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All we want is to be treated like human beings, not to be experimented on like guinea pigs or patronized like bunny rabbits.*

People keep asking me why it takes so long to get results from the bar exam. Good question. My only answer is that the Bar wants to torture those who take the test. The whole experience is a hazing ritual; the wait is an integral part of the hazing.

haze tr.v. hazed, haz·ing, haz·es 1. To persecute or harass with meaningless, difficult, or humiliating tasks.
2. To initiate, as into a college fraternity, by exacting humiliating performances from or playing rough practical jokes upon.

The test was not quite meaningless, it was difficult, and it was definitely humiliating in the sense that I just went through all the hoops of law school and still I had to subject myself to this? But I think the real humiliation is now, during these waiting weeks, when you have to introduce yourself as “not quite a lawyer, but really hoping you will be as soon as you get your bar results.” People look at you like you’re some kind of alien. Perhaps you are.

Monica says it’s time to move on and she’s right. For the next six weeks I’ll try to endure the hazing without comment, but no promises.

* Name that movie! Hint: If you were in high school in the late 80s or early 90s, you should have loved this movie.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 12th, 2006 at 7:48 am and is filed under Bar exam. It has had 403 views. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response here, send a trackback from your own site, or rate this post right here:

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6 Responses to “All we want is to be treated like human beings, not to be experimented on like guinea pigs or patronized like bunny rabbits.*”

  1. jeanne Says:
    August 12th, 2006 at 10:44 am

    Dad: I don’t patronize bunny rabbits.

    Heathers, of course. Probably watched it a hundred times in 1994.

  2. M Says:
    August 12th, 2006 at 11:18 am

    It take so long to get your bar exam grades because they usually have members of the bar grade the essays. Depending on your state and the numbers of people taking the exam, this means some poor schlubs have to grade 100 or so essay exams while having a full time job. Hence the delay. In the interim…quit worrying…you passed.

  3. monica Says:
    August 12th, 2006 at 7:45 pm

    you only have 6 weeks? Our results come out October 26.

  4. ti Says:
    August 13th, 2006 at 8:58 pm

    Jeanne: “You inherit 5 million dollars the same day aliens land on the earth and say they’re going to blow it up in 2 days. What do you do?”

    You win! I only watched it 10 times, but for me (someone who almost never watches a movie more than once) that was a lot.

    M: I know. It takes time. They could do it faster if they wanted to, but ok, fine, I’ll try and be patient.

    Monica: Yeah, I’m bitching and I don’t have to wait at all compared to some people. What can I say? I’m just an impatient SOB. A friend recently pointed out that I should totally be loving this time b/c I get to learn the ropes around my office and figure a lot of things out w/out worrying that I might be screwing up some client’s case/life. Excellent point, that. I bet this week will be better w/that in mind…
    p.s.: How’s Alaska?

  5. lawyer type Says:
    August 14th, 2006 at 1:33 pm

    The bar exam is meaningless hazing. If anybody actually practiced law the way they took the bar exam……

    lawer: Oh I dont think I need to do any research or look this up at all, I will just write my brief from memory.

    …. This would be a road straight to disciplinary action from the bar association.

  6. sciolism Says:
    August 15th, 2006 at 5:26 pm

    well, as I am in a state with ALL essays, and we get our results back in early October, it does raise a question as to why states that use the MBE should take so long. Moreover, our essays are graded by the person who wrote em- so each grader gets about 1000+ essays to grade. Poor slob. Still, way too long to wait.

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