BARBRI [SIGN UP AS 1L] Forum

[knickfan]

They're pushing their course on 1Ls. For $50 I can lock in their magical rate. I am skeptical. Is it worth it? Are their 1L resources useful? There is already an abundance of materials available for each 1L course (ee's, hornbooks, outlines, etc.,) Does their materials differ in anyway?

Any feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[Renzo]

Consensus from classmates I've asked is that
A) the materials they give you are crap.
B) It is a really good deal--IF:
-you aren't going to a big firm or someplace else that will pay for bar prep --AND--
-you are 100% sure where you want to take the bar.

[Aberzombie1892]

Consensus from classmates I've asked is that
A) the materials they give you are crap.
B) It is a really good deal--IF:
-you aren't going to a big firm or someplace else that will pay for bar prep --AND--
-you are 100% sure where you want to take the bar.

I agree the materials are crap. However, you can change the jurisdiction you sign up for at any point. I would sign up for it to lock in the price because, as you would it expect, it goes up every year.

Don't not sign up for it because you think you will be trapped taking the bar in the jurisdiction of your school - you can change it.

[Renzo]

Consensus from classmates I've asked is that
A) the materials they give you are crap.
B) It is a really good deal--IF:
-you aren't going to a big firm or someplace else that will pay for bar prep --AND--
-you are 100% sure where you want to take the bar.

I agree the materials are crap. However, you can change the jurisdiction you sign up for at any point. I would sign up for it to lock in the price because, as you would it expect, it goes up every year.

Don't not sign up for it because you think you will be trapped taking the bar in the jurisdiction of your school - you can change it.

My understanding was (and correct me if I'm wrong) that there are a few jurisdictions where live classes are not offered, and that the swapping jurisdictions gets complicated if it involves California, because the classes are substantially more expensive.

[danidancer]

-you aren't going to a big firm or someplace else that will pay for bar prep

You won't know this as a 1L. I signed up b/c it's only $50 to sign up as a 1L, and there's no way of knowing whether I'll get a firm job, or PI, or what. I'd rather have wasted $50 now than pay the increased tuition as a 3L.

And to be honest, I haven't bothered to even glance at the materials - signed up, immediately put them in my locker, and haven't done anything with them since.

[spondee]

GT, did you take the bar before your clerkship started? And if so, did you take it in the jx of your court or your firm? Did your firm pay?

[chicagolaw2013]

I'm signing up this week.

Here's my rationalization:

I easily spend $250 on a night out in Chicago. EASILY. (I get drunk, and think that it's my job to buy shots for everyone...go me.)

Over the coming 2 years, I'll spend a total of $250 bucks on BARBRI.

If I get a spot at a firm that reimburses or directly pays for it, the most I'll personally be out is $250. If I have to pay for a bar review course on my own, I've locked in the 2010 price.

I don't really see the downside.

[nealric]

I avoided it as a 1L as a matter of principle. The whole "pay it now or we will charge you more later" thing just strikes me as lame business practice. I also think some of the cheaper bar prep companies are viable alternatives.

That said, I was lucky enough to have a firm pay the expenses, so It didn't personally cost me.

[AssociateX]

Hindsight is always 20/20 but if I had a chance to go back in time, I would have never signed up for BarBri in 1L. I would have just turned it down and then taken Pieper Bar Review for the NY Bar Exam. In 1L, I thought the only bar review course out there was Bar/Bri and you realize by 3L how much of a monopoly they have over current and entering law students. There were so many other courses that did the job just as well as BarBri and cost half the price.

I did miserably on the MPRE because of BarBri's skimpy outline and subsequently failed the NY bar exam with BarBri. I think the course is great if you are good at teaching yourself concepts but I found that Pieper's "boot camp" style of teaching was better suited to my learning style.

[knickfan]

I avoided it as a 1L as a matter of principle. The whole "pay it now or we will charge you more later" thing just strikes me as lame business practice. I also think some of the cheaper bar prep companies are viable alternatives.

That said, I was lucky enough to have a firm pay the expenses, so It didn't personally cost me.

this is exactly what's bothering me. I'm a self study kind of guy. I don't care too much about their live sessions. I haven't had time to research them and make an informed decision. I think I'm going to wait until I actually take the bar exam and find the materials on ebay for a 1/4 of the price.

Crossing my fingers that I'm not making a mistake.

[ovid]

I held out and they dropped the lock-in price at $20 instead of $50.

[IAFG]

I'm signing up this week.

Here's my rationalization:

I easily spend $250 on a night out in Chicago. EASILY. (I get drunk, and think that it's my job to buy shots for everyone...go me.)

Over the coming 2 years, I'll spend a total of $250 bucks on BARBRI.

If I get a spot at a firm that reimburses or directly pays for it, the most I'll personally be out is $250. If I have to pay for a bar review course on my own, I've locked in the 2010 price.

I don't really see the downside.

You are the worst money manager in the history of people, ever.

[Renzo]

I'm signing up this week.

Here's my rationalization:

I easily spend $250 on a night out in Chicago. EASILY. (I get drunk, and think that it's my job to buy shots for everyone...go me.)

Over the coming 2 years, I'll spend a total of $250 bucks on BARBRI.

If I get a spot at a firm that reimburses or directly pays for it, the most I'll personally be out is $250. If I have to pay for a bar review course on my own, I've locked in the 2010 price.

I don't really see the downside.

You are the worst money manager in the history of people, ever.

Nah. Unless this is the same poster who said a student needed to spend $5k a month to live in NYC.

[wiseowl]

The book they give you isn't terrible. Pretty decent Conlaw outline and Crim and Contracts practice problems. Property was useless.

