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sprinx

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Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by sprinx » Tue May 01, 2018 1:02 pm

Hi all,

I keep going back and forth on whether to purchase adaptibar. I googled reviews and explanations on the product as well. It’s just a lot of money! I’m taking Barbri for this July exam, but I fear that’s not enough. Anyone have experience with the dilemma? I would appreciate any thoughts on what you decided to do, how it impacted your bar prep (or not), and bar results. I know it will depend on my learning style, so I’ll add my stats that I’m graduating bottom half of class at T50 and am not the biggest fan of multiple choice.

New perspectives plus links to old threads would be perf 8) 8)

sprinx

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by sprinx » Tue May 01, 2018 1:16 pm

I also just discovered barmax men supplement. Anyone use that for the exam?

stephcurry30

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by stephcurry30 » Tue May 01, 2018 2:04 pm

Hi,

I took the CABX (July '17) and the NYBX (Feb '18) and passed both of them while using Barbri and Adaptibar. I found out about Adaptibar pretty late in the game for the CABX (like 3 weeks before the exam). In contrast, I used Adaptibar from the start of my bar prep for the NYBX. I don't know how I did on the MBE portion of the CABX because you don't get your score if you pass in CA, however, I got a 153 MBE for the NYBX.

Personally, I felt Adaptibar was worth it for a few reasons:

1) Adaptibar has a well-made app for your mobile device that allows you to do bar prep when you are away from your Barbri materials/computer. I often used the app when I was in transit, or burnt out from listening to lectures/doing essays and it kept me productive when I would otherwise not be.

2) Adaptibar (for the most part) is made up of real bar questions whereas Barbri and many of the other bar prep courses have only simulated bar questions. I didn't realize this almost until the final few weeks before taking the CABX. After doing a lot of Barbri questions, my Barbri MBE scores were very high (80% for most subjects) for the CABX but when I started to do Adaptibar questions the last few weeks before the exam, I was scoring lower than my Barbri averages. If you do enough questions for Barbri and Adaptibar, you start to realize that the questions are worded differently, and sometimes emphasize different things for the same topics (e.g. negligence).

3) Adaptibar records the questions you got wrong and even breaks down your performance in the various subsets of the MBE topics down (e.g. Civil Procedure - Jurisdiction and Venue (60%), Joinder/Multiple Parties (70%), Preclusion (100%)).

4) Unlike Barbri, which only gives you mixed MBE sets towards the end of the program, you can immediately begin mixing the MBE questions. So, assuming this is your first time studying for a bar exam, if you just finished listening to the Torts and Civ Pro videos for Barbri, and want to do mixed Torts and Civ Pro questions, you can immediately click those subjects on Adaptibar and do mixed sets for these two subjects and keep adding once you finish your respective Barbri lecture.


Now, take everything I said above with a grain of salt. I totally agree that Adaptibar is very expensive, especially if you are paying for Barbri with your own money. Secondly, I would advise against Adaptibar if you are planning on following the Barbri program exactly as is (because you will never be able to finish it 100% while doing enough Adaptibar questions to justify the price). The best way to use Adaptibar is by supplementing, and sometimes replacing Barbri MBE questions.

I hope this helps!

Nightcrawler

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by Nightcrawler » Tue May 01, 2018 5:29 pm

Personally, Adaptibar increased my score a lot throughout my attempts. It really helps in approaching the MBE questions' style because it uses real licensed questions of past bar examinations and also helps with the substantive law tested during the exam. It may have a few flaws but it's definitely the best out there. There are coupons to save $30 on Adaptibar (I have one) but other than that, yeah, it's kind of expensive. I kept buying it though because what's even more expensive is not being licensed!

rkreymer

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by rkreymer » Tue May 01, 2018 6:15 pm

I didn't not like Adaptibar. The questions are repetitive, to the point that if you do more than, lets say 500, you'll get them right not because you know the law but because you remember the answer from the last time you answered this question. Another big issue I had was that it's on my phone and computer which should be great, but it is not. The actual test is on paper, and I am not getting the same exposure as I would on the actual test. Yes, you can print our their questions, but that becomes a complete waste of time because you then have to transfer your answers into the computer to get your score and your timing for each question is not accurate either. Don't waste your money on Adaptabar.

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SilvermanBarPrep

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by SilvermanBarPrep » Tue May 01, 2018 11:09 pm

It's worth it for sure. If there is one negative to the program it's that you can become accustomed to answering questions on the computer as, and of now, the MBE is still paper-based.

But plenty of very positive things tip the balance in favor of the program.

Sean (Silverman Bar Exam Tutoring)

sprinx

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by sprinx » Fri May 04, 2018 9:30 am

Thanks everyone for the insight!!!

