To Outline or Not to Outline on the Bar Exam

Outlining can be incredibly helpful if done efficiently. The main advantage is that it allows you to organize your thoughts before you start writing. This can prevent you from getting lost in the middle of an essay, ensuring that your answer is coherent and covers all the necessary issues.

Here's how outlining could benefit you: Organization helps you structure your essay according to the call of the question, making sure you address each issue systematically. Time Management by spending 10-15 minutes outlining, you create a roadmap that can make the writing process faster and more focused. Comprehensive Coverage ensures you don't miss any important issues or sub-issues, which is crucial for maximizing your score.

For some, outlining can feel like a waste of precious time. If you're someone who's naturally quick at spotting issues and structuring your essays on the fly, you might find that outlining actually slows you down. Additionally, if you're not used to outlining, it can feel awkward and may take longer than it's worth—potentially eating into the time you have to write your essay.

If you've had success in practice exams without outlining and can consistently produce well-organized essays, you might decide that outlining isn't for you.

Whether you decide to outline or not, the key is finding a strategy that works best for you and allows you to perform at your peak on exam day. BarPlaybook can be instrumental in helping you make this decision.

Here's how BarPlaybook can support your preparation: Practice with Feedback allows you to practice essays with detailed AI-generated feedback. You can experiment with outlining versus non-outlining in your practice essays to see which approach yields better results. Time Management Insights through BarPlaybook's feedback, you can get a sense of how well you're managing your time during practice essays. Issue Spotting and Organization whether you outline or not, BarPlaybook's feedback will highlight any issues you missed or sections where your organization could be improved.