATENEANS, after all. Memorize important case titles and codal provisions. Itll make your job and the examiners job easier. Cite case law and codal provisions directly, if you are sure. Study hard. Pray harder. Study Day I wake up at around 7am. I reach school by 730-8am. I study at LSAC together with my girlfriend (crucial for me, at least) and a few study buddies. I was the police of the group, so to speak. I made sure that I clocked-in at least 812 hours of pure studying a day (meaning, minus bathroom, lunch, chat, mass, walk-in-the-mall breaks). I bought a stopwatch for this purpose. I usually went home about 911pm, after meeting my daily quota. Review Schedule April to June, I had my weekends free, meaning minimal to no studying during weekends. I did the mirror method and went to-and-fro until about a week before the first week of the exams. By then, I started to read Poli and Labor again so that by the first exam week, I wouldve read the two subjects at least twice. (The first exam week is CRUCIAL. It will determine your mood for the whole month.) July to August, I started clocking-in 10-12 hours a day. I also started studying on weekends during these months. Holidays, included.

Materials Used Leave nothing to chance. If you come by something and you doubt whether to read it or not, just read it anyways. I read almost everything that was thrown my way, but I stuck with the following texts throughout the review:
Subject Political Law Labor Law Materials Justice Nachuras outline, Fr. Bernass Primer, Atty. Jimenezs Notes on Administrative Law, Election Law, and recent jurisprudence, Magallona (thin version) for PIL. Codal. Atty. Azucenas Everyones Labor Code, Atty. Manuels lecture and 100 notes, Alcantara and Atty. Disinis notes for Social Legislation. Codal. Atty. Balanes outline for the preliminary chapters of the Civil Code, Persons, Property, Obligations and Contracts, and his Succession Book, Atty. Zunigas notes for Security Transactions, Aquinos book for Land Titles, Jurados Civil Law Reviewer, Sempio-Diy for Persons and Conflict of Laws. Codal. Mamalateo and Sababans Tax Review books, Atty. Monteros and Atty. Abellas notes. Codal. Dean Villanuevas Commercial Law Review, Sundiang/Aquinos Book Reviewer, Perezs books on Insurance, Corporation Law, and Transportation, Catindigs book on Special Commercial Laws, Dean Abads Negotiable Instruments Law. Gregorios Criminal Law Reviewer, Boados Notes and Cases on Criminal Law, Justice Sandovals Criminal Law Reviewer, and Justice Peraltas lecture notes. Codal. Riano for Evidence and Civil Procedure, Justice Regalado for everything else, San Bedas Reviewer, and Justice Aquinos notes and recent jurisprudence. Aguirres book on ethics, Dean Abads notes for Legal Forms. Codal.

Civil Law

Taxation Law Commercial Law Criminal Law Remedial Law Legal Ethics and Forms

As to whether to use reviewers or books, for me, I think its best to stick to one thick book reviewer, one small book reviewer, and the codal provisions. If youre not comfortable with this set-up, do whatever works for you. Study Period

I started studying during the Holy Week of last year, which was about the second week of April. By graduation, I had already finished Taxation (I did two readings for my first reading of this subject), Political Law, Labor Law, and was half-way through Criminal Law. About two weeks after graduation, I had already finished my first reading. Number of Readings Before pre-week, I was able to do 5 readings of Political Law, Labor Law, Tax Law, and Civil Law, 4 readings of Commercial Law, Criminal Law, and Remedial Law, and had memorized all the canons for judicial and legal ethics. All-in-all, pre-week included, I was able to do 5-6 readings of all the subjects, excluding ethics and forms (of which I did two readings plus memorization). Feedback on Ateneo Review Classes I attended the following lectures at the Law School: Domondons tax review Justice Hofileas lecture on Property Justice Aquinos lecture on ethics Professor Quimsons lecture on Corporation Law and Securities Regulation (essential!) Atty. Candelarias PIL lecture Atty. Jack Jimenezs and Justice Agras lecture on the Admin/Public Officers/Local Government/Election Law Atty. Balanes Succession lecture (just because I revere him) Atty. Zunigas Security Transaction lecture (essential!) Atty. Bernass lecture of Conflict of Laws Atty. Sta. Marias last-minute lecture on Persons (essential!) All the recent jurisprudence lectures

Atty. Diaz and Dean Villanuevas lectures on how to prepare for the bar are very, very crucial. They present different styles of studying. Pick one and start from there. Also, do try to attend ALL of the pre-week lectures. Atty. Jimenez (Poli and Comm), Atty. Manuel (Labor), Atty. Montero (Tax), Atty. Balane and Dean delos Angeles (Civ), Atty. Salvador (Rem), and Justice Hofileas (Ethics and forms) last-minute tips are VERY, VERY helpful. Hardest Subject Interestingly, I found Civil Law to be the hardest subject. The coverage is simply too long. Suffice it to state, it was probably the only subject I was not able to re-read entirely during the pre-week. Easiest Subject Political law. Atty. Jimenez was able to predict at least fifty percent (50%) of the questions, after all. Night before the Test I attended mass at the hotel every week, after which my roommate and I discussed a few points. We tried to sleep by 10pm but on some weeks, we ended up sleeping at around 11. Pray before you sleep and first thing when you wake up.

Things to Avoid Procrastinating. You are entitled to give yourself a break, once in a while. After all, you need your sanity for the bar. However, keep in mind that you are, at this moment, a bar reviewee. Your primary task, therefore, is to review and to prepare for the bar. There are, nevertheless, exceptional circumstances when some of your batchmates/coreviewees/others will need you. Go out of your way and help them, if you can. Remember that being a barreviewee does not make you any less of a human being. Best Kind of Help a. Taking all of my four years of law school seriously; b. Re-studying and preparing like theres no tomorrow; and c. Leading up to the exam days, Fr. Mangulabnan and Atty. Mel Sta. Marias pep-talks every Saturday morning (gave me the confidence I needed week after week in September).

TIPS FROM THE PREVIOUS BAR TOPNOTCHERS ATTY. ERIC DAVID TAN TOP 5, 2009 BAR EXAMINATIONS General Tips Healthy in mind, body, and spirit. Study Day I sometimes studied alone. But I didn't mind studying with a group as long as I get along with them. Review Schedule Two subjects per day. 100 pages for each subject. Materials Used Review books are still the best materials. I only resorted to reviewers if I had no other choice. Study Period No, I didn't study right after graduation. I took a short vacation. I started studying on the third week of April. Number of Readings I was able to do at the least 4 readings including the preweek for most subjects. However, for the other subjects, like Remedial Law (because of typhoon Ondoy), I was able to do 5 readings. For Legal Forms and Ethics, I was able to do only two readings.