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a male human

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by a male human » Sat May 05, 2018 1:45 pm

There's always the option of waiting and getting it whenever you want. No need to decide immediately. :)

sparkytrainer

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by sparkytrainer » Sat May 05, 2018 2:23 pm

Can i get a code too?

rykan.paeton@0nce.net

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by plgdd18 » Thu May 31, 2018 7:55 am

Please can I get a discount code for Adaptibar too?

plgdd@yahoo.com

Thanks!

FinallyPassedTheBar

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by FinallyPassedTheBar » Thu May 31, 2018 9:52 am

plgdd18 wrote:Please can I get a discount code for Adaptibar too?

plgdd@yahoo.com

Thanks!

discount code sent :)

michaelt

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by michaelt » Thu May 31, 2018 2:16 pm

If you have Barbri, I highly recommend not to supplement it with Adaptibar, but supplement it with "Strategies and Tactics for the MBE." It is much cheaper and significantly better. After reading Adaptibar's explanations to ~230 MBE questions that I answered, it became apparent that Adaptibar's explanations were written by unqualified people. The reasoning is wholly conclusory, no mentioning of key facts, no mentioning of the law applied. Sometimes the explanation is plainly Procrustian, they give an outright wrong reason for the correct conclusion--can it get any worse than that? In comparison, I went through more than a thousand of questions of S&T and Barbri, and never had a single complaint about their explanations. But I reported over 20 problems about Adaptibar's explanations only within one week of using it.

As was mentioned above, Barbri does not allow mixing questions from specific MBE subjects you want to focus on. They used to have this, which they called "Study Smart MBE." Barbri's rep told me, however, that they are simply migrating from one software platform to another, and "Study Smart MBE" will be available again in about two weeks. So if this feature is available, there is little reason to spend $365 on Adaptibar's poorly written explanations.

Nightcrawler

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by Nightcrawler » Thu May 31, 2018 4:26 pm

michaelt wrote:If you have Barbri, I highly recommend not to supplement it with Adaptibar, but supplement it with "Strategies and Tactics for the MBE." It is much cheaper and significantly better. After reading Adaptibar's explanations to ~230 MBE questions that I answered, it became apparent that Adaptibar's explanations were written by unqualified people. The reasoning is wholly conclusory, no mentioning of key facts, no mentioning of the law applied. Sometimes the explanation is plainly Procrustian, they give an outright wrong reason for the correct conclusion--can it get any worse than that? In comparison, I went through more than a thousand of questions of S&T and Barbri, and never had a single complaint about their explanations. But I reported over 20 problems about Adaptibar's explanations only within one week of using it.

As was mentioned above, Barbri does not allow mixing questions from specific MBE subjects you want to focus on. They used to have this, which they called "Study Smart MBE." Barbri's rep told me, however, that they are simply migrating from one software platform to another, and "Study Smart MBE" will be available again in about two weeks. So if this feature is available, there is little reason to spend $365 on Adaptibar's poorly written explanations.
I agree about Adaptibar's explanations. Most of the explanations give the wrong reasons or just state that the answer is wrong "because X is the right answer". Terrible. I've reported a couple and their answer is always the same: "our legal team reviewed the explanation and it's correct as it stands" followed by a repetition of their lacking and conclusory explanation.

The only reason why I like Adaptibar is their interface. It saves a lot of time to just click one answer and see if it's right or wrong. Using the book takes more time and on accident you sometimes see the answer for the next question. Also their tracking system is really useful. Obviously you could do it all yourself but it takes time. You just need to evaluate if your time is worth that much money.

I'm using also Emanuel S&T this time around and their explanations are exactly what you need. Impeccable. I wish there was a more updated edition.

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bballbb02

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by bballbb02 » Thu May 31, 2018 8:39 pm

Adaptinar was definitely worth it for me...a nice change from the Barbri questions and you can pick and choose your subjects based on the scores they give you

shaq23

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by shaq23 » Thu May 31, 2018 9:38 pm

Whether Adaptibar is worth it or not is really a personal question based on your study habits and your schedule. I found Adaptibar very helpful in identifying the specific topics/subjects that I was struggling with and then allowing me to practice questions in those topics. Instead of wasting time finding questions (and in part reading the questions while finding them), I was able to quickly select the topic I was struggling in and practice.

Here's a comprehensive review of Adaptibar that can help you decide if it's the right program for you.

https://www.virginiabarprep.com/review- ... ou-get-it/

michaelt

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by michaelt » Thu May 31, 2018 9:59 pm

shaq23 wrote:Whether Adaptibar is worth it or not is really a personal question based on your study habits and your schedule. I found Adaptibar very helpful in identifying the specific topics/subjects that I was struggling with and then allowing me to practice questions in those topics. Instead of wasting time finding questions (and in part reading the questions while finding them), I was able to quickly select the topic I was struggling in and practice.

