Smashing the Bar with Kendyl Swank | Late Night in the Library: Widener Law Commonwealth Podcast

Late Night in the Library is the side of law school you won't find a textbook for. Produced by Widener Law Commonwealth, this student-run podcast dives into pit conversations, library whispers, and the lessons learned outside the classroom. We talk with students about getting through tough semesters, finding their footing, and the small moments that end up defining law school. Honest and unfiltered, this series centers real student voices and real conversations.

We’re kicking off the very first episode "Smashing the Bar" with a powerful conversation you won’t want to miss. Host Shemariel Gray, alongside Widener University Commonwealth Law School Dean andré cummings, sits down with Widener Law Commonwealth alumna and newly sworn-in attorney Kendyl L. Swank, Esq. Kendyl shares how she scored in the top percentile of the bar exam, breaking down her approach, mindset, and the strategies that helped her succeed.

Topics Covered
0:00 Intro
1:25 Actual Day of the Bar Exam
3:35 Managing Self Doubt
5:50 Comparison Issues
7:00 Why Kendyl Swank is the First Guest
8:32 Bar Exam Study Tips
11:22 What Does a Day During Bar Prep Look Like
12:25 Keeping Up Your Stamina
14:14 Did Kendyl Work Too Hard
15:58 Bar Exam Advice for 1Ls and 2Ls
18:00 Resources for Bar Prep
19:34 Advice to Repeat Bar Takers
22:44 Cold Call Roulette
25:12 What is it Like Now Practicing Law
26:49 Current Position
28:33 Has Anything Changed in Way you Perceive Yourself Since Smashing the Bar
29:59 Advice for Bar Takers
31:11 Pride and Intro of Series
32:15 How WLC Prepares Students to Smash the Bar
36:21 Outro

The bar exam some people love it, some people hate it but one thing’s for sure, if you’re a law student, there’s no escaping it. So how do you pass it?
 
That is the one question we are here to answer!
 
Welcome to Widener Law Commonwealth: Smashing the Bar, a podcast series where we sit down with top-scoring bar passers from Widener University Commonwealth Law School to talk strategy, survival, and the long awaited success that comes after the bar exam! 

Widener University Commonwealth Law School is the Pennsylvania capital’s only law school, with four specialized centers of legal scholarship through its Law & Government Institute, Environmental Law and Sustainability Center, Business Advising Program, and Center for Equity and Justice. Widener Law Commonwealth offers an exceptional learning experience that is personal, practical, and professional. Visit commonwealthlaw.widener.edu for more information.

Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I3D-s8vDgMAeQ-uU5cLAfCSsXnyu8agi/view?usp=sharing 

Music Credit: "Late Night Crush" by Netuno
https://www.pond5.com/royalty-free-music/item/312639960-late-night-crush-short-intro-dance-upbeat-house-urban-party