Feedback on Ateneo Review Classes I didn't attend most of the review classes in Ateneo except for certain pre-week classes such as: (1) Labor Law Review of Atty. Manuel; (2) Commercial Law Review of Atty. Jack Jimenez; and (3) Tax Law Review of Atty. Domondon. Hardest Subject Criminal Law Easiest Subject Taxation and Remedial Law Night before the Test I used every time I had to read in order to make sure I didn't miss anything important. I had to make sure I had at least 6 hours of sleep. But because of anxiety, it was usually shorter. So, I just listened to my iPod and jumped around my bed until I became so tired that I had to sleep. Things to Avoid Avoid being too scared. I guess being afraid of what to expect is normal, but you shouldn't let that overwhelm you. Best Kind of Help Mental preparation. My family, The Aquila Legis Fraternity, and my friends gave me my needed morale boost. Going through the ordeal knowing that the people who mattered to you are behind you every step of the way really helped.

TIPS FROM THE PREVIOUS BAR TOPNOTCHERS ATTY. YVES RANDOLF GONZALEZ TOP 6, 2009 BAR EXAMINATIONS General Tips a. Take a big long vacation before you start studying. This will give you good memories to look back to during the time you are already studying. This will also remind you that life is good. You need to believe this to keep your motivation and focus intact. b. Take short mini-vacations every two weeks or so. Same ratio as No.1 c. Start on the subjects you are weakest with, so that you can get rid of your fear of these subjects. Postponing them till later will only give you an anxious feeling while you're studying other subjects. You want to minimize all forms of negativity during this time and this is one of the ways you can do so. d. Listen to audio lectures whenever you get the chance. Instead of wasting time playing music during your daily commute, listen to audio lectures instead. You will learn a lot of things that you will never encounter in books. While taking the bar, the things you heard in the lectures will come back to you and will greatly help you remember the right answer. But do not listen to audio lectures while reading a book. That's just crazy.

e. Read as much materials as you can. In connection with this, avoid repeating the same material unless its a critical material (like Nachura's book for me was a critical material). Knowing that you will no longer re-read the same book will also train your mind to retain the info you read already, instead of your mind telling yourself to not retain it yet ("babalikan ko pa naman ito" mentality). In relation to this, there will be no more need to highlight since you know you will not re-read it again anyway. Take notes if you want, but this is generally not needed as well. Once you eliminate highlighting and taking down notes, then you have more time to actually study and absorb what you are reading. f. Regarding bad handwriting. I have awful handwriting and my profs would always write on my bluebooks: "Please improve your handwriting". I improved this by practice. Practice writing during the time you study Forms so you can hit two birds with one stone. On examination day, bring a ruler that will serve as your left margin. Use that ruler to strike out your mistakes. Don't forget the right margin as well. Write in big non-script letters. Doing so will consume more time but will assure you that the examiner will understand your answer. But do find the right balance between writing slow and legibly vis-a-vis answering all the questions. Both are equally important and you should do both. g. Minimize unnecessary stress. Don't let little things get to you. Have a positive attitude while studying and while taking the exams. Don't fight with your girlfriend, your family, or anyone. You already have a lot on your plate, don't add anything unnecessary to it. Live a simple steady life during the review period, you can always go all out later on after you pass. Don't read negative stuff like phone and credit card bills.

h. Outsource chores to other people; keep your own focus on studying and learning as much as you can. e.g. ask your girlfriend to handle your accounting and bills payment so you don't have to think about those, ask your auxie to do photocopying instead of doing it yourself. Remember to thank them always. i. Have a concrete goal. If you want to top the bar, then aim for it. If you want to just pass, then aim for that as well. Have a concrete goal and set your plans accordingly around such goal. Don't let fear of the uncertain, anxieties, or despair cause you to deviate from this goal. You will have moments of despair and panic, but if you have a goal, you will eventually get over these negativities as you realize that they will not help you attain that goal. j. Be prepared. Anything worth doing takes time. Boxers train months before a fight, so that they can be confident of being able to defeat their opponent on fight day. Do the same. Arm yourself with all the knowledge and information that you can get; you will use this to overcome the Bar. Being prepared will give you confidence, and that is critical on exam day proper. Your confidence in yourself that you are ready to take on this task is probably one of the most important, if not the most important factor that will spell the difference between victory and defeat. If you don't believe you can defeat your opponent, then you probably won't.

Study Day Wake up at 2-3pm, drive to study place (Starbucks Julia Vargas or Starbucks jungle). Listen to audio lectures during the drive so as not to waste that time. Study for 3-4 hours before having dinner. After dinner, I take a short break, surf the web, chat with study buddies, before resuming studying. Study for another 3-4 hours. I usually end studying around 3-4AM. Go home, sleep around 6AM. Repeat the next day. I studied with an informal group, the ones who also studied in my study place. But I studied in my own table, far from everyone else, to avoid unnecessary chit chat and time wasting. You can always talk to your study buddies during your short breaks. Keep study time, study time. Review Schedule I started with the subjects I'm weakest in (Poli, Crim, Rem). In between each I would study a subject I am more comfortable with. I studied at least 5 days a week, with the remainder reserved for short vacations and other stress relieving activities. Started May 8, ended first round of reading July 8 (one week late from my target). I did not have a fixed daily, weekly, monthly sched; only target dates. On certain "in the zone" days, I would study for 1012 hours to make up for the days when I wasn't able to reach my daily average of 8 hours.

Materials Used Do not tell yourself that you will re-read a book. Read it once, absorb it, then find another book on the subject. Reviewers are godsend, they will usually teach you more than full text books. Read all reviewers you can get from ATENEO, Beda, and other sources. Since you will not reread, then there will be no need to highlight; since you are not highlighting, then you will finish reading faster. 1. PRIMUS Notes for ALL subjects. These are very educational, well written, and direct to the point 2. Mamalateo Book - Tax . short and direct to the point. You can finish this in one day. 3. Azucena Everyone's Labor Code - same as #2, easy to read, direct, and can be finished in a day or two 4. Domondon's book for tax 5. Nachura's book for poli - I read this twice just because Nachura is the chairman of the exams 6. Father Bernas Consti Primer - you can't go wrong with this one 7. Sempio Dy for Civ 8. Sta. Maria for Family Code. But skip most long discussions; alot of them are for law school recits, not needed for Bar. 9. CLV book for Corp - same as #8, skip those that are for recits. 10. All ATENEO and Beda reviewers you can get your hands on. But I did not read the long Beda ones. 11. Every pre-week you can get your hands on. Mine included: AQUILA, ATENEO, Beda, Arellano, Regina, PRIMUS, and scattered pre-week tips from various profs. 12. Audio lectures - there's a lot of tips in these. Listen during commutes to maximize your time. Do not listen to these going to bed, you will not be able to sleep on time. Do not listen while reading a book. 13. Past bar exams from 2000-2008. Only read this after you have studied to test your ability to answer

them. After 1st reading you will find that you still can't answer some of them. After 2nd reading / round, you should be able to answer at least 90%. For the 10% you still can't answer, read and reread the provided answers so they will stick. 14. Family Code, RPC, CIV, Consti, and COMM codals. One good full reading of these will make sure your mind has read the full law itself, useful for random questions that make their way into the bar Study Period Started May 8. Finished round 1 July 8. Finished round 2 just before pre-week. I didn't study after graduation; I took a long vacation. Number of Readings Two full rounds plus pre-week. 1st round was mostly books, 2nd round was mostly long reviewers, then preweek read pre-week stuff. Feedback on Ateneo Review Classes Attended very few of the lectures. I asked someone to record them instead so I can listen to them during transit from house to study place and back. During pre-week, attended Jack, Azucena, and Sta. Maria. Its ok to miss most of the lectures if you can get audio recordings. Hardest Subject Poli Law. 1st exam and it was very tricky. Ethics is next because it was long.

