BarBri Thread: People taking Barbri for July 2013 exam Forum

[daphne]

Anyone did Property Set 1 Q 7?
The answer said the accountant is not a bona fide purchaser against the landowner. Is that because he knows the contract is forged, or just because the contract is forged? In other words, is a BFP possible under a forged contract

[goodolgil]

I'm reviewing Corporation handout. Regarding who can authorize the permissive reimbursement, the handout provided that a) The board (with a quorum of directors being non-parties); or, if there is no such quorum, b) Shareholders or a quorum of those directors who are disinterested.
How is the board part in a and b different? I am totally lost.

I thought the second part is if there are not enough disinterested directors to be possible for a quorum you need unanimous approval of disinterested directors.

[goodolgil]

I did Property Set 5 and I found so many rules not mentioned in the lecture. (e.g. RAP doesn't apply to option to purchase attached to leasehold, the waiver of strict compliance, the holdover of commercial lease is different from residential lease, time is not of essence in real estate contract). I was thinking about whether I should read CMR......

I haven't done the CMR for property, but I noticed in the AMP there was a lot of stuff that wasn't in the lecture. Off the top of my head, questions about "paramount title holders" and "race" jurisdictions (not race-notice).

[Mroberts3]

I did Property Set 5 and I found so many rules not mentioned in the lecture. (e.g. RAP doesn't apply to option to purchase attached to leasehold, the waiver of strict compliance, the holdover of commercial lease is different from residential lease, time is not of essence in real estate contract). I was thinking about whether I should read CMR......

I'm fairly sure that I have seen commercial vs. residential holdover problems and time off the essence problems outside of set 5. They are the kind of questions you will get right every time once you learn the rule. I found the CMR useful for what it's worth.

[remz]

I'm currently doing the taped lectures for NY. I'm about a week behind. Anyway, when do we get a chance to practice NY-based multiple choice questions? I know it's only 10% (and 50 questions) on the real test but I was wondering when BarBri was going to throw some at us for practice.

[remz]

Also, how many practice MBE questions does BarBri offer? I was under the impression there were about 5000 but looking at StudySmart there only seems to be 1240. Am I missing something here? Are there other MBE practice questions we can do besides what's in StudySmart? Thanks.

[AMCD]

Also, how many practice MBE questions does BarBri offer? I was under the impression there were about 5000 but looking at StudySmart there only seems to be 1240. Am I missing something here? Are there other MBE practice questions we can do besides what's in StudySmart? Thanks.

By the time we finish the prescribed sets plus full day and half day exams, apparently we will have done 1700 questions. The recommendation is to do others from the mixed sets in MPQ2 and/or Study Smart and/or Multi State Edge. I don't like the online format, so only do the ones in the book, but from what I saw, Study Smart overlaps/or is the same questions as with the ones in MPQ1.

[Mroberts3]

Also, how many practice MBE questions does BarBri offer? I was under the impression there were about 5000 but looking at StudySmart there only seems to be 1240. Am I missing something here? Are there other MBE practice questions we can do besides what's in StudySmart? Thanks.

Here is what I have seen:

864 in MPQ1 Sets 1-6
102 in MPQ1 Drills
450 in MPQ2 Mixed Sets 1-9
250 in MBE PRE (subject sets + 100 question test)
200 in Simulated MBE
200 in MPQ2 full day test
100 in MPQ2 half day test
100 in MPQ2 "final exam"
-----------
2266 questions

Am I missing any?

I also bought a 200 question book from Kaplan (PMBR) to see if their questions differ from barbri significantly. I think they are slightly better written but of equal difficulty. I also plan on buying the 300 real MBE questions from the bar examiners website.

[AMCD]

The drills and sets 2 and 4 in MPQ 1 I understand are optional, so Barbri's claim is that we will have done 1700 imposed questions. Of course all the extras can't but help.

[5ky]

The drills and sets 2 and 4 in MPQ 1 I understand are optional, so Barbri's claim is that we will have done 1700 imposed questions. Of course all the extras can't but help.

