PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead Forum

Discussions related to the bar exam are found in this forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting

Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about bar exam prep. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.

Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
barjamie8

New
Posts: 82
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2014 1:56 am

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by barjamie8 » Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:46 pm

I do not think the bar courses are necessary. In many times, sitting through lectures are total waste of time. And the bar course essay graders are usually not helpful.

If you are in California, you can get everything you need for around $500 - from Adaptibar, BarEssays, and buying some of the bar course books used.

User avatar
LawJunky

New
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 3:35 am

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by LawJunky » Tue Nov 21, 2017 1:56 am

Mod edit: advertising your services isn’t allowed.

Mobster1983

New
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:39 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by Mobster1983 » Sat Dec 02, 2017 2:42 am

I was looking for a bit because I primarily wanted videos to watch while commuting. I passed my state in July and now taking the UBE in February. Was considering Barmax and they offered it for $500 (former military). I talked to the Kaplan rep from the state I am taking it, and he gave be a substiantial discount, well under $1,000. Since Kaplan is a much more comprehensive program, I was willing to pay a little more than I would have paid for Barmax. So as the original poster said, talk to the reps and negotiate. I took Barbri the first time and kept all my books. I did get Barbri for $1400 the first time around because I enrolled the first semester of my 1L year.

User avatar
emkay625

Gold
Posts: 1988
Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by emkay625 » Sat Dec 02, 2017 2:39 pm

This. I literally waited until graduation (just like a week before the course was supposed to start) and so I negotiated the price way down - even lower than the public interest discount. I literally emailed the rep, said, I'll pay $X, will you accept that? And they said yes.

kjolaw

New
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by kjolaw » Fri Apr 06, 2018 11:10 am

Barbri is standing firm at the price $2400 (I think this for public option) for the last 10 days.

Did anyone get a lower price for Barbri UBE for July 2018? Thanks!

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


ebaskets927

New
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 12:55 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by ebaskets927 » Thu May 03, 2018 1:01 pm

Yea awhile ago I was a Barbri rep and definitely not worth the price

BasilHallward

Silver
Posts: 613
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 1:19 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by BasilHallward » Thu May 03, 2018 5:29 pm

kjolaw wrote:Barbri is standing firm at the price $2400 (I think this for public option) for the last 10 days.

Did anyone get a lower price for Barbri UBE for July 2018? Thanks!
Yeah forget about Barbri. They are holding strong on price for whatever reason. I got Themis public for $1395. Barbri is not worth a $1000+ premium at all

christinabear4

New
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 2:21 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by christinabear4 » Mon May 07, 2018 4:43 pm

I was able to negotiate with Kaplan to get a good discount. It was a very positive experience. Themis was completely unwilling to lower their price. I already had Barbri materials so I didn't try them.

In response to those suggesting self study for first time takers, that's great if you are very disciplined and not overwhelmed by the sheer volume of material and memorization. I need something to help me manage that.

User avatar
GoldenPuppy

New
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun May 23, 2010 7:58 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by GoldenPuppy » Sun May 27, 2018 11:03 pm

FYI: it seems the jig's up. Probably thanks to this thread.

BARBRI would not negotiate, other than by offering public interest pricing. (I paid $2,000.)

I didn't push Themis much, but same thing, public interest pricing only.

In retrospect, I'm glad I waited three years before signing on the dotted line with BARBRI, but those in the class of 2021 and later should consider that the spectrum of possibilities has apparently dwindled to 2: either the price won't change at all or the price will go up on you. Starting with this year, if you're able to get public interest pricing, that might be the way to go. Of course, if there's an economic recession, they'll most likely start negotiating again because they'll want to make their mortgage payments and such.

Edit: Forgot to mention that they agreed to waive the book deposit fee ($250?).

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


pvnyc

Bronze
Posts: 118
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:36 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by pvnyc » Fri Jun 22, 2018 11:11 am

Hi, is anyone doing the barbri mini review?

