A Simple Tool to Monitor Bar Exam Registrations in Geneva

A mini-tool to monitor the opening of the registration for the bar exam at the Geneva School for Lawyers (ECAV).
Author

Ilia Azizi

Published

August 15, 2025

Registering for the bar exam at the Geneva School of Law (ECAV) is no easy feat. While the registration date is announced, the exact time it opens remains a mystery. The real challenge comes from the fact that registrations are processed based on the exact time the application is submitted by post. Here’s how it goes:

  1. Refresh the Registration Page
    Candidates are stuck constantly refreshing this page until the registration finally opens.

  2. Fill Out the Form Fast
    Once registration opens, they need to rush to the website, complete the form, and print it as quickly as possible.

  3. Head to the Post Office
    After printing, it’s off to the post office to send the application by priority, trackable mail.

The Problem: Timing is Everything

Even if the registration opens at 08:30, a candidate could fill out the form at 08:31, print it, and mail it at 09:00. But by then, they could already be too late—registrations often fill up in the first 10-15 minutes. The race is incredibly tight, and every second matters.

How the Tool Helps (Just a Tiny Bit)

To make step 1 (monitoring the registration page) a bit easier, I built a simple tool that watches for any changes to the HTML of the registration page. When it detects that the page is live (the source code changes), it notifies you, so you can jump on the website right away.

It’s not a magic bullet, and it can’t solve the bigger problem (printing and mailing in time). But it can help you know when the registration is finally open, so you don’t miss it in the flood of traffic.

Why It’s So Tough

Even if you manage to get your registration in right after the page opens, there’s still the problem of mailing it immediately. If you don’t live near a post office, have a portable printer, or some way to print on the go, you might still miss your chance. Unfortunately, no automation can help with that.

Good luck to all those who have to go through this stressful process!

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Citation

BibTeX citation:
@online{azizi2025,
  author = {Azizi, Ilia},
  title = {A {Simple} {Tool} to {Monitor} {Bar} {Exam} {Registrations}
    in {Geneva}},
  date = {2025-08-15},
  url = {https://iliaazizi.com/projects/ecav-monitor/},
  langid = {en}
}
For attribution, please cite this work as:
Azizi, Ilia. 2025. “A Simple Tool to Monitor Bar Exam Registrations in Geneva.” August 15, 2025. https://iliaazizi.com/projects/ecav-monitor/.