How to Create a Study Plan

In my personal experience, I studied for approximately four months, averaging 10–12 hours per week (about 175 hours total). I came into the exam with no prior legal education while working full-time and balancing other commitments. Your experience may be different, but I hope this provides a useful point of comparison.

One other thing to note in your plan is that it can take some time to be approved to take the patent bar and find an open spot. You need to apply to take the exam. If you fulfill all the requirements and are accepted, you will be able to schedule an exam with Prometric. This process can take several weeks, plus finding a time that works for your schedule and Prometric to actually take the exam. Because the application and scheduling process takes time, don't wait until you have finished studying to start the application process. Build some flexibility into your timeline so that you have enough time to complete the application process and find an exam appointment that works for you.

The most important thing is to spend your limited study time wisely. The patent bar is not an exam testing your knowledge of patent law; it’s testing your ability to read a question, determine the relevant topics, and find the answers if necessary in the MPEP. Therefore, in your study, prioritize practice questions. After every practice set analyze your answers, figure out where you went wrong with the ones you missed, and figure out where the correct answer is in the MPEP. 

Here are a couple of sample study schedules to give you some ideas.