Here's a little checklist of things to do as much as six months or more before the date of the bar exam:

When and where is the bar exam? Since you're using this site, I am assuming that you have ready access to an Internet connection. If you haven't already done so, go to the web site of the state bar of the state you wish to practice in, and order all the necessary materials. Typically, the bar exam takes place twice a year, and you want to sign up and make your payments well in advance if possible. Upon receiving your materials, you'll also get a sense of where the test location is.

File your Application of Moral Determination. This typically will come in your initial bar exam packet. It's a big sheaf of papers that will try to track down where you've been and what you've done for the past decade or more. You'll also have to find friends who are willing to vouch for your morality. It's important to file this as soon as possible, because it can take quite some time to process -- anywhere between a couple of months to a year. It's nice to do so that you can get your bar license as soon as possible following passage of the bar examination.

Reserve a hotel location near the test site. This is pretty important. The bar exam is two to three days long and is quite gruelling as well as psychologically stressful. The last thing you want to do is to be caught in traffic on the way to the test center, or in a grimy hotel near a busy intersection where sleeping is a wish rather than a reality. Hotels and motels near the test center fill up REALLY fast, so try to book as early as possible. 4-6 months early is not too early at all. Ideally, you would get a hotel or motel that is right across the street or a very short stroll from the test center. It is important, too, to scout out the area well before the exam -- note where the center and hotel are, where various eateries are, and so on. The main idea here is: you have enough stress to deal with in dealing with the test. So that you are focusing 110% on the exam, you want to do all you can to eliminate unexpected little developments that may frustrate you or distract you even a little.

Get your law degree and finish up all remaining coursework. Some law students don't finish up all their coursework or have a paper or two to finish up before formally getting their law degree. Make sure to finish everything and receive your J.D. prior to signing up for the bar exam. Some states, like California, require that the J.D. be in your hands prior to taking the test.

Sign up for bar exam preparation courses. I have my problems with these courses, but sometimes the materials are useful, even if the half-day lectures are not. Still, if you have the cash to burn, or better yet, if your future employer has already agreed to pay the expenses of the class, then by all means sign up. The most prominent bar preparation course is BARBRI, and another one that has gotten decent reviews is PMBR, which prepares you solely for the multi-state portion of the exam.