KAPLAN BAR REVIEW hangout Forum

[JenDarby]

If the outlines don't cover it, you can always learn the law by doing the MBE questions

This. I think the lectures ARE there to teach you bar level law. Just about everything you need to know you should be able to get from Kaplan, in some way or other. My property professor defintiely didn't ccover mortgages, and I didn't even take evidence or crim pro.

[sandcastle45]

I actually agree. Even though we didn't cover intentional torts, I was able to pretty quickly get a handle on that stuff from the lecture.

Welp, property sucks though.

I'm kind of in a rut now though. I don't know, just hitting some kind of midpoint rut! Erghhhhh, lol.

[Mr. Pink]

I am too. I took this past weekend off to recharge, and it helped, but I'm back to procrastinating again today.

[annalisa]

Can anyone offer any advice for a study schedule moving forward? During the MBE lectures, I finished up the assigned work around 8pm every night and couldn't bring myself to study anymore. I left Saturdays for memorizing but am quickly getting burnt out on that method. Initially I thought about picking one of the six MBE subjects per day (Mon-Sat) to work on memorize and specific topic questions in the book, but after looking ahead at the schedule, I think that is too ambitious. Any advice?? I am doing okay overall, I think (120 on midterm), but I feel the only way I will improve is to memorize. And don't even get me started on the essay subjects, which I basically look at on the assigned day only!

Anyway, any suggestions are much appreciated!!

[benny26]

Hey, I don't know if this is the right place to post it but I have a question about Kaplan's bar review live lectures.

Are the lectures held at law schools or Kaplan test centers, or some other location that I don't even know about?

BarBri & Pieper put their locations and schedules online but I cannot find Kaplan's. I'm just trying to do some basic research before I choose a bar review firm for next year.

[JenDarby]

Hey, I don't know if this is the right place to post it but I have a question about Kaplan's bar review live lectures.

Are the lectures held at law schools or Kaplan test centers, or some other location that I don't even know about?

BarBri & Pieper put their locations and schedules online but I cannot find Kaplan's. I'm just trying to do some basic research before I choose a bar review firm for next year.

With Kaplan there is a live lecture in Manhattan (this year it is at Cardozo) or you can watch a stream of that live lecture at Columbia and a few other places in the city. Alternatively you can watch prerecorded videos at home by the same people that cover the same material (so 1.5x speed which is really a life saver).

They decide locations each year based on enrollment, I believe, but you can pick any and change at any time or show up to whichever you like on any give day with no problem.

[JJDancer]

Hey, I don't know if this is the right place to post it but I have a question about Kaplan's bar review live lectures.

Are the lectures held at law schools or Kaplan test centers, or some other location that I don't even know about?

BarBri & Pieper put their locations and schedules online but I cannot find Kaplan's. I'm just trying to do some basic research before I choose a bar review firm for next year.

What Jen said.
Not sure what state you are in but in CA the live lecture (in person) is at UCLA this year with streaming locations around the state, including loyola law school los angeles/sacramento/san diego etc. And all the videos are online as well regardless of whether you sign up for online only, live stream or live in person.

[sandcastle45]

I hate this Wills/Trusts guy so fucking much. Like his lectures give me rage attacks.

[a male human]

Welcome to Kaplan

I used to be a Kaplan rep and submitted a huge list of improvement points to my RD after I took the full course. They actually implemented at least one thing without any compensation to me (though I asked because it's worth a try, it was ignored). But lecturer quality hasn't changed, I see.

I'm curious: Do you guys actually find value in lectures? If so, what do you get out of it that you can't get elsewhere during the 3-4 agonizing hours? Do some of you learn the best by listening (and do you leave the written outlines alone)? And others, do you do it just because it's the default way to go? No sarcasm, just curiosity for my own research.

[JenDarby]

Welcome to Kaplan

I used to be a Kaplan rep and submitted a huge list of improvement points to my RD after I took the full course. They actually implemented at least one thing without any compensation to me (though I asked because it's worth a try, it was ignored). But lecturer quality hasn't changed, I see.

I'm curious: Do you guys actually find value in lectures? If so, what do you get out of it that you can't get elsewhere during the 3-4 agonizing hours? Do some of you learn the best by listening (and do you leave the written outlines alone)? And others, do you do it just because it's the default way to go? No sarcasm, just curiosity for my own research.

I like most the Kaplan lecturers, as much as you can like a bar prep lecturer.

I do the videos at 1.5x speed because otherwise I might not really read the material. Listening might not be the best way I learn, but I figure that listening and typing and reading has to at least be somewhat beneficial.

[hurldes]

is it risky to simply forego the lectures all together and just learn from the outline material?

[a male human]

Last time I tried the 1.5x lectures, I ended up having to rewind anyway because I couldn't get it / type that fast. Why can't it have fill in the word like Barbri? Instead it's fill in the paragraphs.

is it risky to simply forego the lectures all together and just learn from the outline material?

What do you think about reading the outlines or practicing in the morning, then winding down at night with a lecture?