Easiest Subject Commercial Law, then Tax. Night before the Test Friday: Check in at hotel at noon, study pre-weeks nonstop till around 7. Have dinner, study again till 12midnight, then do relaxing stuff after. Sleep at around 3-4AM. Saturday: Wake up at noon. Lunch. Study till 6PM. Hear mass. Go back to room for dinner and some last minute reviewing. In bed by 10PM. Attempt to sleep. Fail. Continue attempting. Succeed around 1-2AM. Sunday: Wake up 4:30. Breakfast, read Tips. Exercise. Game on. Things to Avoid Unnecessary stresses, doubting yourself, alcohol, negativities, and wasting time. During exam day proper: Don't let any question overwhelm you. If you don't know the answer, skip it. Go back later when you've answered the rest. Make sure you answer every question even the ones you don't really have a good answer to. Remember to leave room in the booklet for the questions you skipped. Don't take the bar on an empty stomach, it will be the longest 4/3 hours of your life repeated 8 times. Poop during the period between the two exams, and do freshen up by brushing your teeth and washing your face during lunch break. Best Kind of Help The AQUILA LEGIS FRATERNITY. I also had two amazing auxies (Laura Noel and Mark Encarnacion).

TIPS FROM THE PREVIOUS BAR TOPNOTCHERS ATTY. JOAN MAE TO TOP 7, 2009 BAR EXAMINATIONS General Tips Pray. Be patient. Relax. Dont force yourself to study if youre sleepy or lazy. Try to love what youre doing. If you dont feel like studying a particular subject, then try another subject. Get at least 8 hours of sleep! During the exam, dont panic. Make sure your answers make sense. Be brief and concise, except of course if the question is alien to you. Study smart. Know what to study. It is impossible to read and remember everything. Study Day I study alone - Starbucks or at home. I easily get distracted so its hard for me to study in groups. Do whatever works for you.I would normally read 100 - 150 pages a day. Review Schedule I have no fixed schedule (like the number of days I should finish a subject). My only goal was to finish at least two readings. My 2nd reading took longer than expected because I made notes for some subjects. I was not able to review my notes during pre-week, but some say that taking down notes helps. I rest on Saturdays.

Materials Used Reviewers, generally, dont work for me, but Ateneos preweek reviewers were helpful.
Subject Political Law Labor Law Materials Nachura Everyones Labor Code; for SSS and GSIS, look for Atty. Disinis tables. Jurado for Property Balane for Succession Balane notes for Oblicon Sempio Dy for Persons Jurado for Credit transactions, Torts, etc. Mamalateo and parts of Sababan CLVs book (Although I think reading Sundiang alone will do) Gregorio but be careful of typos Riano for Civpro I highly recommend this Regalado for Crimpro, Evidence and Specpro Aguirre (note: theres a new Code of Judicial ethics! I only discovered this during pre-week! Shameful.)

Civil Law Taxation Law Commercial Law Criminal Law Remedial Law Legal Ethics

Dont forget the Codal! If you think theres no more time for you to finish the book or reviewer, just read the codal. Pre-week Poli and Labor 2nd reading of Nachura and Everyones Civ and Tax codal for both (selective. Its impossible to read everything) Commercial Sundiang Crim I think I read Sandoval (around 200 pages long) and Rose Raycos tables Rem and Ethics Codal. Forms Justice Abads handout (Tapcapsa, Tapwacsa, etc)

It will be very hard to study on the day after an exam. I think its okay to rest. Study Period I started reading a bit of Crim before grad. I am not a fast reader so I had to start early. I finished my first reading end of June, and finished my second reading on the day before the first exam. Number of Readings Two. For Land titles, special penal laws, forms and other subjects where theres not much stock knowledge I think one reading is enough, but make sure you read them right before September or the day before the exam. Feedback on Ateneo Review Classes I attended Atty. Domondons tax lecture, Atty. Jacks lecture on public officers, admin and election, and all lectures on recent cases. Pre-week I wasnt able to attend any lecture during the first week Two days of Atty. Monteros lecture on tax, his notes on recent cases were helpful Dean Cynthia Del Castillos lecture on oblicon Atty. Salvadors lecture on rem (three days) Note: I heard Atty. Manuels pre-week lecture on labor was very helpful, and Atty. Jacks lecture on poli, too.

Hardest Subject Tax (Pinawisan ako kahit ang lamig sa LaSalle!) Also, there were a couple of ridiculous true or false questions. If you dont know the answer, just write true and repeat/paraphrase the statement. Easiest Subject (Not because theyre very easy, but because theyre the most manageable) Poli only because I was lucky that I just finished my second reading of Justice Nachuras book the day before the exam so everything was still fresh. Civ, except for the conflicts questions Night before the Test Attended the mass officiated by Fr. M at Sofitel, where we also got Divine tips Dinner Studied right before going to sleep (normally 11 pm to 12 mn, except for the last week 1 am because my roommate (Shelly) and I practiced making basic forms (complaint and information):P Im glad we did!) Things to Avoid While reviewing - Quality over quantity. Make sure you absorb and understand the things you read. Stop comparing. Itll drive you crazy. (It is unavoidable, but please try to avoid it. Im guilty of this, and it caused me unnecessary panic attacks.) While taking the exam/day of the exam - Dont panic. Eat breakfast and lunch. Read the tips.

Best Kind of Help Dont change your study habits, especially if it worked for you in law school. Some people absorb more while cramming, while others dont. Rest and Sleep! We are not machines. Know what to study. It is impossible to read everything so you have to choose what to read or where to focus, especially during pre-week.

TIPS FROM THE PREVIOUS BAR TOPNOTCHERS ATTY. TIMOTHY JOSEPH LUMAUIG TOP 9, 2009 BAR EXAMINATIONS General Tips First, dont compare yourself to others. Stick to your own style and dont be pressured by what or how other people study. Listen to the suggestions, but be smart enough to follow what you know works best for you. Second, I heard a quote from my favorite videogame that sums up my review: its not how many hours you put in, but what you put in the hours. Study Day To get myself going for the day, Id go to the gym in the mornings. After that, Id usually study by myself, or at most, with only one or two of my closest friends. Ive always tried to avoid studying around other law students, since I read a lot slower than most people. That way I could keep my own pace without feeling too pressured. Then Id end the day by just relaxing. I never studied into the wee hours of the morning. Doing that wouldve just burnt me out by September.

