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Getting ready to register for a bar prep class and trying to decide which prep class to sign up for. Any suggestions from people who have taking either of the courses for the PA bar?

I took Themis for Texas and, based off the comments in the Themis study thread, it was largely the same for Texas as PA. I was pleased. I think I passed, and I felt adequately prepared for the bar. I definitely don't thin Barbri is worth 2.5 times the cost of Themis.

I went to school in PA but took the UT bar. I took Barbri and PASSED the FIRST TIME. I felt that the Barbri program more than adequately prepared me for the Bar. Their MBE questions were spot-on and the answers and explanations really flush out the nuances of the law the examiners like to trick people on. Same for the essay and MPT. Also, Barbri has the AMP which DEFINITELY helped me learn and remember the black letter law. Finally, the people at Barbri are always there for you to answer any questions about the exam or the actual law itself. After spending three years studying and countless dollars in tuition, I wouldn't want to gamble on failing the bar just to save a few dollars.

Themis doesn't use scare tactics to get you to study more. Bar prep is stressful enough, I cannot believe BarBri adds to that stress, but that is what they do.

I'd go Themis over Barbri at equal cost. But you can get themis for like 1250 or maybe even lower. What is Baribri 4,000?

I studied with people who used BarBri and there was almost zero difference in our prep materials. BarBri did some things better, Themis did others. My friend who took BarBri all concurred that it was not worth 2.5 times Themis.

There will be a few Themis profs that gave some awful lectures, but overall I was pleased with their product.

Starrman0311 wrote:I went to school in PA but took the UT bar. I took Barbri and PASSED the FIRST TIME. I felt that the Barbri program more than adequately prepared me for the Bar. Their MBE questions were spot-on and the answers and explanations really flush out the nuances of the law the examiners like to trick people on. Same for the essay and MPT. Also, Barbri has the AMP which DEFINITELY helped me learn and remember the black letter law. Finally, the people at Barbri are always there for you to answer any questions about the exam or the actual law itself. After spending three years studying and countless dollars in tuition, I wouldn't want to gamble on failing the bar just to save a few dollars.

Sup student rep?

Starrman0311 wrote:Their MBE questions were spot-on

As a July 2013 PA bar taker, this is a lie.

Apparently BarBri fired a bunch of employees two weeks before the bar this year, and practice essays were going unreviewed

I got this info third hand, so take it with a grain of salt

Starrman0311 wrote:I went to school in PA but took the UT bar. I took Barbri and PASSED the FIRST TIME. I felt that the Barbri program more than adequately prepared me for the Bar. Their MBE questions were spot-on and the answers and explanations really flush out the nuances of the law the examiners like to trick people on. Same for the essay and MPT. Also, Barbri has the AMP which DEFINITELY helped me learn and remember the black letter law. Finally, the people at Barbri are always there for you to answer any questions about the exam or the actual law itself. After spending three years studying and countless dollars in tuition, I wouldn't want to gamble on failing the bar just to save a few dollars.

MODS PLEASE BAN THIS STUDENT REP.

Starrman0311 wrote:I went to school in PA but took the UT bar. I took Barbri and PASSED the FIRST TIME. I felt that the Barbri program more than adequately prepared me for the Bar. Their MBE questions were spot-on and the answers and explanations really flush out the nuances of the law the examiners like to trick people on. Same for the essay and MPT. Also, Barbri has the AMP which DEFINITELY helped me learn and remember the black letter law. Finally, the people at Barbri are always there for you to answer any questions about the exam or the actual law itself. After spending three years studying and countless dollars in tuition, I wouldn't want to gamble on failing the bar just to save a few dollars.

Hey man, thanks for making those barprep books which I buy and sell for profit

those outlines and MBE questions are really spot-on, you can spend 1 hr a day reviewing them for 4 months to prepare yourself totally for the bar!

Used Themis for NY and (naturally) most people I know used Barbri. I can't think of a reason to do Barbri over Themis. Well, maybe a couple: you need to have a structured class schedule to stay on pace, or your firm is paying for Barbri directly and you don't care about the cost difference. Otherwise, Themis all the way.

Who's paying? If you're a 1L and don't know yet, don't sign up for anything. Wait to see if a firm is footing the bill. If they will pay the test prep company directly, there is no point in having locked in the rate or whatever other bullshit. If a firm isn't paying, go the cheap route.

I did Themis for PA and thought it was a really good program. For Themis and from what I hear for Barbri as well: Do not listen when they tell you that the MBEs are harder than the real thing. They are easier. The real thing was a mess.