A couple of weeks ago Lise was telling me about the search for the perfect pencil to take the third and fourth parts of the Bar exam which is the 200-multiple-choice Multistate Bar Examination. It seems that one cannot use a mechanical pencil, the pencil of choice for Lise, because it might be a scanner.
Now how could anybody have the time to scan the test? Perhaps one might know that there was no hope of passing so why not show up, scan it, and make a mint or, at least, a few bucks.*
Due to a longtime writer’s callous on her finger, she cannot use the traditional hexagonal yellow pencil that has been produced since 1795 by Dixon.
She ruled out round ones because they roll off the desk. She also knew that she wanted a matte finish that would make it less likely to slide out of her sweaty hand. It had to have a hardwood case so it wouldn’t break during a question about corporate law.
After researching (she is her mother’s daughter) all brands, she settled on two triangular ones: the Paper Mate Mirado Black Warrior and the Dixon Tri-Conderoga, black with a black eraser which is also triangular.
She reports that she did use both during the exam “but my preference is for the Tri-Conderoga. I like the lead of the Warrior a little better, but the size and shape of the Tri wins out.”
Let's hope that she is a winner on September 24 at 9:00 AM when the results are posted.
* Au contraire. In 2006, a federal judge ruled that a California bar prep company sent employees to several states to take the exam for the sole purpose of copying questions to be used in its course. Multistate Legal Studies Inc. was order to pay more than $11.6 million to the National Conference of Bar Examiners. Another example of crime not paying.
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Just a minor correction. The Warrior is actually round, one of its downsides. But going into the MBE, I brought 8 sharpened pencils and a manual sharpener. 4 TriConderogas and 4 Warriors. Arranged on the desk with the Tris on either end kept the Warriors from rolling. (So sad, I know.) And in case anyone was wondering, I dulled 6 pencils per session, making an average of 2 pencils dulled per hour. I am pleased I found the pencils... I am more pleased not to think about any of it until the 24th of September!
ReplyDeleteOh! And they inspected any sharpeners we brought into the testing area for recording equipment. This bar prep industry is a BIG business!
Of course, you arrived at a solution for the round ones' propensity for rolling off the desk.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I cannot believe that they checked the sharpeners.
Can you believe the CA bar prep company? Oops!
Thanks for the correction re round pencils. Faulty note taking.