Review Schedule I wanted to stick to how I studied back in law school. All I used to do was set aside my chosen material, pick it up and go until I finish. So I didnt make a strict review schedule in terms of number of pages per day or subjects per week or month. Rather, I set the order of subjects to study, read as much as I could in a day and just kept tabs on my progress, making sure Id finish each subject once before pre-week. Each week, I took Sundays off and always tried to get at least one night out with my longtime barkada people who kept me sane. Again, that was my way to avoid burning myself out before September. Materials Used Generally I used the books I used in law school, especially those I already had notes in. But for subjects I think I slacked off in, I used new materials. Also, I made it a point to stick to only one author or one material per topic under each subject, to avoid overloading myself with information.
Subject Political Law Labor Law Civil Law Materials I used Fr. Bs primer for Constitutional Law, and Justice Nachuras book for everything else. Then I used Atty. Jac Jimenez recent jurisprudence for pre-week. I used Prof. Azucenas Everyones, but focused a lot during Atty. Manuels pre-week lecture. I used my notes and materials from Prof. Balanes Civil Law Review II in fourth year. Conflicts, I got Sempio-Dys book. For everything else I used Jurado. Pre-week I just used our pre-week reviewer. I used Mamalateo. I later heard there were shorter books, but I didnt want to stop midway through just to change books. I also put a lot of focus in Atty. Mike Monteros pre-week lecture.

Taxation Law

Commercial Law Criminal Law Remedial Law Legal Ethics

I used Dean CLVs book for everything except Dean Abads Negotiable Instruments Made Easy, which is what I used in second year. Then I used Atty. Jac Jiminez recent jurisprudence during pre-week. I used Gregorio for book one and a reviewer for book two. I think there was a shorter book by Boado that I wish I had read instead to save me a little bit more time. Then I just used our pre-week reviewer. I used Riano for Civil Procedure, and just a summer reviewer for everything else. Of course, you have to go straight codal as well. I did that during pre-week, along with Tranquils lecture. I just used the Ateneo reviewer, and Dean Abads three or four page memory aid in forms.

Study Period I tried to start in May and June, but I found myself way too bored and distracted thinking that the bar exams were still three or four months away at that time. Most days Id barely make 10 pages. Some days I didnt read at all. So I figured if my mind really didnt want to absorb any information yet, then I shouldnt force it. Again, thats the style I got used to in school. Thankfully, I finally felt the need to really get going around July. So early that month, I finished my first subject and kept going strong from there. To steal a few words from Freddie Roach, maybe starting at the right time allowed me to peak at the right time. So I think starting in July was just right for me. Number of Readings One good one.

Feedback on Ateneo Review Classes I didnt attend any review classes over the summer. But I went to a number of pre-week lectures that helped a whole lot namely , Labor by Atty. Manuel, Succession by Prof. Balane, Tax by Atty. Mike Montero, Commercial Law by Atty. Jac Jimenez (and I wish I attended his Political Law as well), and Remedial Law by Atty. Tranquil Salvador. I would even say that I owe just passing the bar exams to those professors. Hardest Subject Political Law, hands down. I think I got hit by what my friends and I call, gulpe de gulat. After that test, I even told those close to me that I thought I was going to get DQd for it. But thankfully I realized that more than anything, I was just psyching myself out. I was just initially shocked by the whole bar exam atmosphere. Easiest Subject Civ or Comm, but Id rather call them the least difficult. Night before the Test Ate well and rested well. Sleep was more important than cramming. And September means UAAP Final Four, so wed always catch the Saturday games on TV just for a get loose and for added inspiration too, as we watched the Eagles draw closer to another title.

Things to Avoid Avoid adding unnecessary pressure on yourself. During the review, dont get pressured by what books or how many readings others have already gone through. We all graduated using our own styles of studying. Stick to what you know. Trust that what got you through school will get you through the bar exams. During the tests, do not panic. If you do, itll be like quicksand. Even if theres one question or two or three even that you think you dont know the answer to, just shake it off, move on to the next and come back for it later. Each test may seem like the longest and toughest one youve ever taken, but youve gone through those same feelings in school before. Remember, you made it through all of those. You can make it through this. Best Kind of Help I ran into two of my former teachers during the bar review one from law school, one from college. One told me the bar is about kompyansa. The other said yabang lang yan. I understood both to mean confidence. That was the best advice I ever got. I did every little thing I could to help me go into each Sunday feeling good about myself. I played with my PS3, watched UAAP games, chose rooms that had my favorite number, wore the same clothes every Sunday, listened to the same playlist every Sunday morning and drank with my barkada the last two weeks of August just to get loose. I did all the things that made me confident enough to take the bar exams and pass. I believe that everyone who graduates from the Ateneo Law School is smart enough to pass. Its just a matter of each person knowing it.

TIPS FROM THE PREVIOUS BAR TOPNOTCHERS ATTY. NAELLA ROSE BAINTO TOP 10, 2009 BAR EXAMINATIONS General Tips List down your materials, and start gathering them before you start your review. Make a study schedule to follow, but be open to changes. Take breaks when you feel like it. If your study style in law school worked for you, follow the same style for your review. Do not forget to pray. Recent jurisprudence is very important. Do not forget to answer past exams. Youll often find yourself staring at nothing or daydreaming, thats normal!

Study Day I reviewed alone, but Id occasionally consult with some batchmates the issues I cant resolve on my own. My typical study day looks like this: 10:00 am Wake up 11:00 am Start studying 2:00 pm Lunch break 2:30 pm Back to studying 5:00 pm Merienda break 5:15 pm Study again 7:00 pm Dinner break or movie 10:00 pm Back to studying 2:00 am Go to sleep

My daily schedule includes many short washroom, phonecall , stretching, etc. breaks (This will work if you, like me, have a short attention span.) I am not really a morning person. My peak hours would be during the evening up to 1 or 2 am. I did not adjust my sleep cycle, unlike what most people have done. The earliest I was able to get up during the review was at 8 a.m., but I gave up after like 2-3 days of waking up this early. My Dinner break became shorter as it neared September.

Review Schedule I started my review in May. I only finished two readings. I was able to finish my first reading in mid-July. I do not study on Sundays, except in the month of August.

