The short answer
Start from your previous grades, not from page one. Weigh each subject by how far it fell short and by its weight in the general average, and give the subjects that cost you the most the largest share of your first month. Rebuild a daily study habit before chasing volume, and recheck every reviewer against the new examinable-law cut-off, which for 2027 is 30 June 2026.
Key points
- Begin with last year's grades: they show where points were lost.
- Priority = how far a subject fell short × how much it weighs.
- Update your materials: the 2027 cut-off for examinable law is 30 June 2026.
- Rebuild the daily habit first. Volume follows consistency.
You are not starting from zero
A second attempt is a different review from a first. You have read the subjects, you know the format, and you have something a first-time reviewee does not: your grades. Start there.
There is no limit on attempts, but after three unsuccessful ones you must complete refresher classes before applying again. Our guide to applying for the Bar explains the rule and the application itself.
Read your grades as a map
List your grade in each subject next to its weight in the Bar. Then ask two questions for each subject:
- How far did it fall short?
- How much does it weigh?
A subject that fell well short and carries a heavy weight is where your average is easiest to move. Remedial Law at 25% and Commercial and Taxation Laws and Civil Law at 20% each move the general average more than Labor Law or Criminal Law at 10%. The full list is in our 2027 Bar guide.
Give those subjects the largest share of your first month. Do not drop the subjects you did well in; schedule them for lighter, steadier review.
Check your materials against the new cut-off
For the 2027 Bar, the examinable law is the law in force as of 30 June 2026. If you are reusing reviewers and notes from your previous attempt, check them against that date. Laws and decisions change, and an outdated note can cost points you once earned.
Rebuild the habit before the volume
After a disappointing result, the hardest part is often starting again. A plan that demands eight hours on day one usually does not survive the first week.
Start smaller and steadier: a fixed study time, a short session every day, and one rule written in your own words at the end of each session. Once the habit holds, increase the hours. Our guide to schedules that survive missed days covers how.
Change the method, not just the effort
If you reviewed mostly by rereading last time, add active recall: close the book and state the rule from memory. If timing was the problem, practise full essay sets at about 12 minutes per problem, as in our guide to answering essay questions.
How Lagda does this
You can enter last year's grades in Lagda. It uses them to decide where your plan starts and which subject gets the largest share of your first month, and the record you build carries over. Lagda is coming soon to iOS.
Questions
How should I start reviewing for the Bar again?
Start from your previous grades. Give the largest share of your first month to the subjects that fell furthest short and carry the most weight in the general average.
Can I reuse my old Bar reviewers?
You can, but check them against the new cut-off. For the 2027 Bar, the examinable law is the law in force as of 30 June 2026.
What should I change for my second attempt?
Rebuild a steady daily habit first, then change the method where it fell short: add active recall if you mostly reread, and practise timed essay sets if pacing was the problem.
Published 13 November 2026, updated 14 November 2026. Read how we write and check our guides in our editorial standards. The Supreme Court's bulletins and announcements always control. Lagda is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with the Supreme Court of the Philippines.