Smiddywesson

Bronze
Posts: 163
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:11 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by Smiddywesson » Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:54 am

Pleasye wrote:Around this time all the bar prep companies are going to start (lol let's be real they started during 1L) hounding all you unsuspecting 3Ls offering you "discounts" on their courses.

Do not get locked into the 3k or even 2k prices that they are offering right now. Hold out until the last minute and negotiate a lower price. Talk to various reps and get their prices and then play them off each other. Bar prep does NOT need to cost 4k.

Themis will go as low as $1200. I know people who got Barbri for $1400. Kaplan doesn't seem to have a floor because people were getting that course for like $900.

hth.
Studicata is all you need for all the essays, and their stuff is only $80 for the outlines and attack outlines. That includes stats for how frequently each issue has been tested.
Scribd has everything you would need in print, including Barbri outlines, and it's only $8 a month.
Adaptibar is close to $400, but it has all you need for the MBE, and most importantly, it keeps your stats regarding time management for questions you got right, got wrong, and stats regarding topics and subtopics of law. Best of all, its software adapts and keeps hammering you with your weak points.
PMBR and BarBri lectures: These are available everywhere, Amazon and Ebay. They are cheap and very good if you have the time.

Those are my top three picks, and I'm consistently getting a 170 raw score in the practice MBE tests. You don't need a big box review company provided you have the time to cast about and find what you need. The big box review companies are for people who need structure, someone to hold their hand, and group reinforcement.

nixy

Gold
Posts: 4445
Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:58 am

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by nixy » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:31 am

Smiddywesson wrote: The big box review companies are for people who need structure, someone to hold their hand, and group reinforcement.
To be fair, this is a lot of people.

Smiddywesson

Bronze
Posts: 163
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:11 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by Smiddywesson » Wed Feb 13, 2019 3:26 pm

nixy wrote:
Smiddywesson wrote: The big box review companies are for people who need structure, someone to hold their hand, and group reinforcement.
To be fair, this is a lot of people.
I just want my mommy to hold me and tell me it's all going to be ok. That and some Jack Daniels ought to do it.

Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


User avatar
dodint

Bronze
Posts: 187
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2016 4:47 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by dodint » Thu May 02, 2019 9:56 am

My school negotiated with Kaplan to have their bar prep integrated into our program so we get it for 'free' at a mandatory cost of $250 or so per semester. I was not happy with this for a couple of reasons but primarily because their PA state-specific material appears to be substantially defective. However; we can opt out of it and get $500 back if you show that you paid for another bar prep. I paid $1,631 for Themis PA Bar Prep, so after my voucher from the school I'm at $1,131 and I'm pretty happy with that. I used Themis to pass the MPRE this spring and liked their delivery across multiple platforms.

Law4lyf

New
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon May 29, 2017 10:09 am

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by Law4lyf » Mon May 27, 2019 10:16 am

I used Themis + Adaptibar + Critical pass flashcards. Passed on my first attempt doing about 70% of Themis. Key is to recognize what is pulling down your scores. Mine was the MBE so I went the extra mile to get Adaptibar and Critical Pass. Adaptibar uses real MBE questions while Themis and Barbri make up a bunch of their own (plus licensing a few). I used critical pass to run through the topics I was weak at to make sure that I had a basic understanding of the law (that's all you need!). The flashcards were great and was key to me passing the bar.

[Advertisement and external link redacted]
Last edited by QContinuum on Sun Jun 16, 2019 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Edited to redact external link.

FutureLawyer2

New
Posts: 72
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2019 8:04 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by FutureLawyer2 » Mon May 27, 2019 11:17 am

Barbri mini review was key for me. I used it together with strategies and tactics + critical pass.

The result = pass.

PM for any questions you may have. Good luck

User avatar
rcharter1978

Gold
Posts: 4740
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 12:49 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by rcharter1978 » Sat Nov 09, 2019 10:43 pm

when I passed the CBX the second time, I used barbri study materials, a writing tutor, the red PT book, adaptibar and critical pass flashcards peripherally.

I had access to a repeaters program (not run by barbri), but only used this for timed practice tests.