What's assigned is different for each course (i.e. NY does all Set 2s)

[RodneyBoonfield]

Anyone else feeling like they're in burnout city? Not having trouble reaching the suggested amount of hours but concentration levels are dropping and its damn near impossible to go beyond the suggested hours. Suggestions?

[BCLS]

Anyone else feeling like they're in burnout city? Not having trouble reaching the suggested amount of hours but concentration levels are dropping and its damn near impossible to go beyond the suggested hours. Suggestions?

I took yesterday offf and feel amazing. I killed evidence and crim drills today

[rnf1292]

Can people share how they are preparing for essays? I've barely looked at them (because I am avoiding/terrified) and could use some useful strategies

[kaiser]

Can people share how they are preparing for essays? I've barely looked at them (because I am avoiding/terrified) and could use some useful strategies

Same. Spent so much time focusing on substantive law that I've skipped doing tons of essays, and have done all of 1 MPT. I'm finally up to date on the lectures, so I'm also interested in how people are doing essay practice. Are you guys mostly just outlining answers and then running them by the model answers? Or writing everything out pretty much every time?

[5ky]

Can people share how they are preparing for essays? I've barely looked at them (because I am avoiding/terrified) and could use some useful strategies

Same. Spent so much time focusing on substantive law that I've skipped doing tons of essays, and have done all of 1 MPT. I'm finally up to date on the lectures, so I'm also interested in how people are doing essay practice. Are you guys mostly just outlining answers and then running them by the model answers? Or writing everything out pretty much every time?

I try to write out the issue and the rule statement, but that's it. The analysis is super basic stuff, generally, if you can figure out the issue and what the applicable rules are. I also do the non MBE ones open book, since I don't have that law down very well yet, and it's not great practice for me to make everything up. The MBE ones i generally try to remember closed book

[goodolgil]

What do you all think about prepping for the MPT? I haven't even looked at a problem yet. Can it really be prepared for?

[remz]

Is there any way to delete a completed test in StudySmart? I accidentaly quit one of the practice exams after doing 3 questions and the program marked it as complete. Obviously this messed up my score averages. Anyway to delete?

Also, a question I asked before: I'm currently doing the taped lectures for NY. I'm about a week behind. Anyway, when do we get a chance to practice NY-based multiple choice questions? I know it's only 10% (and 50 questions) on the real test but I was wondering when BarBri was going to throw some at us for practice.

[as stars burn]

Can people share how they are preparing for essays? I've barely looked at them (because I am avoiding/terrified) and could use some useful strategies

Same. Spent so much time focusing on substantive law that I've skipped doing tons of essays, and have done all of 1 MPT. I'm finally up to date on the lectures, so I'm also interested in how people are doing essay practice. Are you guys mostly just outlining answers and then running them by the model answers? Or writing everything out pretty much every time?

I try to write out the issue and the rule statement, but that's it. The analysis is super basic stuff, generally, if you can figure out the issue and what the applicable rules are. I also do the non MBE ones open book, since I don't have that law down very well yet, and it's not great practice for me to make everything up. The MBE ones i generally try to remember closed book

I've been doing the whole she-bang on the essays, including analysis, and I highly recommend doing the same. In the beginning I was using my outlines as a crutch because I didn't have rules memorized, and I still don't, but I'm slowly starting to wean myself off the outlines when doing the essays at least by trying my best to get the rule right and then looking it up after. I've done quite a few practice essays so far, and it is helping me immensely...not just with practicing but also with learning/committing to memory substantive law, and learning how the bar examiners want an answer structured and all that jazz. I would not wait until the very end to start practicing the essays, especially if you're in a jurisdiction where essays are weighted heavily. Yeah, I know the essays seem like law school, but it's the comparing to model answers and such that is really helping me.

Edit: Caveat--I'm NOT doing BarBri (suckers! haha...just kidding), so this is just my two cents ;)

[5ky]

Is there any way to delete a completed test in StudySmart? I accidentaly quit one of the practice exams after doing 3 questions and the program marked it as complete. Obviously this messed up my score averages. Anyway to delete?