Materials Used
Subject Political Law Labor Law Civil Law Taxation Law Commercial Law Criminal Law Materials Primer, Nachura, Beda and Ateneo latest jurisprudence, Agra Notes, Codal Everyones Labor Code, Manuel Notes, Ateneo Summer Reviewer, Latest jurisprudence, Codal Jurado, Balane Succession, Sempio-Diy Persons, ObliCon Balane Outline, PIL by Sempio-Diy, Pre-bar Outline by Candelaria, Ateneo and Beda latest jurisprudence, Codal Mamalateo, Reyes 1&2, Co-untian, Domondon, Ateneo and Beda latest jurisprudence, Codal CLV Commercial Law Review, Commercial Law Review by Sundiang and Aquino, Jac Jimenez Notes, Ateneo and Beda latest jurisprudence, Codal Ortega Notes, Boado, latest jurisprudence, Codal

Remedial Law Legal Ethics and Forms

Beda Memory Aid, Feria Noche and Sabio for reference, latest jurisprudence, Codal Aguirre, Pano, Hofilena, Beda Memory Aid, Codal, Forms Reviewer by (Dean) Justice Abad

Study Period I started my review on May 4, 2009. Number of Readings 2 readings only, but very slow and thorough. really my study style even back in law school. Feedback on Ateneo Review Classes I did enroll in the Ateneo review classes, but did not attend except for the very first - How to study for the Bar. I felt that preparing to go to school and travelling to school would take up so much of my time. And I am able to absorb better, the things I read rather than the things I hear. It will really depend on what your style is. Some people, unlike me, absorb better the things they hear Hardest Subject Tax Law, Criminal Law, and Ethics and Forms (because it was long) Easiest Subject No easy subject, but there were familiar and answerable questions in every subject. This was

Night before the Test Study cramming mode! Hear mass Accept friends and family visits in hotel room Pray Try to get some sleep (During the night before the first Sunday, I was still up at around 2 a.m. as I couldnt sleep!)

Things to Avoid Read as much as you can Try not to discuss answers specially after the morning exam because you need as much time you can get to prepare for the next exam. Avoid unnecessary stress.

Best Kind of Help Study more than how I did during law school Pray hard everyday Dont lose time for family and loved ones

TIPS FROM THE PREVIOUS BAR TOPNOTCHERS ATTY. SHIELA ABIGAIL GO TOP 10, 2009 BAR EXAMINATIONS General Tips a. Read books youve used. edition. b. Pace yourself. c. Read recent jurisprudence (beyond the cut-off date) d. Prepare good materials for Pre-Week (these are things you want to remember) e. Write legibly. f. Pray, pray, pray. Study Day I would just stay in my apartment so that I can concentrate more. Find a place where you can study and focus. I timed myself at first, but after a while, I stopped it. Well, if you're talkative (like me), then I suggest you study alone because you'll never get anything done, plus, you wouldn't want to be the reason why someone else did not get to study for that day. Anything and everything is more exciting than having to read your books all over again. Review Schedule I made a schedule. It was on a daily basis. But I lagged behind. Three readings became two readings. I would allocate a number of days for each book. Hopefully, its the latest

Materials Used I'm a book person so I read books. I only read reviewers when I don't have a book for it.
Subject Materials Nachura (for obvious reasons..) 2 readings, preweek Jack Notes on Election and his Recent Jurisprudence (because you need to read the recent ones, esp those beyond the cut-off) - 1 Candelaria's Poli Notes (I didn't want to read thick materials already but I heard Magallona is good) - 1 Fr. B's Consti Primer and the Supplement -1 Agra Notes preweek Azucena (well, they said that it's comprehensive and short) -2 Summer Reviewer of Ateneo (this was actually good) If you can, find recent jurisprudence because our exam was full of it. - preweek Manuels 100 Notes -1 I read Jurado, if I couldn't find another book for it. Persons-Sempio Diy -2 Succession - Balane (Champ or Book, I think either is okay. Choose which you are more comfortable with) first reading was the Book, 2nd was champ Balane - Property Notes for my 2nd reading The Codal is a must! Its the only thing I read for PreWeek. - here's the thing. Don't get frantic if you don't finish the codal during the pre-week. A lot of us did not. So if you're the type who gets paranoid, I think you should start marking things you want to read and things you think you can forego reading because you've mastered it. I didn't even read Succession, just the table on legitimes and intestate. I was banking on my 2 sems with Balane. Domondon's star notes- 2nd reading Mamalateo 1st reading Sababan 2nd reading, Pre-Week Montero Notes Pre-Week NIRC Codal and other laws I also got a copy of the Summer Reviewer because it was reviewed by Montero (mainly for comfort).

Political Law

Labor Law

Civil Law

Taxation Law

Commercial Law

Criminal Law

Remedial Law Legal Ethics Forms

CLV's Corp, transpo, IP, insurance 1st reading Nego, I read Abad 1st reading Sundiang 2nd reading and pre-week Jack's recent jurisprudence. (make sure to read this. We had two or three questions from recent jurisprudence, not sure) (I read a lot because I don't understand Crim that well) Gregorio for 1st reading and the Book 1 for 2nd reading Boado Book 2 for 2nd reading I actually like Boados book more. I recommend it Dean Ortega's Notes for Book 2 Some read Peralta. Okay din daw. I got a copy but didn't have time to read it. I read the Crim Codal and SPL codal (and made notes there) and tried my best to differentiate one crime from another. I didn't even attempt to memorize elements. It's not my thing. I read Sandoval and Codal for Pre-Week. If I could do it again, I would have read my Dean Ortega Notes. There were things in Arellano (Pre-Week) or was it Beda (Pre-Week Notes) that were helpful during the exam. They said Arturo de Castro made good guesses. Regalado's Crim Pro and SpecPro- 1 reading Riano's Civ Pro and Evidence. Beda for Special LAws. I also read recent jurisprudence of Justice Aquino The Codal is a must! Beda and Aguirre Memorize Lawyers Oath I guessed a lot in Ethics. Abad's Handout Scanned Beda Forms but I suggest do Abad and practice making forms

Study Period I studied I think for a week though and then I stopped. All I remember is I finished the Mamalateo Book before Domondon's lecture.

Number of Readings Two readings, excluding pre-week. But this does not mean that I used the same materials for my two readings. For example, my first reading of Tax was Mamalateo. My second reading was Sababan. Crim was Gregorio then my second reading was Boado. This was because I was lagging behind. Feedback on Ateneo Review Classes Yup, I did but not for all subjects. I went to classes which I thought were my weak areas. Hardest Subject Commercial. Easiest Subject Caveat: I don't know my grade (so I could be wrong) but I was okay when I left the room after the Civ Exam. Night before the Test I went to mass and after that, I studied. I slept sometimes at 10, sometimes 11, sometimes 12. Things to Avoid You cannot get sick! It's going to destroy your schedule. I always prayed that I wouldn't get sick (especially getting a stomachahce). You don't want that. Pace yourself well. Don't give your "all" in your first reading because you'll be tired by pre-week. I was so tired by preweek. On your second reading, read as if it's your last reading.

Best Kind of Help Prayer, Luck and Great Support System (friends, family, professors, BarOps)! And we got good tips from the BarOps and the professors. If lumabas yung mga inaral mo, swerte ka. If hindi, well, law school life will flash before you.