Some of the online lectures are good, particularly Civ Pro.

That being said, I don't intend to pay whatever I have to pay as a 2L to keep this going.

[reasonable_man]

I didn't lock in during 1L and was glad that I didn't as I wound up taking Pieper instead (which for NY is beyond better than Barbri). They also run specialls ALL the time...

[chicagolaw2013]

I'm signing up this week.

Here's my rationalization:

I easily spend $250 on a night out in Chicago. EASILY. (I get drunk, and think that it's my job to buy shots for everyone...go me.)

Over the coming 2 years, I'll spend a total of $250 bucks on BARBRI.

If I get a spot at a firm that reimburses or directly pays for it, the most I'll personally be out is $250. If I have to pay for a bar review course on my own, I've locked in the 2010 price.

I don't really see the downside.

You are the worst money manager in the history of people, ever.

Nah. Unless this is the same poster who said a student needed to spend $5k a month to live in NYC.

Definitely not the same person. I don't live/have never lived in NYC haha.

And IAFG, how does a total expenditure of $250 over 2 years make me the worst money manager in the history of people? Given the economic shithole this country is in, I could think of worse.

And please, don't tell me you've never gone out and been the "shots" person. Oh wait, you are from Iowa. Explains a lot. HA

[IAFG]

And IAFG, how does a total expenditure of $250 over 2 years make me the worst money manager in the history of people?

The bar/bri thing doesn't. $250/night to go out when you're living on loans, combined with your previous posts about debt and defaults does.

[uci2013]

We were able to lock in at $20 for a brief time, so I did. We were told that if we decide to take the bar in a different jurisdiction we will be locked into whatever jurisdiction we prep for at this year's price - so seemed worth it. BUT I did think there was some misrepresenting going on. For example, we do have to pay more money next year to continue to lock in the price, and supposedly the price on the contract is more than what they will ask us for, but I figure a contract is a contract, so if they choose to charge the higher deposit next year they can. And apparently not many students did what I did, which is asked for certain things to be put in writing that they were telling me - ie: being able to lock in the price if I take the bar in another state and that they will send reminders before other payments are due. I know me, if I don't get a reminder to pay, I won't pay.

[09042014]

I'm signing up this week.

Here's my rationalization:

I easily spend $250 on a night out in Chicago. EASILY. (I get drunk, and think that it's my job to buy shots for everyone...go me.)

Over the coming 2 years, I'll spend a total of $250 bucks on BARBRI.

If I get a spot at a firm that reimburses or directly pays for it, the most I'll personally be out is $250. If I have to pay for a bar review course on my own, I've locked in the 2010 price.

I don't really see the downside.

Potentially losing 250 dollars.

Also Depaul NU mixer, you buy the drinks.

[09042014]

If there isn't a firm to pay for me, my ass is going to self study.

[Amy wineBerry]

The book they give you isn't terrible. Pretty decent Conlaw outline and Crim and Contracts practice problems. Property was useless.

Some of the online lectures are good, particularly Civ Pro.

That being said, I don't intend to pay whatever I have to pay as a 2L to keep this going.

+1

If there isn't a firm to pay for me, my ass is going to self study.

Truest words ever spoken

[HarlandBassett]

I'm signing up this week.

Here's my rationalization:

I easily spend $250 on a night out in Chicago. EASILY. (I get drunk, and think that it's my job to buy shots for everyone...go me.)

Over the coming 2 years, I'll spend a total of $250 bucks on BARBRI.

If I get a spot at a firm that reimburses or directly pays for it, the most I'll personally be out is $250. If I have to pay for a bar review course on my own, I've locked in the 2010 price.

I don't really see the downside.

You are the worst money manager in the history of people, ever.

lol.

The book they give you isn't terrible. Pretty decent Conlaw outline and Crim and Contracts practice problems. Property was useless.

Some of the online lectures are good, particularly Civ Pro.

That being said, I don't intend to pay whatever I have to pay as a 2L to keep this going.

why can't you split the cost with another 1L? or use the info from a 2L who used it in his 1L year?

[09042014]

I'm signing up this week.

Here's my rationalization:

I easily spend $250 on a night out in Chicago. EASILY. (I get drunk, and think that it's my job to buy shots for everyone...go me.)

Over the coming 2 years, I'll spend a total of $250 bucks on BARBRI.

If I get a spot at a firm that reimburses or directly pays for it, the most I'll personally be out is $250. If I have to pay for a bar review course on my own, I've locked in the 2010 price.

I don't really see the downside.

Hey want to go out next weekend for drinks?

[shepdawg]

My school pays for it at the end, so I thought it was stupid that they even advertised that at my school.

[ChattelCat]

Consensus from classmates I've asked is that
A) the materials they give you are crap.
B) It is a really good deal--IF:
-you aren't going to a big firm or someplace else that will pay for bar prep --AND--
-you are 100% sure where you want to take the bar.

I agree the materials are crap. However, you can change the jurisdiction you sign up for at any point. I would sign up for it to lock in the price because, as you would it expect, it goes up every year.

Don't not sign up for it because you think you will be trapped taking the bar in the jurisdiction of your school - you can change it.

My understanding was (and correct me if I'm wrong) that there are a few jurisdictions where live classes are not offered, and that the swapping jurisdictions gets complicated if it involves California, because the classes are substantially more expensive.

it's not complicated to switch states, but the price is different in every state, so you could definitely end up paying more if you switch to somewhere like NY or CA. But the balance isn't due until a month before graduation. The deposit is the same regardless of what state you sign up for, and it locks in that year's price no matter which state you end up taking.