Many law school graduates sign up for a $3,000 bar exam course and think that it is the best form of bar exam study. Believe me: I am a practicing attorney and a veteran of this process, and it is the worst path a student can take.

The best bar exam study course is not some BarBri or PMBR course, whereby you stuff yourself in a classroom with 40 other stressed out law graduates. Instead, your best bet for bar exam studying is YOU.

I went through this process in 2005. You don't need an expensive bar exam course to pass the bar exam. All you really need for bar exam study are the books and materials that they use in these courses and some sample exams to practice questions.

I made the mistake three years ago. I took a bar exam course, and I was overwhelmed with the amount of notes and confused with each lecturer's take and perspective on the law. There was too much conflicting information, and I spent most of my time making sense of everything. I barely had time to fo practice questions and practice exams.

When I took the exam, I passed by just two points. All that work and all that money for a bar exam course, and I barely made it. There had to be a better way to do this. And, by observing two of my friends, I learned that there was.

Two of my friends took bar exams that same year, and they scored better than me. One of them took the bar exam course, but he spent the majority of his time doing practice questions and essays and paid little attention to his notes. My other friend didn't even take a bar exam course!! He bought the course books online, and his bar exam studying involved reading the books and doing practice questions.

If you're preparing for a bar exam here is what I recommend for the best and most efficient bar exam study:

1) Do not . . . I repeat . . . DO NOT take a bar exam course.

2) Buy the bar exam course books from someone else. (Check out Bar Exam Shop.)

3) Read the books.

4) Do as many practice questions as you can. (Practice makes perfect.)

If these four steps make up your bar exam study, you will pass the exam. I can confirm, from personal experience, that it is the best method of bar exam preparation. Don't waste money on a bar exam course. Buy the books from a place like Bar Exam Shop, study on your own, and you'll pass with flying colors.