TIPS FROM THE 2010 TOPNOTCHERS CESAREO ANTONIO S. SINGZON, JR. TOP 1 89.00% Study Habits Stick to your studying habits that worked for you in law school. I would personally find it difficult to suddenly change studying styles for the bar. Some of my personal study habits that have always worked for me are (1) using red pens instead of highlighters; (2) studying at starbucks and/or my room; (3) reading on soft couches; (4) listening to music while studying; (5) drinking my favorite coffee drink in the morning; (6) reading the newspaper everyday; (7) going to bed early everyday. Study Schedule My original study schedule initially included the whole of May until September (four months). I was supposed to do three readings following the old schedule of the bar exams. ((1) poli->rem, (2) poli->rem, ethics, (3) rem->poli) However, I was only able to start studying about a day or two after the May 2010 National Elections. After several delays along the way, I conceded that I could only do two readings. So I read polirem, ethics, rempoli. I finished my first reading around the end of June or first week of July. During the early part of my review, I studied from Monday to Friday, starting at around 8 to 9 am and ending around 9 to 10 pm. I would usually set aside anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hours for each meal (depending if I was way behind schedule or not).

Because of unforeseen delays, you might have to study on Saturdays, and even Sundays. By around July, I was studying on Saturdays. Sundays were usually reserved for relaxing, going out with the family, etc., but I sometimes sneaked in a couple hours worth of reading especially during the last two months. My girlfriend and I always made it a point to hear mass on Sunday. Dont worry if youre behind schedule. Set aside contingency/buffer days to make sure that you have space for error and unforeseen delays. During my bar review, I attended the class on updated jurisprudence in remedial law, and several pre week classes. Things to Do Eat properly and on time during your bar review. Take vitamins (Vitamin C, Multivitamins) and make sure you drink lots of water. Prepare your study materials before you go to bed, so you dont have to do it in the morning. Brush your teeth to avoid toothaches. Get organized, set aside a box for each subject. Always get enough sleep especially before the exam day. Try to stick to your schedule. Dont take shortcuts. Read codal. Pace yourself. If you think something you read is important, write it down on a sticky note and stick it to your books/reviewer.

Favorite Materials My favorite materials were the books and reviewers I read in law school (Regalado, Jurado, Mamalateo, Peralta Notes, Ortega Notes). I also made sure I covered all the codal provisions required. I read both Ateneo and San Beda Reviewers. My girlfriend also made a nice list of books and reviewers by including all the common books/reviewers of past Ateneo bar placers (you can check this in the barristers handbook issued for the 2010 bar exam). We used this list, and prioritized the books/reviewers we used in law school.

TIPS FROM THE 2010 TOPNOTCHERS FILEMON RAY L. JAVIER, ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY TOP 2 - 86.95% General Tips The first thing that you should do is to cultivate composure and confidence with the thought that you are a graduate of the Ateneo Law School. It is not by mere luck or chance that in recent years, Ateneans dominate the bar exams. Believe in The Ateneo Law education. Then PLAN. The planning stage is the most comforting part of the bar exam experience. Why? Because this is the only stage where you will have a control of everything. Its your own game plan after all. Unfortunately, this stage should not take more than one (1) day of your schedule. Note that your plan/strategy is very crucial. Such will be your guide in the coming months of your bar preparation. Next, plot your study schedule. You may not be able to follow your schedule strictly, but at least try. I also failed to follow my schedule as there were days spent in: attending family gatherings, accompanying a pregnant wife to her check ups, playing Plants vs. Zombies, watching movies, etc. Just always try to go back on track and catch up for the lost time. Punish yourself by studying more! Be physically fit. Exercise at least twice a week. Take vitamins. Eat nourishing food. Be kind to yourself and Pray. I went to church almost every day during my review (I live near one). Enjoy. The bar experience is a wonderful experience.

Enjoy every single day of it. Focus. My father died during the first month of my review. I took good care of my pregnant wife during the entire review period. Those factors could have easily distracted me. I was still able to focus. You can also. Study Schedule Hereunder is my bar review schedule (Note that you have extra 2 months! Use it wisely): First Reading: Overdrive/Assessment My first reading was quick and crazy. It was intended put me in an overdrive early. I gave myself only 24 days to finish everything. My plan was to make myself believe (which was not an easy thing to do) that there are only 24 days left to review and that my bar exam is scheduled on the 25th day. Hence, on April 19 (April 18 was our graduation) I took my bar exam. I checked my own paper. I passed that exam (why would I fail myself), but I knew that the quality of my answers therein will not be enough to give me a slot in the top 10. Assessment: I may have a good chance of passing the bar, but if I want to top it, then I must study harder. And so I did.

Second Reading: Cover to cover My second reading was slow and deliberate. I read every page (from preface to the last page). In this reading, I encircled the page numbers (sometimes the entire chapter) of my book that I felt I dont need to read again. This strategy helped me weed-out unimportant pages/chapters or those which I already mastered during my four years in law school and/or during my first reading. My subsequent readings became manageable because of this approach.
Subject Legal Ethics Political Law Labor Law Civil Law Taxation Law Commercial Law Criminal Law Remedial Law Number of days allotted 3 days 12 days 6 days 12 days 6 days 12 days 8 days 10 days Dates April 20 - 22 April 23 May 4 May 4 - 9 May 10 - 21 May 22 27 May 28 June 9 June 10 June 17 June 18 - 27

Third Reading: Studying more Only because I did not waste the first three months of my review, by the end of July, I was already confident that I will pass the bar. I encourage you to do the same. Take your first months of review VERY seriously.

Subject Political Law Labor Law Civil Law Taxation Law Commercial Law Criminal Law Remedial Law Legal Ethics Practice bar exam (2001 2008 bar exams)

Number of Days Allotted 5 days 4 days 5 days 4 days 5 days 4 days 7days 2 days 1 day

Dates June 28 July 2 July 3 6 July 7 11 July 12 15 July 16 20 July 21 24 July 25 31 August 1 2 August 3

Fourth Reading: Studying to top the bar An officemate (who ranked 3rd in 2009 bar exams) once said that one should prepare to top, not just to pass. In my fourth reading, I memorized case titles and important provisions of law.
Subject Remedial Law Criminal Law Commercial Law Taxation Law Civil Law Labor Law Political Law Number of days allotted 4 days 3 days 4 days 3 days 4 days 3 days 4 days Dates August 4 7 August 8 10 August 11 14 August 15 17 August 18 21 August 22 24 August 25 - 28

