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YES WE CAN, PASS THE BAR. 19The Program's renewed efforts focused on enhancing student awareness of thebar examination components and increasing student motivation in taking andpassing the exam. Self-efficacy was a part of the self-regulated learning approachin the academic support program, focusing on students' beliefs they could learnand succeed in law school. 58 A shift or transformation in building a culture ofsuccess was important. Negative attitudes and pessimism affect motivation forlearning. Low self-efficacy can also reduce a student's belief in reaching his or herpotential success. 59 The program aimed at helping students believe in their potentialsuccess and in their ability to overcome obstacles to their learning by increasingopportunities for preparation to take the bar.The School of Law also had to overcome a history of negative perceptions oflower bar pass rates associated with poor results during the early turbulent yearswithin the university. We adopted an attitude of "yes we can pass the bar" withearly preparation and a renewed sense of self efficacy and building a culture ofsuccess. We developed a mantra of "rock and sock the bar, every day, every way"as a motivating tool. Building and reinforcing self esteem and self confidence wasimportant to the bar skills learning process. 60 Getting students motivated to learnand to take charge of their learning process was critical in changing studentattitudes.Efforts were made to intensify student awareness about the bar exam by invitingbar examiners from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia to the School of Law todiscuss the components of the exam, license requirements, and fitness issues.During the Spring of 2004, the BPTF conducted a series of voluntary Bar SupportEnhancement workshops led by in-house faculty. The focus was on a substantivereview of Multi-State subjects and issue spotting in essays. These workshops wereconducted on Friday afternoons by the Director of Academic Support and theFaculty. Students were given opportunities to practice essay writing and multiplechoice testing strategies. 61 Students were also provided a two-day workshop conductedby PMBR as a part of the in-house program on how to answer mUltiplechoice questions.58 See MICHAEL SCHWARTZ, EXPERT LEAI{NINO FOR LAW STUDENTS (2005); see also RIEBE &SCIIWART/., supra note 54.59 Ruth Ann McKinney, Depression and Anxiety in Law Students: Are We Part of the Problemand Can We Be Part of the Solution? 8 LEGAL WIUTINO J. 229 (2002).60 The phrase "rock it, sock it" caught on and students were encouraged to use it while testingand studying. Rock and sock every multiple choice question, 1.8 minutes per question.61 Self Study, supra note 28, at 29. The School of Law also provided every third year studentwith a copy of Aspen's STRATEGIES & T Acnes FOR TIlE MBE. Professors would assign twenty-five tothirty questions per week from the book. The following week, the professors would go over the answersin class.