Here's a comprehensive review of Adaptibar. If you think the program is right for you, the website contains a link that provides a discount.

https://www.virginiabarprep.com/review- ... ou-get-it/
This "comprehensive review" says nothing about the quality of Adaptibar's explanations. It resembles a review of numerous features of a photo camera, except quality of photos that the camera produces.

Ironically, the reviewer understands the importance of these explanations, but apparently made no effort to actually review them:

"It is highly recommended that you review the explanation, whether you received the question right or wrong.

Why?

Because if you answered correctly, you want to make sure that you applied the rule that you were supposed to apply in this case. If you answered the question incorrectly, then the explanation will explain the question, the rule you should have applied, and why." And yet that''s precisely what Adaptibar is so bad at...

justanotheruser

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by justanotheruser » Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:19 pm

Nightcrawler wrote: I agree about Adaptibar's explanations. Most of the explanations give the wrong reasons or just state that the answer is wrong "because X is the right answer". Terrible. I've reported a couple and their answer is always the same: "our legal team reviewed the explanation and it's correct as it stands" followed by a repetition of their lacking and conclusory explanation.

The only reason why I like Adaptibar is their interface. It saves a lot of time to just click one answer and see if it's right or wrong. Using the book takes more time and on accident you sometimes see the answer for the next question. Also their tracking system is really useful. Obviously you could do it all yourself but it takes time. You just need to evaluate if your time is worth that much money.

I'm using also Emanuel S&T this time around and their explanations are exactly what you need. Impeccable. I wish there was a more updated edition.
Will double up on the Emanuel S&T + Adaptibar recommendations. I started with S&T first, built up a solid foundation in terms of approach/strategy/understanding, and then moved onto Adaptibar. By that point, Adaptibar's rather 'meh' explanations didn't bother me as much (though I agree they could stand to improve)

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Nightcrawler

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by Nightcrawler » Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:22 pm

justanotheruser wrote:
Nightcrawler wrote: I agree about Adaptibar's explanations. Most of the explanations give the wrong reasons or just state that the answer is wrong "because X is the right answer". Terrible. I've reported a couple and their answer is always the same: "our legal team reviewed the explanation and it's correct as it stands" followed by a repetition of their lacking and conclusory explanation.

The only reason why I like Adaptibar is their interface. It saves a lot of time to just click one answer and see if it's right or wrong. Using the book takes more time and on accident you sometimes see the answer for the next question. Also their tracking system is really useful. Obviously you could do it all yourself but it takes time. You just need to evaluate if your time is worth that much money.

I'm using also Emanuel S&T this time around and their explanations are exactly what you need. Impeccable. I wish there was a more updated edition.
Will double up on the Emanuel S&T + Adaptibar recommendations. I started with S&T first, built up a solid foundation in terms of approach/strategy/understanding, and then moved onto Adaptibar. By that point, Adaptibar's rather 'meh' explanations didn't bother me as much (though I agree they could stand to improve)
I've been through 4 subjects on S&T and I'm experiencing exactly what you said. I think it's a really good combination. If I could go back, I would do Emanuel S&T first and only later Adaptibar.

moralsentiments

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by moralsentiments » Fri Jun 01, 2018 7:56 pm

Anyone have an Adaptibar discount code they'd be willing to send my way?

xnizmozx@yahoo.com

FinallyPassedTheBar

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by FinallyPassedTheBar » Fri Jun 01, 2018 11:05 pm

moralsentiments wrote:Anyone have an Adaptibar discount code they'd be willing to send my way?

xnizmozx@yahoo.com

discount code sent

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by Finbar38 » Sat Jun 02, 2018 3:10 pm

Would like a discount code, as well!

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by a male human » Sat Jun 02, 2018 3:31 pm

Finbar38 wrote:Would like a discount code, as well!

masx846@gmail.com
Sent

moralsentiments

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by moralsentiments » Sat Jun 02, 2018 6:56 pm

FinallyPassedTheBar wrote:
moralsentiments wrote:Anyone have an Adaptibar discount code they'd be willing to send my way?

xnizmozx@yahoo.com

discount code sent
Thanks!

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northwood

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by northwood » Sat Jun 02, 2018 8:41 pm

Adaptibar gives you access to additional MBE questions and helps demonstrate your strong and weak areas. I used it and liked it because I got to quickly identify my strong and weak areas and modify my studies accordingly. Just be careful that you don’t oversaturate your supplements

shaq23

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Re: Is Adaptibar worth it/really helpful?

Post by shaq23 » Sun Jun 03, 2018 12:12 am

northwood wrote:Adaptibar gives you access to additional MBE questions and helps demonstrate your strong and weak areas. I used it and liked it because I got to quickly identify my strong and weak areas and modify my studies accordingly. Just be careful that you don’t oversaturate your supplements

Agree. Given the limited time we have to prepare, the ability for you to quickly identify your weaknesses so you can address them is well worth the money.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
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