I used barbri exclusively the first time and that was a mistake for me.

Barbri, IMO, has the best study materials. The CMR and the big green book are invaluable.

Nothing else in their program worked for me.


The essay grading was garbage and very, very, very inconsistent in terms of quality and quantity of feedback.

Because the program is structured to cover as many people as possible, it is generally designed for the bottom 10% at every school.

In that vein, while a lot of people may have needed videos that were as long and in depth as the barbri videos......I did not, and certainly not for every subject. I would have done much better reviewing the material in a way I was familiar with.

The PT prep was dismal.

The MBE prep was subpar in that I think you get better analytics from adaptibar and it's easier to access.

Barbri was over 2k.

My writing tutor + adaptibar + critical pass + 2 used barbri books + the red PT book would have been less expensive than barbri. Not much less expensive ....but it would have been less.

I specifically wanted a writing tutor who was a former bar grader. I would imagine that if someone isn't super picky about their tutor being a bar grader they could negotiate a really good price.

TL; DR - really think about a variety of factors before automatically signing up for barbri. It works for a lot of people but not everyone.

Get unlimited access to all forums and topics

Register now!

I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...


scarletpiggy

New
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:25 am

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by scarletpiggy » Thu Nov 21, 2019 3:22 pm

You don’t need a bar prep course to pass. You are made to beleive you need one. That said, you need a structure so you just get used barbri books or Themis books and use them as a guideline, and maybe combine that with Batmax or adaptibar for a practical mbe practices. After you study the outlines, practice old essays like crazy and you’ll be ready.

I didn’t even go to a top law school and I’m not genius or anything but passed on the first attempt. You either study or you don’t, it’s not whether you take the course or not. The funny thing is if I went to a top law school and everyone was taking barbri like that’s what you are supposed to do, I may have been pressured to take it but that was not the case for me so I was able to think and choose on my own. When it came to the time for studying, I researched what I would be missing by not taking the course and I was confident I wouldn’t be missing much by not getting the lecture or online platform so I confidently opted not to take the course. Barbri books are available on eBay for around 200-250.

Chuck Rhoades

New
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2017 8:28 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by Chuck Rhoades » Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:14 pm

Is this info still current??
Last edited by QContinuum on Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Outed for anon abuse.

sarahd32186

New
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 6:15 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by sarahd32186 » Fri May 15, 2020 1:31 pm

I agree that you should negotiate and try to go with the course that offers you the best price. I took Barbri my first time and failed. I could have gotten a much better deal with either Kaplan or Themis. I don't know if either would have been a better course, but I doubt they would have been any worse. And I would have saved about $1000

backtobiglaw

New
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 16, 2020 6:17 pm

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by backtobiglaw » Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:38 am

This past spring, I got Themis to lock in $1,795 (from $2,395) and Barbri down to $1,995 (from over $2,500). Getting your bar prep company of choice to lock in a price is key, since they will give you a short deadline as a sales tactic. Ask to extend, and when it's close to expiring, extend again if need be.

Barbri refused to go below $1,995 despite telling them I would go with Themis at a lower rate. Barbri now offers a $1,999 course, so you can probably negotiate them down now.

Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.

Register now, it's still FREE!


Anonymous User
Posts: 427957
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Nov 08, 2020 11:37 am

crumpetsandtea wrote:
Sat Jan 23, 2016 12:11 pm
Totally agree with this. Also if for some crazy reason you're a 1L reading this, SIGN UP TO BE A BARBRI REP. I got my first bar course for free, then negotiated my second bar course from the $3500 alumni price to $1300. So basically I got each bar course for $650 in exchange for standing at a table during my lunch hour 5 times a semester.
Doesn't that count as "income" and have a tax consequence though?

Glen12

New
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2021 8:50 am

Re: PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead

Post by Glen12 » Sat Nov 13, 2021 9:09 am

Anyone taking 2022 February exam? I’m class if 2016 and public interest and looking to connect about some companies gifting policies.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


Post Reply Post Anonymous Reply  

Return to “Bar Exam Prep and Discussion Forum”