Materials/books used in each subject

Subject Political Law Materials Bernas, Primer (3 readings) Nachura (1 reading) Jack updates (4 readings) Bernas updates (4 readings) Azucena, Everyones (4 readings) Manuel notes/updates (4 readings) Paras, Obligation and Contracts (2 readings) Balane, Succession (2 readings) Sempio dy, Persons and Family (2 readings) Sta. Maria, Family (1 reading) De Leon, SecTrans (1 reading) Jurado, ALL (cover to cover; 2 readings) Mamalateo, Tax Law Reviewer (2 readings) Mamalateo, Income tax (1 reading) Co untian, Tax law reviewer (1 reading) Perez, Commercial Law Reviewers (3 readings each) Villanueva, Commercial Law Reviewer (1 reading) Catindig, Commercial Law Reviewer (1 reading) Reyes, Volumes 1 and 2 (1 reading) Boado, Reviewer and Special Penal Laws (2 readings) Memorize important RPC provisions Regalado, Volumes 1 and 2 (3 readings) Codal (memorize; at least try) Pano (1 reading) Aguirre (1 reading) Memorize code! Forms Atty. Navas hand-outs San beda notes

Labor Law

Civil Law

Taxation Law

Commercial Law

Criminal Law

Remedial Law

Legal Ethics

There is no shortcut to passing (or topping) the bar. If you want to pass on your first take, then you will have to work for it. But if you want to top it, then you must be willing to sacrifice more. You will not top the bar just because you are brilliant. There will be hundreds of equally brilliant law graduates who will be taking the bar with you; you can out shine them by being better prepared. Do not waste time. STUDY NOW

TIPS FROM THE 2010 TOPNOTCHERS JOHANA T. SUNGA, ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY TOP 5 - 85.85% Study Habits Early on, I knew that I had to prepare SMART (you don't have to read everything or lose sleep; you just need to read the right material, master them, then sleep). I assessed myself and tried to understand the kind of exam that I was taking (long, essay type). That being said, you should develop your own habits considering yourself and the type of exam. This is important because this year's exam is different. In any case; the following are my notable habits: 1. STUDY ALONE. Being with friends is nice, but sometimes you discuss more than necessary. It would be better if you study alone, note down the confusing points, then ask a reliable person (for me it was Alphie, Andrei, Tin, Shean, Denise, Candice, and Buena) to save time. 2. SIMULATE THE BAR.I studied 2 subjects each day to train my mind. (but for pre-week I studied 1 subject a day). The style is do-able. Though I had a hard time studying for civil law and tax at the same time because both subjects were long. I studied my weak subjects in the morning and then the "easier" subject in the afternoon. Example, I studied tax from 8:00am to 3 pm (7 hours) and civil law from 3:30pm to 9 pm (5 1/2 hours). I did the same thing for poli/comm (7 hours in the morning) and labor/crim (5 1/2 hours in the afternoon). For Rem, I studied rem for (9-10 hours) and ethics for (2 to 4 hours before I sleep).

3. I didnt have a regular/schedules break on a daily basis. Even while Im eating, I read. While walking, I read. I stop reading whenever I want basta not more than 30 minutes at a time. So I have a lot of 10, 15, 20, 30 minute breaks (which I spend talking to someone, watching tv for a few minutes, photocopying material, fixing my stuff, talk to Mang Nats etc.). This is my style because Im a slow reader. I have to maximize my time. 4. I didn't have a scheduled day off. I study everyday, Monday to Sunday the entire day. I rest whenever I want, I watch a movie, hear mass, and sleep in the afternoon (a lot). I avoided taking whole day or half day off or even hours long breaks since I feel like I would be losing momentum. So, whenever I felt tired or burned out, I push myself to study until around 6 to 7 pm then I watch a movie, watch tv, eat out, etc. 5. EXERCISE. I tried to exercise as often as I could. Like in law school, I didn't ride the elevator. I used the stairs. Remember the bar is not only a mental and emotional test, you also need to be physically prepared. 6. STUDY DURING YOUR PEAK HOURS. I didn't study much at night. I slept early. Make sure that you get 8 hours of sleep. Things to Do 1. Take your 1st to 4th year seriously. Most of the things I answered were stock knowledge!

2. ASSESS YOURSELF. Know your weak and strong subjects. This is important especially when you don't have time. For instance, in my 3rd reading and pre-week i didn't read succession and persons anymore and focused on tax instead. Same with crim and comm, I have good crim background, so I alloted more time to comm since the subject was voluminous. In short, strategize. 3. HEALTH. Be healthy. Bar is about being physically prepared also. If your body is weak, your mind will be too. Load on vitamins. You don't want to be sick and then not be able to study for days! Trust me! 4. SCHEDULE. Make a schedule but don't let it dictate your study. A schedule is there to guide you. Try to follow your schedule but if you can't strictly follow it, don't let that ruin your mood! Chances are you will always be behind schedule. Adjust your schedule. 5. BE ORGANIZED. Fix your materials. It took me 3 or 4 days to fix everything. 6. USE OLD BOOKS AND HANDOUTS. I didnt read a lot of books or reviewers. Use old books (provided of course that their length is manageable) and tried to master them. Once I do, I move on to the next material. For instance, for all my readings, I read Fr. Bernas' primer for consti, boado for crim, and sundiang for comm. I only used new books for tax ( i read mamalateo, co-untian, and domondon for the first time), some civil law subjects (i read sempio-dy and jurado for the first time), some comm subjects (catindig and villanueva), and some rem subjects (regalado book I) because I didn't use any books for those subjects during 4th year.

7. MASTER YOUR MATERIAL. REPETITION IS KEY! Try to read the same material over and over again. Master them then read other materials to supplement/update what you already know. I don't see the point of reading everything when you can't understand or remember the BASIC CONCEPTS. 8. LECTURES. I didn't attend the lectures during summer. But I attended almost all of the pre-week lectures. I also tried to attend all recent jurisprudence lectures. Try to focus on Jack's lecture. It really helped me in poli and comm. The things he says during lectures are super swak. He also gives good tips. I think for this bar, considering that the exam format is new, attending the lectures (summer, pre-week, etc.) is super important because the professors might have an idea of what to expect. 9. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PROGRESS. Some people time themselves, i.e. they need to input at least 8 hours of pure studying daily. I did this for a week. Nahirapan ako kasi I wasnt able to monitor my time properly kasi nakakalimutan ko mag stop or mag start ng timer. So what I did was I gave myself page quotas. I would read at least 80 to 120 pages PER SUBJECT everyday or total of 160 to 240 pages for the 2 subjects. Sometimes I have topic quotas,example: I have to finish book I of Boado criminal law in 2 days OR I have to read persons, succession, and oblicon in 1 and days OR I have to finish labor codal in 2 days. Choose what works best for you. Dont force yourself to use a particular style if it really doesnt work for you.

Things to Avoid 1. Stop ranting. Everyone knows that preparing for the bar is hard. But please stop ranting. It's time consuming and a waste of energy. 2. Stop talking. Don't disturb other people. If you have questions, list them down, then ask a reliable person. 3. Don't over analyze! Stop thinking of weird situations that no one can answer and stop asking everyone about it. The examiner won't ask that, plus, you'll waste time and energy trying to figure out something that even the SC hasn't resolved. 4. STOP STUDYING UNNECESSARY THINGS. For instance, stop memorizing the officials of U.N., ICJ, etc. If they get asked, chances are marami sa inyo ang hindi may alam non. Waste of time trying to remember their names and other unnecessary information. 5. DON'T HIGHLIGHT THAT MUCH. During review unlike law school, I rarely highlighted my new books or reviewers to save time. Highlighting and underlining is time consuming. Favorite Materials 1. CODAL. I always read the codal after I finish the books for a subject. Ive always been a codal person (super kawawa mga codals ko). In your bar, I think codal is key since MCQ is objective.

