Kaplan Bar Review Hangout - July 2015 Exam Forum

[redblueyellow]

I wanted to start throwing things when I saw that. Hopefully experimental.

I started reading it and the moment I realized what it was, I skipped it and moved on.

It was actually a super easy question if you knew how anti-lapse statutes worked, which nobody did because it was experimental.

Didn't it give us a fact pattern and then provide the relevant statute that was precisely applicable to the facts? I remember thinking it was odd because it wasn't really an MBE-topic question, but I felt the question was ridiculously easy. That probably means I missed something though.

It was pretty straightforward, but people that have never taken wills might not instinctively know what "issue" means in that instance and that statute had some other words that weren't really common knowledge ...that's what makes me think it was experimental but who knows really

I looked at the answers and realized it was not an MBE question. No need to waste time or brainpower trying to read through it.

[a male human]

I hear Barbri's MBE questions didn't help at all. How did the Kaplan students feel about the MBE?

Sorry if already discussed

[LAW813FL]

I hear Barbri's MBE questions didn't help at all. How did the Kaplan students feel about the MBE?

Sorry if already discussed

Questions were similar to me in terms of trying to hide the ball from you. My problem was that this MBE seemed to test so many of the fringe issues, and other issues that Kaplan didn't even teach me. They seemed to not stick to the normal big ticket items except for mortgages, which was 1/4 of the test.

[a male human]

I hear Barbri's MBE questions didn't help at all. How did the Kaplan students feel about the MBE?

Sorry if already discussed

Questions were similar to me in terms of trying to hide the ball from you. My problem was that this MBE seemed to test so many of the fringe issues, and other issues that Kaplan didn't even teach me. They seemed to not stick to the normal big ticket items except for mortgages, which was 1/4 of the test.

Mortgage was 1/4 of the MBE?

[LAW813FL]

I hear Barbri's MBE questions didn't help at all. How did the Kaplan students feel about the MBE?

Sorry if already discussed

Questions were similar to me in terms of trying to hide the ball from you. My problem was that this MBE seemed to test so many of the fringe issues, and other issues that Kaplan didn't even teach me. They seemed to not stick to the normal big ticket items except for mortgages, which was 1/4 of the test.

Mortgage was 1/4 of the MBE?

no lol it felt like it but I'm sure it was only like 8 or 9.

[Geaux12]

"Nonconforming use"

OH WELL THEN FUCK ME, RIGHT KAPLAN?

[musicfor18]

I wanted to start throwing things when I saw that. Hopefully experimental.

I started reading it and the moment I realized what it was, I skipped it and moved on.

It was actually a super easy question if you knew how anti-lapse statutes worked, which nobody did because it was experimental.

Didn't it give us a fact pattern and then provide the relevant statute that was precisely applicable to the facts? I remember thinking it was odd because it wasn't really an MBE-topic question, but I felt the question was ridiculously easy. That probably means I missed something though.

It was pretty straightforward, but people that have never taken wills might not instinctively know what "issue" means in that instance and that statute had some other words that weren't really common knowledge ...that's what makes me think it was experimental but who knows really

I looked at the answers and realized it was not an MBE question. No need to waste time or brainpower trying to read through it.

I'm pretty sure the anti-lapse question wasn't experimental. Barbri had a few of those questions, and so does Adaptibar.

[shredderrrrrr]

I hear Barbri's MBE questions didn't help at all. How did the Kaplan students feel about the MBE?

Sorry if already discussed

I don't think it's Kaplan's fault or anything (if this was indeed tested unlike previous administrations), but I feel like there were two big issues for me. The first was that the answer choices--and not necessarily always the questions--were much harder on the MBE. With Kaplan, they always felt pretty obvious if you knew the material (and would have things like "...if x, y, and z" when it was questionable from the above facts). On this MBE? Not at all. Even if you knew your shit, you'd be lucky if you could quickly narrow it down to two choices. More often than not, it either felt like 3 answers were right or all four were wrong. It was really strange.

Secondly, the topics tested were very strange. Based on Kaplan's questions, I expected a majority of "big ticket items" with the occasional fringe issue thrown in. Instead, the MBE felt 75% fringe issues with the occasional "big" issue thrown in. For instance, I think I was asked 5 questions about the timing of Judgment as a Matter of Law--not exactly a topic I spent much time ensuring I knew the ins and outs of.

[EZ as AsDf]

I hear Barbri's MBE questions didn't help at all. How did the Kaplan students feel about the MBE?

Sorry if already discussed

I don't think it's Kaplan's fault or anything (if this was indeed tested unlike previous administrations), but I feel like there were two big issues for me. The first was that the answer choices--and not necessarily always the questions--were much harder on the MBE. With Kaplan, they always felt pretty obvious if you knew the material (and would have things like "...if x, y, and z" when it was questionable from the above facts). On this MBE? Not at all. Even if you knew your shit, you'd be lucky if you could quickly narrow it down to two choices. More often than not, it either felt like 3 answers were right or all four were wrong. It was really strange.

