Do you need supplements (Adaptibar, Critical Pass, Emanuel)?

[a male human]

I took Barbri twice, failed both times I used it. My MBE was pretty low both those times as a result.

I finally passed this time around and the main difference for me was using Ameribar and Adaptibar. Both use real bar questions, which are significantly different from Barbri's questions.

Seriously, I wouldn't even look at Barbri's MBE questions unless you completely run out of questions from Adaptibar.

Damn. What use is Barbri at all then?

Feeling of security. They are well known, and most everyone else is using them. Their outlines are pretty good, though.

[lawst_]

I took Barbri twice, failed both times I used it. My MBE was pretty low both those times as a result.

I finally passed this time around and the main difference for me was using Ameribar and Adaptibar. Both use real bar questions, which are significantly different from Barbri's questions.

Seriously, I wouldn't even look at Barbri's MBE questions unless you completely run out of questions from Adaptibar.

Damn. What use is Barbri at all then?

I think their state materials/essay stuff is good. I also used the CMR quite extensively. But if you can buy just those books online or from someone without taking the actual course, do it. Barbri is extremely overpriced and more than half of their materials are useless (in my opinion). Kaplan/Ameribar/Adaptibar/Emmanuel all have better MBE prep.

[Law&coffee]

I took Barbri twice, failed both times I used it. My MBE was pretty low both those times as a result.

I finally passed this time around and the main difference for me was using Ameribar and Adaptibar. Both use real bar questions, which are significantly different from Barbri's questions.

Seriously, I wouldn't even look at Barbri's MBE questions unless you completely run out of questions from Adaptibar.

Damn. What use is Barbri at all then?

I think their state materials/essay stuff is good. I also used the CMR quite extensively. But if you can buy just those books online or from someone without taking the actual course, do it. Barbri is extremely overpriced and more than half of their materials are useless (in my opinion). Kaplan/Ameribar/Adaptibar/Emmanuel all have better MBE prep.

I definitely agree with the above. Barbri is great for essay prep, but weak in its MBE program. That's why you need to supplement with Adaptibar, Emanuel, or Critical Pass. The Barbri MBE questions will not prepare you adequately for the MBE portion of the exam.

[sheeeluh]

Mod edit: stop spamming

[Tiredbuthappyitsover]

Critical Pass is a great alternative to long outlines and lecture notes because Critical Pass condenses all the IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY information you need onto short and manageable cards that you memorize and handle for the real MBE. There is no point in reading hundreds of pages of lecture notes that you won't remember later on, anyway.

Adaptibar is also good practice with REAL MBE questions out there.

There is also good MBE prep with Reed Bar Review.

PM me with your email if you want the discount codes for Adaptibar or Critical Pass, or if you have more questions about Reed Bar Review. I am happy to help!

[Southpaw89]

Isn't it true that they've increased the difficulty of the MBE questions since the Adaptibar questions were used?

[Tiredbuthappyitsover]

Isn't it true that they've increased the difficulty of the MBE questions since the Adaptibar questions were used?

That's probably true, but remember that there are always "easy," "medium," and "difficult" level questions on the MBE. Adaptibar is the best measuring stick out there for what you'll likely face on your MBE, IMHO, because the same NCBE people who wrote the old questions are writing the new questions as well. And FWIW, I had a couple questions on my MBE that I knew the correct answer to because of previous questions I'd done on Adaptibar-in other words, some concepts may be repeated. And also FWIW, I failed the bar the first time (2016) without consistently using Adaptibar and I passed it the second time while regularly using Adaptibar (2017).

PM me anyone if you want an Adaptibar or Critical Pass discount code.

[Toubro]

Isn't it true that they've increased the difficulty of the MBE questions since the Adaptibar questions were used?

That's probably true, but remember that there are always "easy," "medium," and "difficult" level questions on the MBE. Adaptibar is the best measuring stick out there for what you'll likely face on your MBE, IMHO, because the same NCBE people who wrote the old questions are writing the new questions as well. And FWIW, I had a couple questions on my MBE that I knew the correct answer to because of previous questions I'd done on Adaptibar-in other words, some concepts may be repeated. And also FWIW, I failed the bar the first time (2016) without consistently using Adaptibar and I passed it the second time while regularly using Adaptibar (2017).