It's hard to finish the codal especially CIVIL LAW and TAX (lalo na dahil pinagsabay ko sila, ang haba haba!). What I did is, I read as much codal as I can then I stop and move to the next subject following my schedule. Example: I allotted 14 days first reading for civil law. If I finish reading the commentaries for civil law on the 10th day, I still have 4 days to finish the codal. If I dont finish the codal on the 14th day, I stop and move on to the next subject. On my next reading of civil law codal, I continue reading from where I left. 2. CHOOSE YOUR REVIEWERS. I am partial to books but there are some essential reviewers. POLI- Jack recent jurisprudence, agra notes on pubcorp and election law, ateneo summer reviewer, beda reviewer (for recent jurisprudence only, ateneo barops still has the best poli reviewer), LABOR disini notes on social legislation, manuel notes (transcript, 100 notes), ateneo summer CIV zuniga notes on sectrans, delos santos notes on titles, balane notes on oblicon (we used in 4th year) TAX Montero notes (yung 2009), Monteros recent jurisprudence notes, domondon starnotes, COMM- jack transcript we used in 4th year, jacks recent jurisprudence, CRIM- beda summer reviewer ( I didnt use the most recent reviewer. I used the beda reviewer that I used during 4th year because they contained my notes from Callejos class), REM- I read a reviewer/handout of one lecturer (I forgot the name basta judge siya and his forte is specpro), ETHICS- beda summer reviewer FORMS- beda summer reviewer and the reviewer with all the acronyms of forms basta maiksi lang siya (sorry I forgot the name of the reviewer).

3. These are the books/material I used:

Subject Materials Primer- Consti (3 readings) Nachura Everything except PIL Magallona primer- PIL, 1 reading Ateneo/Beda Reviewer- PIL (Beda reviewer is Nachura based plus more; Ateneo I heard is Sarmiento based) Beda Reviewer- Election Law, 1 reading Beda Reviwer- I browsed recent jurisprudence on Consti and Election Law (they have a lot of it) Jack Jurisprudence- This is important kasi there were 2 or 3 swak na swak questions that came out Codal- nag sisi ako na hindi ko dinibdib yung codal during pre-week, specifically consti. Azucena Everyone's Labor- Everything (4 readings) Alcantara- Social Legislation Disini Notes- Social Legislation Codal- nag sisi ulit ako kasi for my pre-week reading hindi ako nag focus sa social legislation codal kasi maraming social legislation na lumabas. Also try to read RA 9042 on migrant workers kahit hindi kasama sa coverage, kasi there were 4 or 5 questions na lumabas. Jurado- everthing except succession, oblicon, family code, sectrans, and land titles; mukhang pangit si Jurado pero its actually good. During 2 nd reading maappreciate mo na siya. Pareho kaming feedback ni Denise.(3 readings or 2) Balane- succession and oblicon reviewer Sempio-Diy- Family Code (2 readings) Zuniga notes- Sectrans (including the supplements) Land Titles- De los santos and I browsed (stress on the browse) through our old book Aquino. Alam ko marami pakong binasa for Civ, nakalimutan ko lang yung iba. Codal- eto natuto nako, I focused on codal for preweek. That was a good thing. Mamalateo- a must Domondon- to supplement Co-Untian- to digest what you know and you learn

Political Law

Labor Law

Civil Law

Taxation Law

other stuff there like contents of some IRRs Montero, yung 30+ or 50+ pages ata na reviewer that he made for batch 2009- I think there were 3 questions that came out regarding LGU (na nakalimutan ko because I thought not important) Montero recent jurisprudence- many questions came out Codal- I focused on codal for pre-week (crucial) Boado I scanned the Beda reviewer we used for Callejo Sandoval De Castro on SPL I also read some reviewers from law school on SPL. I forgot the names of the teachers. De Castro predictions Ateneo pre-week reviewer Codal Regalado- Crimpro and Specpro Riano - Evidence and Crimpro Beda reviewer - to supplement and for remedial law special laws like electronic DNA evidence, etc.) I read a handout for Spec Pro, again, sorry I name of the lecturer. Basta yung hand specpro lecturer sa ateneo na justice. Ethics Pano Aguirre Codal Beda Reviewerhics Beda

Criminal Law

Remedial Law

the other evidence, forgot the out nung

Ethics

Forms

Favorite Study Place At first, I studied at home since I was recuperating from surgery. When i was well enough, I studied in school. I was all over the place. I would walk the hallways of ateneo. I would be in sc room, an empty classroom, caf, teehankee center, library, starbucks, stairways, etc. That was my style back in law school. basta do whatever you're comfortable with.Also, it doesn't matter where you study or whether it's quiet or hindi nakaka stress, etc. the main thing is FOCUS. There will always be distraction/flaws in your study place, try to look past that and just focus.

TIPS FROM THE 2010 TOPNOTCHERS WILLIAM BENSON S. GAN TOP 9 84.75% Study Habits Follow your usual studying habits in law school. Find a place where you can concentrate and stay for very long hours. It can be a coffee shop, the library, your home, etc. Also, try to find time to relax. You can set aside a day (or half day) during the week to go watch a movie or have dinner with your friends. Things that a Barrister should do You should allot a space in your room for your bar review materials and segregate it per subject. During the review period, you do not want to waste your time going through your things just to look for a particular reviewer. Also make sure to read recent jurisprudence even if it is beyond the cut-off date (in the bar exams, there is no such thing as a cut-off). Try to be aware of current events because there is a big possibility that it will be asked during the bar exams. Things to Avoid Try not to compare your studying pace with your batchmates. Do not force yourself to do 4 or 5 readings just because your other batchmates are doing it. In the end, its quality over quantity.

Choose the review classes that you will attend. You don't need to attend all review classes because it may be more productive to just read the review materials. Attend only the subjects where you think you are weak or where the lecturer is very good. Also, choose the books and reviewers to read. During the bar review period (usually after your first or second reading), you will be presented with different books and reviewers of rumored examiners. You may want to photocopy them just to feel safe, but read them only if you have enough time. Favorite Materials I find the following books helpful for the bar because they more or less cover the subject matter, but are not too lengthy: a. Everyone's Labor Code by Azucena. b. Civil Law Reviewer by Jurado (but I suggest you find another book for the Persons part) c. Consti Law Reviewer by Fr. Bernas d. Commercial Law Reviewer by Sundiang e. Criminal Law (Book 1 and 2) - Boado f. Civil Procedure by Riano Favorite Study Place The APS library.