KAPLAN BAR REVIEW hangout Forum

[IFNB]

Are you guys creating your own outlines for topics? I made one for contracts, but it felt like sort of a time sink, so I just stuck with doing a "1-sheet" for torts. Going back and forth on whether to make one for Crim.

[Mr. Pink]

Are you guys creating your own outlines for topics? I made one for contracts, but it felt like sort of a time sink, so I just stuck with doing a "1-sheet" for torts. Going back and forth on whether to make one for Crim.

I have been doing the outlines along with the lectures just to go over the info as a review. In terms of actually studying and reviewing I will use my own outlines. They are much shorter and since I made them myself, they make more sense to me.

[JenDarby]

I'm not doing one sheets since I don't think it would be a good use of my time.

I 'm also not making my own outlines and studying off the outlines provided.

[a_ela1]

So... I'm a week behind, which stresses me out but whatever. I just want to know what people thought as they went through Contracts because I am just finishing and I feel like my head is going to explode. I'm getting around 50% on the MBEs & the Checkpoint quiz and I have no idea how I am going to memorize this. This is all even though I did a decent job in my Contracts classes. I literally feel like I've never seen this material before. WTF???

[jbiresq]

Anybody do Civ Pro yet? It's not the hardest topic but the lecturer is all sorts of horrible. Doesn't follow the outline and never repeats himself.

[IFNB]

So... I'm a week behind, which stresses me out but whatever. I just want to know what people thought as they went through Contracts because I am just finishing and I feel like my head is going to explode. I'm getting around 50% on the MBEs & the Checkpoint quiz and I have no idea how I am going to memorize this. This is all even though I did a decent job in my Contracts classes. I literally feel like I've never seen this material before. WTF???

Yeah I'm finding the contracts material really tough as well. I don't like the organization at all.

[Mr. Pink]

I did one of the mixed topic quizzes and got 3-4 wrong that dealt with outdated and inapplicable law. Anyone else come across this? The question said to answer according to "traditional" rules, which I guess I just didn't think about, but the laws are no longer used in any jurisdiction... I couldn't imagine the MBE testing us on that crap.

I always hated that about law school; spending an hour or more reading about a particular doctrine or theory of law just to turn the page and read "however that has been abolished and modernly courts follow...." damnit just tell me what the law is now!

[JenDarby]

Fromm just spent over 10 minutes talking about nothing in this distinctions video. C'mon Fromm, don't make me hate you.

[sidhesadie]

So... I'm a week behind, which stresses me out but whatever. I just want to know what people thought as they went through Contracts because I am just finishing and I feel like my head is going to explode. I'm getting around 50% on the MBEs & the Checkpoint quiz and I have no idea how I am going to memorize this. This is all even though I did a decent job in my Contracts classes. I literally feel like I've never seen this material before. WTF???

Well, on the 'about the checkpoint quizzes' video, he says that they expect 40-50% on the checkpoint quizzes, so sounds like you're actually doing fine on those. I don't know where we should be at with MBE bank stuff at this point.

I hated my 1st year property teacher and it shows. I clearly remember NOTHING.

[sidhesadie]

Is anyone struggling with the Kaplan MBE workbook. I am getting like most of the questions wrong like 25% right, but I understand the video and bar application questions in the lecture. I'm so confused on how to improve my score.

I feel like I'm doing OK on them, but I'm getting extremely frustrated with the frequency of questions that test rules/exceptions that are not included in the outlines or lectures. That shit pisses me the fuck off.

Right? Multiple times I have yelled at my screen, YOU DID NOT TELL ME THAT.

[JenDarby]

So... I'm a week behind, which stresses me out but whatever. I just want to know what people thought as they went through Contracts because I am just finishing and I feel like my head is going to explode. I'm getting around 50% on the MBEs & the Checkpoint quiz and I have no idea how I am going to memorize this. This is all even though I did a decent job in my Contracts classes. I literally feel like I've never seen this material before. WTF???

Well, on the 'about the checkpoint quizzes' video, he says that they expect 40-50% on the checkpoint quizzes, so sounds like you're actually doing fine on those. I don't know where we should be at with MBE bank stuff at this point.

I hated my 1st year property teacher and it shows. I clearly remember NOTHING.

Wow I didn't realize that 40-50% was the expected on checkpoint quizzes. That's nice to know.

[JJDancer]

I was wondering where the Kaplan hangout was! Thought it would be in the bar prep forum.

Hope things are going as well they as can for all of you.