PM me anyone if you want an Adaptibar or Critical Pass discount code.

Wait - I'd imagine there would be more than a couple of questions testing the same concept. Perhaps you meant there were couple of questions that had a nearly identical fact patterns and no material differences (like changing names, dates, etc.)?

[Tiredbuthappyitsover]

Isn't it true that they've increased the difficulty of the MBE questions since the Adaptibar questions were used?

That's probably true, but remember that there are always "easy," "medium," and "difficult" level questions on the MBE. Adaptibar is the best measuring stick out there for what you'll likely face on your MBE, IMHO, because the same NCBE people who wrote the old questions are writing the new questions as well. And FWIW, I had a couple questions on my MBE that I knew the correct answer to because of previous questions I'd done on Adaptibar-in other words, some concepts may be repeated. And also FWIW, I failed the bar the first time (2016) without consistently using Adaptibar and I passed it the second time while regularly using Adaptibar (2017).

PM me anyone if you want an Adaptibar or Critical Pass discount code.

Wait - I'd imagine there would be more than a couple of questions testing the same concept. Perhaps you meant there were couple of questions that had a nearly identical fact patterns and no material differences (like changing names, dates, etc.)?

I meant that there were some Adaptibar questions that tested nuances and exceptions to legal rules that I didn't know before, and after doing those questions it drilled in certain rules of law into my head memory-wise that I would remember well and could recall again. I would say more than a couple, but I wasn't reading it as closely as you did while I was writing it.

[Law&coffee]

Isn't it true that they've increased the difficulty of the MBE questions since the Adaptibar questions were used?

This is probably true. The MBE has gotten more difficult over time. Not only have the my recently added civil procedure as a new topic on the MBE, the questions are getting increasingly more difficult. I feel that this is the result of too many prep companies and too many supplements out there. They had to do some to cull the herd and making the MBE harder was it.

[sparkytrainer]

I took Barbri twice, failed both times I used it. My MBE was pretty low both those times as a result.

I finally passed this time around and the main difference for me was using Ameribar and Adaptibar. Both use real bar questions, which are significantly different from Barbri's questions.

Seriously, I wouldn't even look at Barbri's MBE questions unless you completely run out of questions from Adaptibar.

Damn. What use is Barbri at all then?

I think their state materials/essay stuff is good. I also used the CMR quite extensively. But if you can buy just those books online or from someone without taking the actual course, do it. Barbri is extremely overpriced and more than half of their materials are useless (in my opinion). Kaplan/Ameribar/Adaptibar/Emmanuel all have better MBE prep.

I definitely agree with the above. Barbri is great for essay prep, but weak in its MBE program. That's why you need to supplement with Adaptibar, Emanuel, or Critical Pass. The Barbri MBE questions will not prepare you adequately for the MBE portion of the exam.

If someone has a limited amount of $$ to spend on bar prep- say that their firm is not reimbursing, would it be wise to get a cheaper program like Themis for the state stuff and Adaptibar for the MBE? Would that be sufficient?

[ndbigdave]

I took Barbri twice, failed both times I used it. My MBE was pretty low both those times as a result.

I finally passed this time around and the main difference for me was using Ameribar and Adaptibar. Both use real bar questions, which are significantly different from Barbri's questions.

Seriously, I wouldn't even look at Barbri's MBE questions unless you completely run out of questions from Adaptibar.

Damn. What use is Barbri at all then?

I think their state materials/essay stuff is good. I also used the CMR quite extensively. But if you can buy just those books online or from someone without taking the actual course, do it. Barbri is extremely overpriced and more than half of their materials are useless (in my opinion). Kaplan/Ameribar/Adaptibar/Emmanuel all have better MBE prep.

I definitely agree with the above. Barbri is great for essay prep, but weak in its MBE program. That's why you need to supplement with Adaptibar, Emanuel, or Critical Pass. The Barbri MBE questions will not prepare you adequately for the MBE portion of the exam.

If someone has a limited amount of $$ to spend on bar prep- say that their firm is not reimbursing, would it be wise to get a cheaper program like Themis for the state stuff and Adaptibar for the MBE? Would that be sufficient?