Also, a question I asked before: I'm currently doing the taped lectures for NY. I'm about a week behind. Anyway, when do we get a chance to practice NY-based multiple choice questions? I know it's only 10% (and 50 questions) on the real test but I was wondering when BarBri was going to throw some at us for practice.

there's some soon i think, why don't you just look at the paced program tho

[daphne]

Is there any way to delete a completed test in StudySmart? I accidentaly quit one of the practice exams after doing 3 questions and the program marked it as complete. Obviously this messed up my score averages. Anyway to delete?

Also, a question I asked before: I'm currently doing the taped lectures for NY. I'm about a week behind. Anyway, when do we get a chance to practice NY-based multiple choice questions? I know it's only 10% (and 50 questions) on the real test but I was wondering when BarBri was going to throw some at us for practice.

Tomorrow is NY simulated test

[daphne]

I don't understand the free speech part. What's the relation of standard for non-public/public forums and the standard for commercial speech, symbol conduct, etc?
Con Law Set 5 Q 12 involves a commercial speech in non-public forums and the answer says the standard regarding non-public forum prevails. Is that every time we have a question regarding speech in non-public forums we can ignore other test and just apply the viewpoint neutral & reasonably related to legitimate purpose test?
It's a little strange..... So what about commercial speech in public forum?

[daphne]

Essay 66
About the irrevocable offer in sales of goods. The offer here is made by the merchants in writing. The answer analyzes the firm offer. But is this also a option offer? (NY recognizes option offer even without consideration so long as it is in writing and signed)
Actually I'm a little confused about the UCC Article 2. When we have a sales of good question, is that we just apply the Article 2, or is that just the Article 2 prevails common law (in anything they contradict, like the mirror rule for accepting offer)?

[BlameTrain]

What's the general consensus on BarBri graded essays? Graded harder on purpose? I'm getting consistent 3's along with a lone 4 but I feel like I'm giving them close to the model answer and their comments are mostly positive.

[BaiAilian2013]

Can people share how they are preparing for essays? I've barely looked at them (because I am avoiding/terrified) and could use some useful strategies

Same. Spent so much time focusing on substantive law that I've skipped doing tons of essays, and have done all of 1 MPT. I'm finally up to date on the lectures, so I'm also interested in how people are doing essay practice. Are you guys mostly just outlining answers and then running them by the model answers? Or writing everything out pretty much every time?

I try to write out the issue and the rule statement, but that's it. The analysis is super basic stuff, generally, if you can figure out the issue and what the applicable rules are. I also do the non MBE ones open book, since I don't have that law down very well yet, and it's not great practice for me to make everything up. The MBE ones i generally try to remember closed book

I am also way behind, largely because of my insistence on learning the damn law before attempting an essay on that subject. (In selecting which ones to postpone, I just look up what subjects they're on, because identifying that really isn't the hard part.) I agree that making up the rules is not super great practice, and I don't find that doing them open book is very helpful for me personally either. Barbri seems to assign both essays and problem sets before most people would have had a chance to learn, like at least semi-memorize, the material, which is sort of silly to me and also rather discouraging. There is a world of difference in my scores on essays and problem sets if I do them after taking the time to learn the shit rather than blundering through them beforehand. I dunno, maybe my "learning the damn law" calendar is not up to Barbri's expectations. Anyway, I basically do the same as you - write out the issue, jot down as much of the rule as I know, and list some details I'd use. Then I go through the model answer, and if I missed something big, I check my notes and add stuff as necessary.

[Joe Quincy]

I don't understand the free speech part. What's the relation of standard for non-public/public forums and the standard for commercial speech, symbol conduct, etc?
Con Law Set 5 Q 12 involves a commercial speech in non-public forums and the answer says the standard regarding non-public forum prevails. Is that every time we have a question regarding speech in non-public forums we can ignore other test and just apply the viewpoint neutral & reasonably related to legitimate purpose test?
It's a little strange..... So what about commercial speech in public forum?

First determine if its speech (expressive conduct, etc)

Then if speech, determine if its protected speech. E.g. false commercial speech is not protected, neither is fighting words, etc. Unprotected speech can be banned or regulated at will.

Then, determine the applicable standard for the forum and analyze.

Even if it passes that standard, it can still be invalid if overbroad, vague, prior restraint, etc.