Secondly, the topics tested were very strange. Based on Kaplan's questions, I expected a majority of "big ticket items" with the occasional fringe issue thrown in. Instead, the MBE felt 75% fringe issues with the occasional "big" issue thrown in. For instance, I think I was asked 5 questions about the timing of Judgment as a Matter of Law--not exactly a topic I spent much time ensuring I knew the ins and outs of.

Before our time, answer choices used to be something like A) II and III only B) I and II only C) III but not II ... like there was so much trickery in just selecting an answer. I feel like they succeeded in this past examination in incorporating this logic game to the already difficult questions of law.

[theramblinman]

Even if you knew your shit, you'd be lucky if you could quickly narrow it down to two choices. More often than not, it either felt like 3 answers were right or all four were wrong. It was really strange.

My friends and I were actually discussing this as well. Often times the answer I thought would be correct was missing and I felt like I was trying to find the least wrong answer a lot.

[LAW813FL]

I don't know how to feel about the mbe...I could have gotten 100 right or 150 right but just from thinking back I already know some answers that I should have known but fell for the wrong answer or didn't know the issue entirely,

[Bubbles 4 Life]

.

[uganik]

I think we can all have a "justifiable" assurance that if we truly gave our best effort at this exam that we will end up on top, regardless of whatever uncertainty we may presently feel.

[Bubbles 4 Life]

.

[uganik]

Perhaps. However -- I assure you -- your comment was worth even less.

[Bubbles 4 Life]

.

[roguewave19]

What were the instructions for book return, especially the deadline? I lost the sheet that came with the books at the beginning.

[despina]

What were the instructions for book return, especially the deadline? I lost the sheet that came with the books at the beginning.

Not til December -- they recommend you keep it until results come out...

As far as I can tell it looks like they didn't include a return label, which is annoying. I paid the $250 deposit but have to pay to send them back?

[LAW813FL]

What were the instructions for book return, especially the deadline? I lost the sheet that came with the books at the beginning.

Not til December -- they recommend you keep it until results come out...

As far as I can tell it looks like they didn't include a return label, which is annoying. I paid the $250 deposit but have to pay to send them back?

If I barely wrote in my books, yall think I can get more than 250 for them? (Assuming, big assumption, that I passed)

[shredderrrrrr]

What were the instructions for book return, especially the deadline? I lost the sheet that came with the books at the beginning.

Not til December -- they recommend you keep it until results come out...

As far as I can tell it looks like they didn't include a return label, which is annoying. I paid the $250 deposit but have to pay to send them back?

If I barely wrote in my books, yall think I can get more than 250 for them? (Assuming, big assumption, that I passed)

Do you mean reselling them to a third party instead of sending them back to Kaplan? I imagine you'd be violating Kaplan's terms if you did that.

[LAW813FL]

What were the instructions for book return, especially the deadline? I lost the sheet that came with the books at the beginning.

Not til December -- they recommend you keep it until results come out...

As far as I can tell it looks like they didn't include a return label, which is annoying. I paid the $250 deposit but have to pay to send them back?

If I barely wrote in my books, yall think I can get more than 250 for them? (Assuming, big assumption, that I passed)

Do you mean reselling them to a third party instead of sending them back to Kaplan? I imagine you'd be violating Kaplan's terms if you did that.

Ya that is what I meant but dang I didn't realize that. Im sorry Kaplan, I didn't know I couldn't do that.

[sd5289]

I hear Barbri's MBE questions didn't help at all. How did the Kaplan students feel about the MBE?

Sorry if already discussed

Popping in to see how you Kaplan people felt about the MBE (because I have nothing better to do than to think about this damn test).

Themis' MBE practice questions didn't really help substantively either. Really the only benefit I got from them near the end is that they were so convoluted that I was used to reading shitty questions.

[LAW813FL]

I hear Barbri's MBE questions didn't help at all. How did the Kaplan students feel about the MBE?

Sorry if already discussed

Popping in to see how you Kaplan people felt about the MBE (because I have nothing better to do than to think about this damn test).

Themis' MBE practice questions didn't really help substantively either. Really the only benefit I got from them near the end is that they were so convoluted that I was used to reading shitty questions.

Very hard, lots of fringe issues, felt subjective, yada yada yada

[CurryWithTheShot]

I think I just got an irrational boost of confidence thinking about the bar exam. I felt really really good after the first day of PTs and essays, but felt pretty average after MBE. But I only need 65% to pass the exam. So if I get at least 40% of the points from the PTs and essays and at least 25% from the MBEs, I'll be licensed!!

Is this feeling too good to be true or is this actually possible people!?

WE CAN PASS THE EXAM!!

[Arbinshire]

I'll be licensed!!

Is this feeling too good to be true or is this actually possible people!?

It is one of the classic stages of postBarExamItis. A few days from now, you'll remember those questions you guessed on, weren't sure of, the issues you could've elaborated on, or realizing that you didn't follow the MPT directions exactly. Compounding that realization is that there are a lot of people who did all the previous stuff better and then you mix that realization with the fact that the exam graders are harsh and rarely give out perfect scores. Moreover, the scores they give out generally are clustered around a median. Suddenly you'll realize that given the current trending performance curves, and NCBEX's predictions that the pass rate is going to go further down, and well .. that confidence passes away and is replaced with a terror that will rise to an incredible crescendo leading up to the days of the score releases.