Feedback on Adaptibar and Critical Pass Forum

[Lawraps]

Hey guys just wanted to get some feedback on Adaptibar and Critical Pass flash cards from those who have used it for the CA bar. Thanks!

[rcharter1978]

Hey guys just wanted to get some feedback on Adaptibar and Critical Pass flash cards from those who have used it for the CA bar. Thanks!

I used both and passed the CBX

I really liked the way the information was presented and organized on the CP flashcards.

I didn't use them as much as I would have liked, but if you like using flashcards to study, I think they are an excellent investment. If you buy them from the CP website you also get access to some mobile version of the flashcards.

I really liked adaptibar and the analytics and ability to focus in on certain areas. Some people have said the explanations weren't good, but I thought overall, the answer explanations were fine.

[Neve]

Critical Pass is great for the MBE! You can't apply the law to an MBE question, if you don't know the law. I used Critical Pass for my bar study along with the CMR from Barbri and their simulated questions (although the Barbri questions are very different than actual MBE questions). I also used Emanuel's S&T during my study period, but not as much as I should have since it's a great resource. (http://criticalpass.refr.cc/5JT8KCP referral link contains a discount code for $$ off Critical Pass)

I haven’t used Adaptibar, but have heard great things about it. The only con is the price. I’ve heard that Barmax MBE questions are a more affordable alternative to Adaptibar.

[JF215]

I didn't take the california bar, but took 2 other states and used adaptibar. I thought it was extremely helpful the first time i took the bar (which was a few years ago), but recently took the feb bar in another jdx and felt like the questions were a bit out of date/pretty different than actual mbe questions (imo the mbe has changed significantly in recent years). it's a pretty nominal cost all things considered, but i'm not sure i'd recommend it anymore.

[johngotti]

I didn't take the california bar, but took 2 other states and used adaptibar. I thought it was extremely helpful the first time i took the bar (which was a few years ago), but recently took the feb bar in another jdx and felt like the questions were a bit out of date/pretty different than actual mbe questions (imo the mbe has changed significantly in recent years). it's a pretty nominal cost all things considered, but i'm not sure i'd recommend it anymore.

Adaptibar questions are from years ago (that's why they're retired) and most mbe questions nowadays are two to three degrees more in depth. It's a good tool to get the feel for the actual questions but if you're not precise with your reasoning on adaptibar (why one is right and why the other three are wrong) you'll be in trouble come test day. I'd saythere's a disproportionate amount of adaptibar questions that something like 80% of users get right within 30-45 seconds, that doesn't happen on the actual bar.

[legalnerd784]

I am taking the bar exam this fall (not in Cali) and wanted some more MBE help in addition to my bar prep course. I considered buying Critical Pass because a friend of mine enjoyed it, but I ultimately decided against it because I've never really been a flashcard guy.

I signed up for a free trial of Adaptibar, which uses questions that appeared on previous exams. It was nice to practice with real MBE questions instead of the questions offered by my bar prep course. I also really liked Adaptibar's metrics at first, but then I realized I was spending more time analyzing the different metrics than practicing and reviewing questions.

I was about to bite the bullet and purchase it when the academic advisor at my school recommended a new MBE supplement from a company called UWorld. I had never heard of them, but I figured I'd give them a try since my exam was delayed and I had more time to study. UWorld also uses questions that appeared on previous bar exams, so there is a lot of overlap with Adaptibar. However, I thought UWorld's explanations were much easier to comprehend and their alternate answer choice explanations are much better than Adaptibar and the "explanations" provided by my bar prep course. I also love that UWorld incorporates tables, flowcharts, and timelines into their explanations. It has really helped me understand how different concepts are related. Once I received a discount code that reduced the cost, I signed up and have been using it ever since. I mainly rely on my bar prep course, but I love doing 20-25 questions per day on UWorld to sharpen my MBE skills.

Hope this helps!"

[rhs67858]

RE Adaptibar:

Taking CA Bar again and used Adaptibar last time. My MBE score was fairly strong and essays/PT are what sank me. Someone else pointed out to me on here something I find insightful: Adaptibar's questions are easy to medium in terms of difficultly. Game day the MBEs are harder full stop. I have taken CA bar a few times and find that the MBE tests nuances often. I am personally using Adaptibar again, and also doing Barbri questions because of their hardness. Moreover, I bought S&T. Will personally probably only use Adaptibar on the app before bed or something. NCBE released questions awhile back and Adaptibar has them. I would do these over and over. I would write the rule statement of ones you miss. Know the issue the fact pattern is driving at, know the relevant BLL, and then know exactly why three answer choices are wrong and one is right.

RE Critical Pass:

Adaptibar has flash cards FYI, although well aware they're not comprehensive like Critical Pass. Would also love other people's take on using these CP.

[mburton18]

I didn't take the california bar, but took 2 other states and used adaptibar. I thought it was extremely helpful the first time i took the bar (which was a few years ago), but recently took the feb bar in another jdx and felt like the questions were a bit out of date/pretty different than actual mbe questions (imo the mbe has changed significantly in recent years). it's a pretty nominal cost all things considered, but i'm not sure i'd recommend it anymore.

Adaptibar questions are from years ago (that's why they're retired) and most mbe questions nowadays are two to three degrees more in depth. It's a good tool to get the feel for the actual questions but if you're not precise with your reasoning on adaptibar (why one is right and why the other three are wrong) you'll be in trouble come test day. I'd saythere's a disproportionate amount of adaptibar questions that something like 80% of users get right within 30-45 seconds, that doesn't happen on the actual bar.

I have to respectfully disagree with these posts. I used Adaptibar almost exclusively for MBE practice for the Feb. 2020 exam and found it very helpful. Adaptibar predicts that your MBE score will be around double the total percent correct that you get on their questions; this was almost exactly right for me (~92% correct and an MBE score of 183.9).

[Subpoena_Colada]

I passed the CA bar.

I bought Critical Pass flashcards based on internet recommendations, but I didn't end up using them as much as I had hoped. There's a lot of information on each card, so I think they're more like mini outlines. I also think they're overpriced, so get them used if you go that route!

I considered Adaptibar but ultimately didn't purchase it because of the cost and, in my opinion, weak explanations. I ended up using the Strategies & Tactics book to get some extra MBE practice with NCBE-released questions. The explanations are just okay, but it was a fraction of the cost. Again, used copies are always available.

I'm taking another bar exam soon (exact date TBD), so I've been looking into additional options. UWorld's MBE supplement was recommended to me, and I've been enjoying their free trial. I think they've done a really good job with their explanations—especially for the incorrect answer choices. They also use visuals like flowcharts, tables, and timelines to reinforce concepts. I would definitely recommend taking a look.

Good luck studying!