I came up with a study plan for myself in case one of you wants to keep me accountable on it /join in

I haven't been doing the suggested 3 essay, 1 cpt/week thing so I came up with this schedule (won't apply exactly this week since I'll take the practice MBE so I'll be focusing on MBE for a few days)

Otherwise, my goal is 1 essay each day Mon-Thurs, as well as 33 MBE/day (Mon-R as well)
+ daily checkpoint quizzes/review for the day by reading the outline
And a CPT on Friday
Sat-Sun for general review - whatever i feel the need to focus on - flashcards, making mini outlines, more MBE etc.

I still haven't figured out if I prefer to watch the video lectures at home - usually takes me twice as long because I get bored so I speed it up but then keep pausing/rewinding to take notes/take breaks/take notes on flashcards as well so synthesize-reinforce a little, but when I attend class I get through the material faster, but I'm usually tired after so I only spend about 2-3 hours after class even though I have a lot of time!

[JenDarby]

^ are you trying to triple pass?

Seriously though, that's an aggressive study plan to meet "minimum competency".

[bazinga!]

glad to see this - I'm really far behind too because family stuff keeps popping up Now I wish I had turned some of the early stuff down. Finishing up crim pro today.

I'm getting really nervous about memorizing all of this. I was trying to remember some contracts stuff the other day and it was a total blank. 35 days to go! Oh Lord!

[sandcastle45]

I was averaging about 40-50% on the checkpoint quizzes too, but I've found I do a lot better after a couple days. I did a few mixed topic Qbank quizzes, and I was getting like 85% on evidence questions, so I guess that's something… Also like 75% in the book on con law. It goes back and forth but I feel like it's getting better.

As far as a study plan, I usually just try to stick to what's on the syllabus and if I have some extra time that day, I'll do a Qbank quiz or some practice questions. Am I the only one who has plenty of time left over though when I'm answering MBE questions? Like I know I should do them slower, but …it's really difficult to.

I did that practice MPT question for Velocity Park and got a 7/7, so I figure that's okay. Except I was talking to my friend who is doing Barbri and she said Barbri had like an entire day workshop on MPT and they are making them memorize how to do every single type of thing they could ask you for. Uhhh, I mean, Kaplan most definitely did not say to do that in our MPT video, right? I don't understand that anyway because if it asks you to write a memo analyzing X, how difficult is it going to be?

The thing I'm most worried about is the essays. I'm not making outlines because I don't get how that would be helpful at all to have like 80-page outlines to study from when that is LITERALLY what is in the books they give us/lecture notes. I do one-sheets; I find typing them up as review is really helpful. I've also taken to bringing the one-sheets to the gym and spending at least 20 minutes while on the elliptical going over them/trying to memorize. But…I honestly don't understand how we are supposed to memorize like 11 subjects x 100 pages of notes of rules to be able to bring up the rule in an essay. So far when I've done a practice essay, I have to look up the rule. I will generally have the gist of it, but I honestly don't get how you are supposed to memorize like every single legal rule about every single legal subject. Anyone? Like I just did an evidence essay question and I was seriously like….why would I ever have to memorize evidence rules? It's called looking it up in the FRE for the language.

I don't know, I go between thinking I'm gonna fail and thinking everything will be okay in the end. LOL.

Edited to add: Yeah, I have absolutely no hope with Property. Like, is this even English?

[Mr. Pink]

They say Property and Contracts are the toughest on the MBE, which is fine with me because those (along with Torts) are my strong suits. Con Law and Evidence are my weak points.

Some of these lecturers are much better than others. The Wills/Trusts lady is horrible. She does not follow the outline, does not repeat things (so you have to keep pausing and rewinding) and then the checkpoint quiz for trusts was in complete contrast to what she said in the lecture.

I should be done with the substantive stuff this week, then I will have ~a month to focus on the essays and PTs while still reviewing/making one-shitters and doing MBEs.

The grades so far seem fine (60-75% ob MBE and 70-75% on essays) but none of it feels like it is "sinking in" if that makes any sense. And I may do real well on a set of 25-30 MBEs for a particular subject, then completely bomb it the next go around. I don't know, I took the weekend off to recharge. Back at it today. Good luck guys and gals.

[sandcastle45]

Is it just me or is this property guy fucking terrible on the mortgages part of the property lecture? I seriously can't follow him; he's not keeping up with the way the outline is set up. And I keep trying to look in the given outline but that doesn't match up either! Ughhhhh.

[Mr. Pink]

Is it just me or is this property guy fucking terrible on the mortgages part of the property lecture? I seriously can't follow him; he's not keeping up with the way the outline is set up. And I keep trying to look in the given outline but that doesn't match up either! Ughhhhh.