The short answer is yes.

What state are you in? My short answer for that is that the relative value in knowing the state specific info (the time investment necessary to know it) is low. I would much rather wing-it on the state specifics and know the general concepts better for the MBE and other essays. My take may be a bit different if for some reason all your essays are state-driven.

You have hit on half of what I would reccommend: Adaptibar for MBE practice/drilling (also great for identifying weaknesses to focus on for later studying). The second piece I would suggest is SmartBar's prep for essay help/outlines: http://www.smartbarprep.com/outline/

The price for the deluxe package at SmartBar is $169, Adaptibar after discount is $365 for a total of $534. The other option would be BarMax which costs a bit more, but offers more - outlines, audio lectures along with the same questions + explanations with some tracking tools. BarMax also allows for payment plans. BarMax is $499: https://testmaxprep.com/bar-exam/course ... iew-course

There are definitely ways to spend anywhere from 1/3 to 1/4 the price of most traditional programs.

[sparkytrainer]

I took Barbri twice, failed both times I used it. My MBE was pretty low both those times as a result.

I finally passed this time around and the main difference for me was using Ameribar and Adaptibar. Both use real bar questions, which are significantly different from Barbri's questions.

Seriously, I wouldn't even look at Barbri's MBE questions unless you completely run out of questions from Adaptibar.

Damn. What use is Barbri at all then?

I think their state materials/essay stuff is good. I also used the CMR quite extensively. But if you can buy just those books online or from someone without taking the actual course, do it. Barbri is extremely overpriced and more than half of their materials are useless (in my opinion). Kaplan/Ameribar/Adaptibar/Emmanuel all have better MBE prep.

I definitely agree with the above. Barbri is great for essay prep, but weak in its MBE program. That's why you need to supplement with Adaptibar, Emanuel, or Critical Pass. The Barbri MBE questions will not prepare you adequately for the MBE portion of the exam.

If someone has a limited amount of $$ to spend on bar prep- say that their firm is not reimbursing, would it be wise to get a cheaper program like Themis for the state stuff and Adaptibar for the MBE? Would that be sufficient?

The short answer is yes.

What state are you in? My short answer for that is that the relative value in knowing the state specific info (the time investment necessary to know it) is low. I would much rather wing-it on the state specifics and know the general concepts better for the MBE and other essays. My take may be a bit different if for some reason all your essays are state-driven.

You have hit on half of what I would reccommend: Adaptibar for MBE practice/drilling (also great for identifying weaknesses to focus on for later studying). The second piece I would suggest is SmartBar's prep for essay help/outlines: http://www.smartbarprep.com/outline/

The price for the deluxe package at SmartBar is $169, Adaptibar after discount is $365 for a total of $534. The other option would be BarMax which costs a bit more, but offers more - outlines, audio lectures along with the same questions + explanations with some tracking tools. BarMax also allows for payment plans. BarMax is $499: https://testmaxprep.com/bar-exam/course ... iew-course

There are definitely ways to spend anywhere from 1/3 to 1/4 the price of most traditional programs.

Thanks, this is really helpful. So say someone is either taking DC UBE or Maryland State. What could work the best to make sure I get exactly what I need, for the right price. My significant other did Babri this summer and while she is waiting for her score, she was super upset about the whole thing. Didn't find it useful at all and a real waste of money (to which ours is limited).

[ndbigdave]

Thanks, this is really helpful. So say someone is either taking DC UBE or Maryland State. What could work the best to make sure I get exactly what I need, for the right price. My significant other did Babri this summer and while she is waiting for her score, she was super upset about the whole thing. Didn't find it useful at all and a real waste of money (to which ours is limited).

For the UBE: a combination of either Adaptibar/BarMax (for MBE) and then the SmartBar Materials for the MEE.

The trick here is that both tools rely on self-studying and creating your own schedule (granted, BarMax does provide a sample study schedule). So if you are a self-studier who doesnt need a day-by-day plan or structure than you are fine. For any UBE district my suggestions will provide all the information you need. For state specific information you would need to find another supplement or simply rely on general principles.