2015 February Texas Bar Exam Forum

[februarybartaker]

Good luck everyone!

[BeachedBrit]

Well, on to the MBE. Delayed start this morning was nice, got an extra 45 minutes of sleep and an extra 15 minutes of review.

Trying not to break any rules and being as general as possible, if this is too specific then please just delete this mods: did anyone else find that MPT was pretty long? I could have written solid material for another hour. Only had time to give proper coverage to the more likely things/major things and write two sentences each on the minor ones. I finished outlining in 30 minutes, am a fast typist and still ran in to that.

[februarybartaker]

Same here - ran into some timing issues, but nothing fatal. Your experience sounds pretty similar to mine. I'm hoping the curve will even things out.

[txsunshine]

Yep. Time snuck up on me, too. Got stopped in the middle of my sentence. Oh well, only 10%. Onward!

[TxBarTaker09]

Crunched for time, but finished barely. The July one was long as well, I think they are doing this on purpose to help spread out the scores.

[LLB2JD]

Well, I thought the issues I ran into were due to the fact that I read and type slower than most people, but it appears not to be the case. I'm glad it's done, but I am not feeling like looking at MBE at all at this point. Is that normal? I actually feel like any study time I can squeeze in now is better spent on the essays. I still don't know what the hell is going on with commercial paper.

[Raven1228]

I am looking over MBE stuff right now, but I feel like I'm slowly forgetting everything about the essays :/

2 days without reviewing essay materials seems like an eternity. I don't think I could write a solid UCC essay right now if I tried.

I'll definitely be burning the midnight oil tomorrow if I want to refresh on the essay subjects.

[crit_racer]

Not looking at MBE either. I'm too far behind on essays. I feel like studying for the MBE would only, maybe, net me a few extra questions. Studying for essays, OTOH, could make a night/day difference...

[saraea]

Well, on to the MBE. Delayed start this morning was nice, got an extra 45 minutes of sleep and an extra 15 minutes of review.

Trying not to break any rules and being as general as possible, if this is too specific then please just delete this mods: did anyone else find that MPT was pretty long? I could have written solid material for another hour. Only had time to give proper coverage to the more likely things/major things and write two sentences each on the minor ones. I finished outlining in 30 minutes, am a fast typist and still ran in to that.

Same. Was more pressed for time than in practice. In practice tests I generally would be done with the bulk of my answer and have about 10-15 minutes to add details and small facts/legal issues, but today I just finished a rough outline. I thought it was just me. I feel a little better now.

[saraea]

Holy crap...I logged into my computer after being sure my answer had uploaded and got some kind of error from Examsoft. Called them and they were able to resolve, but about an hour past the deadline. TX rules don't say anything about what happens if you don't upload by the time limit (I know in some states you are docked some amount of points on your final scaled score). I'm terrified that they will refuse to grade my exam. After today and after reading about the whole debacle with ExamSoft last summer, it makes me wish I'd handwritten the exam. It might be slower and more painful (literally and figuratively) but at least there's no risk of failing due to some technical error.

Biting my nails and studying for the essays...pray for me!

[crit_racer]

Holy crap...I logged into my computer after being sure my answer had uploaded and got some kind of error from Examsoft. Called them and they were able to resolve, but about an hour past the deadline. TX rules don't say anything about what happens if you don't upload by the time limit (I know in some states you are docked some amount of points on your final scaled score). I'm terrified that they will refuse to grade my exam. After today and after reading about the whole debacle with ExamSoft last summer, it makes me wish I'd handwritten the exam. It might be slower and more painful (literally and figuratively) but at least there's no risk of failing due to some technical error.

Biting my nails and studying for the essays...pray for me!

Did you get a text or anything when you submiitted the first time? They sent me a text saying I uploaded...

[BeachedBrit]

Holy crap...I logged into my computer after being sure my answer had uploaded and got some kind of error from Examsoft. Called them and they were able to resolve, but about an hour past the deadline. TX rules don't say anything about what happens if you don't upload by the time limit (I know in some states you are docked some amount of points on your final scaled score). I'm terrified that they will refuse to grade my exam. After today and after reading about the whole debacle with ExamSoft last summer, it makes me wish I'd handwritten the exam. It might be slower and more painful (literally and figuratively) but at least there's no risk of failing due to some technical error.

Biting my nails and studying for the essays...pray for me!

I have no idea what the BLE says, but I feel like this may be something you are better off proactively contacting them (BLE) about and explaining that there was an Examsoft error and that you believed your essay had been uploaded at the time only to later receive an error message.

As much as you might think handwriting would have been better, I cannot fathom handwriting an even partially complete MPT in the 90 minutes given today's topic.

[saraea]

Holy crap...I logged into my computer after being sure my answer had uploaded and got some kind of error from Examsoft. Called them and they were able to resolve, but about an hour past the deadline. TX rules don't say anything about what happens if you don't upload by the time limit (I know in some states you are docked some amount of points on your final scaled score). I'm terrified that they will refuse to grade my exam. After today and after reading about the whole debacle with ExamSoft last summer, it makes me wish I'd handwritten the exam. It might be slower and more painful (literally and figuratively) but at least there's no risk of failing due to some technical error.

