BASIC TIPS: LIKE HOW TO STUDY FOR THE EXAM

The below is a sample of what we’ve written on our site over at Wysebridge.com.

Before you go further in your studies, it might be wise to take a few moments to think about how you tend to study, or have studied, in the past.  What’s worked for you.  Flashcards? Drawing diagrams?  Straight up memorization?  Long study sessions or short bursts of dedicated studying?  Do you prefer to have a detailed plan outlining what to study each day, or do you require more flexibility due to work schedules and other circumstances?

All these factors play into how you will study.  Thus, each one of you will develop a study method that’s your own.  If you try and force yourself to learn using techniques or patterns that don’t fit you, have a difficult time studying.  

Think about it this way:  The USDA has given guidelines for the amount of calories, fat, protein, etc, that the “average adult male and female should eat.”  If you just take this standard, and tried to force everyone to follow these guidelines, well, the results would be catastrophic.   Sure, in general, “most” people would be ok, but what about all the athletes and high performance individuals who require a completely different pattern of eating?  In the same way, we know that there are many factors that play into how to study, that is unique for each person.  We don’t want to apply some bulk, generic study template, and frankly, we don’t think it’s worth the risk for you to just use some standard study machine.

Some Thoughts about Studying

1) Flash Memorization:  Flash cards, or any device utilized to mimic this type of studying involving short burts of information.

2) Summarization: This ranges from condensing pages and pages of information into a few, easy to read, understable summaries, all the way down to bullet point keywords and facts, designed to help you both process and understand materials.

3) Visualization: This involves translating written concepts into a picture or diagram, and using visualization of the concepts to retain it in your memory.

4) Creating Acronyms: This involves creating a phrase or word by taking a letter or letters from a long fact pattern to help you remember the fact pattern.  Remember learning the planets?  MVEMJSUN

Other Ways to Influence your Studying

Don’t forget, you are not undertaking this challenge in a bubble (if you are, sweet.  Send us a picture!).  Life is going around around you, and for you.  You will run into distractions, and variables you cannot control.  Be willing to be flexible…and be willing to look at this exam for what it is.  Just an exam.  Sure, it’s a big exam.  Sure, it will set you apart from oh, the other 99.9% of the world’s population.  But, this exam doesn’t define who you are.  it will be a part of you for a time, and hopefully, with a passing grade, will help propel you forwards.  But, it is just that.  One exam.  So, don’t put any more burden on yourself…this will be enough of a challenge as it is already.

Some simple, but key things to ask youself:

1) How much time can I dedicate to studying

2) What’s my baseline level of understanding (of the MPEP / Patent Law)

3) Do I understand what the exam is “testing”

At Wysebridge, we feel that personal interaction makes a HUGE difference in your studying.  It really helps to be able to ask someone questions, or when those moments of panic set in, to vent, and get some feedback. This is what we do.  Working with you, we will quickly develop a plan to help you each and every step of the way as you study, to ensure that you prepare the most efficienct and effective way as possible.

You can follow Wysebridge Patent Bar Review using a variety of social media sites, including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.  Stay updated on the latest tips, study suggestions, exam changes, and intellectual property updates.