I didn't have any problems with it, but I have had Bracci lectures before so maybe I am just use to him.

For the record, the guy is a bar guru; listen to him and what he tells you. He has passed all the states bar exams and has close relations with the examiners. He knows his shit better than anyone else.

[sandcastle45]

I was fine until we got to mortgages and then I just completely couldn't follow it. It probably doesn't help that my property professor never covered mortgages...

[a male human]

These "professors" are the worst. Especially the con law guy--Kermit was his name when I took it in July? He keeps stroking his fingers and has this weird upward intonation. And they are so goddamn boring.

What do you think about watching the lectures at night instead? It will help you fall asleep faster, and you might retain the information better. You can use your willpower reserve in the morning for more important things like memorizing and practicing.

[JenDarby]

These "professors" are the worst. Especially the con law guy--Kermit was his name when I took it in July? He keeps stroking his fingers and has this weird upward intonation. And they are so goddamn boring.

What do you think about watching the lectures at night instead? It will help you fall asleep faster, and you might retain the information better. You can use your willpower reserve in the morning for more important things like memorizing and practicing.

I had been watching the lectures in the morning and then going into the office from 1:30-7pm. I decided this week to reverse that and go into the office in the morning and study at night. I'm hoping this will make me more productive.

Honestly, I almost don't understand how people ONLY do bar prep. I make it through everything on the syllabus and still have ample time for work and my family. Every once in a while I think I must be missing something when I see everyone on fb FREAKING OUT lol.

[Mr. Pink]

These "professors" are the worst. Especially the con law guy--Kermit was his name when I took it in July? He keeps stroking his fingers and has this weird upward intonation. And they are so goddamn boring.

What do you think about watching the lectures at night instead? It will help you fall asleep faster, and you might retain the information better. You can use your willpower reserve in the morning for more important things like memorizing and practicing.

I had been watching the lectures in the morning and then going into the office from 1:30-7pm. I decided this week to reverse that and go into the office in the morning and study at night. I'm hoping this will make me more productive.

Honestly, I almost don't understand how people ONLY do bar prep. I make it through everything on the syllabus and still have ample time for work and my family. Every once in a while I think I must be missing something when I see everyone on fb FREAKING OUT lol.

I hear ya! I work more than full time and I am still ahead in the review course. I even take a lot of days off and don't do anything bar related. Not that I am ready to take the bar right now, but I certainly feel comfortable with where I am at.

[JJDancer]

^ are you trying to triple pass?

Seriously though, that's an aggressive study plan to meet "minimum competency".

Haha that's nice to hear but Kaplan told us 3 essays/week, 1 cpt a week and I'm just doing the assigned checkpoint quizzes and 33 MBE/day so I didn't think it was aggressive to basically do one more essay. I'm also taking the CA bar

I'm using the essays to learn the law more than reading outlines etc bcause i literally only took open book finals because I hate memorizing. It's my weakest point, so I prefer to memorize via essay practice and doing MBEs rather than outlining etc...

[JenDarby]

^ are you trying to triple pass?

Seriously though, that's an aggressive study plan to meet "minimum competency".

Haha that's nice to hear but Kaplan told us 3 essays/week, 1 cpt a week and I'm just doing the assigned checkpoint quizzes and 33 MBE/day so I didn't think it was aggressive to basically do one more essay. I'm also taking the CA bar

I'm using the essays to learn the law more than reading outlines etc bcause i literally only took open book finals because I hate memorizing. It's my weakest point, so I prefer to memorize via essay practice and doing MBEs rather than outlining etc...

I'm taking NY, so around on par with CA. That just sounds like a lot of studying and essays compared to my minimalist strategy lol.

I haven't done one essays yet though....I've done everything on the syllabus BUT the essays.

[JJDancer]

^ are you trying to triple pass?

Seriously though, that's an aggressive study plan to meet "minimum competency".

Haha that's nice to hear but Kaplan told us 3 essays/week, 1 cpt a week and I'm just doing the assigned checkpoint quizzes and 33 MBE/day so I didn't think it was aggressive to basically do one more essay. I'm also taking the CA bar

I'm using the essays to learn the law more than reading outlines etc bcause i literally only took open book finals because I hate memorizing. It's my weakest point, so I prefer to memorize via essay practice and doing MBEs rather than outlining etc...

I'm taking NY, so around on par with CA. That just sounds like a lot of studying and essays compared to my minimalist strategy lol.

I haven't done one essays yet though....I've done everything on the syllabus BUT the essays.

I've only done 2 essays and 1 cpt so far. The essays were very open book.
let's see how this midterm goes and I'll reevaluate