Biting my nails and studying for the essays...pray for me!

I have no idea what the BLE says, but I feel like this may be something you are better off proactively contacting them (BLE) about and explaining that there was an Examsoft error and that you believed your essay had been uploaded at the time only to later receive an error message.

As much as you might think handwriting would have been better, I cannot fathom handwriting an even partially complete MPT in the 90 minutes given today's topic.

Yeah I can't imagine handwriting either now that you mention it.

I agree about being proactive because I would never expect them to just "overlook" the fact that I submitted it late. The BLE offices are closed all week, but I emailed my licensure analyst and I'm going to go in early and talk to the proctor. I called my husband in tears and he said "If there's nothing else you can do about it now, just stop crying and move on." So that's what I'm going to do, haha.

[saraea]

Holy crap...I logged into my computer after being sure my answer had uploaded and got some kind of error from Examsoft. Called them and they were able to resolve, but about an hour past the deadline. TX rules don't say anything about what happens if you don't upload by the time limit (I know in some states you are docked some amount of points on your final scaled score). I'm terrified that they will refuse to grade my exam. After today and after reading about the whole debacle with ExamSoft last summer, it makes me wish I'd handwritten the exam. It might be slower and more painful (literally and figuratively) but at least there's no risk of failing due to some technical error.

Biting my nails and studying for the essays...pray for me!

Did you get a text or anything when you submiitted the first time? They sent me a text saying I uploaded...

No, no text. I didn't even know they did that. I did know that they send an email, but I never check the email address that I used to register so I had no clues that anything fishy was going on. I feel like an idiot for not double-checking.

[saraea]

I still don't know what the hell is going on with commercial paper.

I know, right? The only thing I've learned from commercial paper is to write "for deposit only" on the back of my checks.

[LLB2JD]

Holy crap...I logged into my computer after being sure my answer had uploaded and got some kind of error from Examsoft. Called them and they were able to resolve, but about an hour past the deadline. TX rules don't say anything about what happens if you don't upload by the time limit (I know in some states you are docked some amount of points on your final scaled score). I'm terrified that they will refuse to grade my exam. After today and after reading about the whole debacle with ExamSoft last summer, it makes me wish I'd handwritten the exam. It might be slower and more painful (literally and figuratively) but at least there's no risk of failing due to some technical error.

Biting my nails and studying for the essays...pray for me!

Did you get a text or anything when you submiitted the first time? They sent me a text saying I uploaded...

No, no text. I didn't even know they did that. I did know that they send an email, but I never check the email address that I used to register so I had no clues that anything fishy was going on. I feel like an idiot for not double-checking.

I'm sure you're fine. I wouldn't worry about it at this point anymore. The softest folks do document these issues so I'm pretty sure since it's technical, there isn't much to worry about.

[LLB2JD]

I still don't know what the hell is going on with commercial paper.

I know, right? The only thing I've learned from commercial paper is to write "for deposit only" on the back of my checks.

And I'm hoping the grader probably doesn't have a clue either so if you drop a few buzz words here and there and string along statements that appear to marginally make some sense, it may help. I read my practice tests on commercial paper and loled everytime.

[saraea]

And I'm hoping the grader probably doesn't have a clue either so if you drop a few buzz words here and there and string along statements that appear to marginally make some sense, it may help. I read my practice tests on commercial paper and loled everytime.

I think understanding which topics are "important" even if you don't know what they mean is a good sign. I did a commercial paper practice test when I had pretty much NO understanding what a "commercial paper" was, and my Themis grader was like "you need to study more but your organization was good and you spotted most of the issues." So I'm hoping you do get points for effort.

I'm sure you're fine. I wouldn't worry about it at this point anymore. The softest folks do document these issues so I'm pretty sure since it's technical, there isn't much to worry about.

I hope you're right. Thanks everybody for talking me down a little bit!

[CorgisRock]

I think I have frostbite

[BeachedBrit]

I think I have frostbite

Just as long as you don't try to bring a digital watch type timer in, I think they'll let you bring your frostbitten fingers.

[saraea]

By the way, I talked to the proctor today and she seems to think it's no big deal that I wasn't able to upload on time. She only took down my examinee number and made a note about talking to me because I insisted.

[saraea]

I think I have frostbite

I wore a scarf today which I pulled over my ears and chin and nobody said anything to me or told me to remove it. It helped a lot.

[LLB2JD]

So, anyone thinks we're getting Trusts or Guardianship tomorrow?

[BeachedBrit]

So, anyone thinks we're getting Trusts or Guardianship tomorrow?

I'm betting on Guardianships since it was Trusts on the last two. Haven't really done all that much prep for either honestly, calling that one of the lost topics.

[LLB2JD]

So, anyone thinks we're getting Trusts or Guardianship tomorrow?

I'm betting on Guardianships since it was Trusts on the last two. Haven't really done all that much prep for either honestly, calling that one of the lost topics.

I think you're right. I have this feeling we're getting a landlord/tenant or homestead type stuff tomorrow on property. My brain is pretty fried right now. I really hope we don't get a Sales question because I've pretty much decided if it comes up, I'm just going to have to be deal with it.