[dogfan14]

I stopped watching the lectures during the 3rd week when I realized I was zoning out completely and 1.5x speed didn't help. I found it much, much more useful to read the outline book and outline that into my own words and in a condensed format (4 hours a day) and THEN study from that + the critical pass flashcards. Like, significantly better.

I write the distinctions from the lecture into the critical pass flashcards also. But I'm also absolutely NOT a lecture-based learner, and found my best success in law school either on tangible, clinical-type projects or by just reading, re-reading, and outlining. Lectures just existed to give me some kind of broader framework on the subject or get insight into the professor's perspective--neither of which are really relevant for the bar.

So basically my take on lectures is that IF you learn from them (be honest) in a way that helps you, then watch them. But if you find them totally boring and unhelpful and you know you're not a lecture-based learner, then scrap them and move on. The outline book covers the lectures verbatim, so you won't be missing out on anything.

My 2cents.

If anything, I'm at a pretty consistent 60% now on MBE Qs, despite reviewing answers, making notes of areas I don't do so hot on, and whatnot. It's great, because I'm up from my midterm, but I'm worried that 60% is still low as a threshold for going into the bar. Any ideas for improving that score, or do we think it really is just a matter of more and more practice/exposure over time?

[Mr. Pink]

I hate this Wills/Trusts guy so fucking much. Like his lectures give me rage attacks.

That's a chick. But yeah she's horrible.

Welcome to Kaplan

I used to be a Kaplan rep and submitted a huge list of improvement points to my RD after I took the full course. They actually implemented at least one thing without any compensation to me (though I asked because it's worth a try, it was ignored). But lecturer quality hasn't changed, I see.

I'm curious: Do you guys actually find value in lectures? If so, what do you get out of it that you can't get elsewhere during the 3-4 agonizing hours? Do some of you learn the best by listening (and do you leave the written outlines alone)? And others, do you do it just because it's the default way to go? No sarcasm, just curiosity for my own research.

I listen at 1.5 speed, and although I have to pause and rewind some, mentally it helps me because I see the lesser amount of time. I use the lectures for a general overview while filling in the provided outlines. I find that hearing the info, then typing it out helps me retain it easier. I also like how they tell you the heavier tested areas, because those are obviously the areas that I hone in on and include in the one-sheeters (I haven't made any yet, but will be making one for each subject this week).

Some lecturers are better than others, the Wills/Trusts, Civ Pro, and Agency lectures were the worst. I have started going back to my old class outlines and studying those instead, and it seems to be working so far.

[orm518]

Did you guys know that Chris Fromm used to be a prosecutor?

[sandcastle45]

That's a chick. But yeah she's horrible.

Mine is a guy. Malcolm Morris.

[JenDarby]

Did you guys know that Chris Fromm used to be a prosecutor?

[Mr. Pink]

That's a chick. But yeah she's horrible.

Mine is a guy. Malcolm Morris.

Ahh that's right, forgot this wasn't the CA bar prep thread. The one for CA is a female, but probably equally as bad at the lecture.

[JenDarby]

That's a chick. But yeah she's horrible.

Mine is a guy. Malcolm Morris.

What don't you like about him? I don't mind him, he's at least WAY better than the Federal CivPro guy who I could barely understand.

[sandcastle45]

I don't know, he just gets on my nerves, lol. Like I can deal with him for about half a lecture and then I have to shut it off and just use the outline to fill in the notes. He will be okay up to a point and then about midway, I swear he just does not go off the outline at all and I have no clue what he's talking about. Also, there is something about his voice that just really gets on my nerves.

I don't know, it might be completely irrational, hahaha. The other lecturers have me have ranged from Okay (Bracci, Evidence guy) to "I liked them a lot" (Con Law and Torts guy). Just personal preference.

[annalisa]

Did anyone else have a grueling day of state civ pro, federal civ pro, AND a federal civ pro supplement?? At least during the state class, every now and then, the professor was dubbed over with clearly someone else's voice (maybe Ryan Rentmeester?) where the law had changed. That was a much needed laugh. Guess that's what the Kaplan reps meant when they said all the videos were re-recorded and up to date?

[dogfan14]

I don't understand the point of learning all this federal civil procedure -- at all. We're not studying for February 2015, it's not tested on the MBE. The only thing i can think of is that an essay will address some jurisdictional issue or federal appeals issue, but even the essay will likely focus on NY CPLR.

Thoughts?

[IFNB]

Some of you guys working ahead or what? Or does kaplan provide different schedules for whatever reason? Been curious about this for a week or more now...

[JenDarby]

Some of you guys working ahead or what? Or does kaplan provide different schedules for whatever reason? Been curious about this for a week or more now...

The schedules vary based on which state you are taking, I believe. This makes sense since different states have different state specific subjects.

[IFNB]

Some of you guys working ahead or what? Or does kaplan provide different schedules for whatever reason? Been curious about this for a week or more now...

The schedules vary based on which state you are taking, I believe. This makes sense since different states have different state specific subjects.

I figured as much, but it looked like some people were getting into the MEE stuff pretty early.