February 2015 Bar Exam Forum

[sparty99]

Is anyone feeling better about studying the second time around?

no

[mouse89]

Is anyone feeling better about studying the second time around?

For some reason my scores are better now (at least on some of the MBE topics that I've studied so far) so there's that positive about realizing that I'm on track to being ok during round 2.

But do I actually feel better? Nope. Its really hard to give any f#*%s at this point.

[cndounda1985]

I just started studying about a month ago, I'm working with a tutor. Failed last february and didn't sit for July for financial reasons. It's so hard getting motivated, I'm hoping this will be the last time i sit for this thing. I'm licensed in Louisiana but im back home to stay now. I dont' know why they make CA exam so hard. I just need some motivation from other people in same boat. Let's kick this bar exam butt!!!

[sparty99]

I'm thinking about skipping the rules of perpeutities as its confusing as hell.

[numbertwo88]

I'm thinking about skipping the rules of perpeutities as its confusing as hell.

I haven't even started studying property yet and I'm already dreading that ridiculous rule. I'm going to need to really dumb it down so I can memorize it.

[numbertwo88]

I hope everyone is making good progress! 11 weeks and 2 days until the MBE

I'm praying I finish all of the MBE subjects by the first week of January so I'm doing solely mixed problem sets for January & February.

Is anyone else doing outlines for the MBE subjects? I didn't outline a hell of a lot in law school, save for some classes 1L year and maybe two upper level classes, but I'm definitely finding it really helpful and reaping positivity on my MBE question sets.

[BigBob327]

I'm taking NJ Bar for 1st time in February. I took NY twice and passed on the 2nd try. I used Marino Bar tutors to help with NY and I was very happy with the results (obviously, since I passed). I would try Marino for tutoring - I think they are based in NY but I do know cover some other other state bar exams as well.

[txsunshine]

1st time Texas taker checking in. Studying while working full time is no joke. I started Themis three weeks earlier than the recommended start date. Hope that's enough of a cushion.

[Dan1220]

Here we go round two! Also Texas.

[1234567888]

I'm glad some of you are remaining positive. Trying to do the same...

[sparty99]

1st time Texas taker checking in. Studying while working full time is no joke. I started Themis three weeks earlier than the recommended start date. Hope that's enough of a cushion.

I think that's good. The videos are the time sink. I would definitely try finishing the MBE Videos by this week.

[Dan1220]

My advice is skip the videos, writing stuff out, flash cards and test Q's seem far more productive uses of time. Did all the videos and followed the course to the T last time(Kaplan), but found it not to be very efficient. Though that is just my humble opinion.

[LLB2JD]

My advice is skip the videos, writing stuff out, flash cards and test Q's seem far more productive uses of time. Did all the videos and followed the course to the T last time(Kaplan), but found it not to be very efficient. Though that is just my humble opinion.

I think I agree with this. So far, it feels like watching the videos is bless. I must say thought that since Themis breaks down their videos into small chunks, it feels more bearable.

Note: First time taker in Texas

[sparty99]

My advice is skip the videos, writing stuff out, flash cards and test Q's seem far more productive uses of time. Did all the videos and followed the course to the T last time(Kaplan), but found it not to be very efficient. Though that is just my humble opinion.

How do you skip the videos if you need the answers for the outlines?

[numbertwo88]

How do you skip the videos if you need the answers for the outlines?

Reading the long outlines or critical pass cards/supplemental sources and making your own study materials seems to work well. It seems as though it's more "active" and your brain is actually working.

I remember spending hours upon end watching those lectures to fill in the handouts and it was a major time sink. I didn't really "absorb" the materials at all. I know they say read the long outlines & then watch the lectures but that just takes up too much fucking time and honestly the outlines contain all of the information you need, the lectures aren't buffing that.

[Dan1220]

How do you skip the videos if you need the answers for the outlines?

Reading the long outlines or critical pass cards/supplemental sources and making your own study materials seems to work well. It seems as though it's more "active" and your brain is actually working.

I remember spending hours upon end watching those lectures to fill in the handouts and it was a major time sink. I didn't really "absorb" the materials at all. I know they say read the long outlines & then watch the lectures but that just takes up too much fucking time and honestly the outlines contain all of the information you need, the lectures aren't buffing that.

This pretty much sums up my thinking as well.

[a male human]

How do you skip the videos if you need the answers for the outlines?

Reading the long outlines or critical pass cards/supplemental sources and making your own study materials seems to work well. It seems as though it's more "active" and your brain is actually working.

I remember spending hours upon end watching those lectures to fill in the handouts and it was a major time sink. I didn't really "absorb" the materials at all. I know they say read the long outlines & then watch the lectures but that just takes up too much fucking time and honestly the outlines contain all of the information you need, the lectures aren't buffing that.

This pretty much sums up my thinking as well.

[Holly Golightly]

I'm thinking about skipping the rules of perpeutities as its confusing as hell.

I haven't even started studying property yet and I'm already dreading that ridiculous rule. I'm going to need to really dumb it down so I can memorize it.

I don't thnk it's worth it to try to learn if you don't know it already. It's max 1-2 questions on the bar, and easy to fuck up even if you know it. I didn't learn it for my first bar and I don't plan on learning it this time around.

[LAWYER2]

I'm thinking about skipping the rules of perpeutities as its confusing as hell.

I gave up on that RAP crap early on following the advice of a successful bar sitter at my firm.

[Elms]

I agree with others that RAP isn't worth stressing over. I actually took IL in 2012 and passed without understanding RAP at ALL.

[arizzle]

I started working on my Themis bar review today (for CA) and it is beyond me how someone could do this as instructed and work a full time job.

I'm debating skipping the long outlines and just using the shorter "final review" outlines they sent out. Then just do as many practice questions as possible.

[Dan1220]

The trick here is to work smarter, not harder. Last go I put in the time, but focused too much on "the program" as Kaplan had it. I came within a few points of passing, but it was a mistake getting away from what worked for me in law school. Writing outlines and flash cards have always been my best tools. We are all different, but if you know an area well don't waste time reviewing it. Focus on your weak points and above all learn what is most tested on your respective exam. NCBE literally spells out what the value of certain topics are within the MBE for instance.

[numbertwo88]

I started working on my Themis bar review today (for CA) and it is beyond me how someone could do this as instructed and work a full time job.

I'm debating skipping the long outlines and just using the shorter "final review" outlines they sent out. Then just do as many practice questions as possible.

When I studied over the summer, used Themis and came up 2 points short, I relied more on the short outlines than the long outlines and ... I don't think it was too wise. Their short outlines are good, I won't lie, but good amount of information/clarity is missing from them which is needed for the MBE. I'd skip the lectures and read the long + short outlines and jot down notes to fill in where the short outlines need it and then use that to study from. Just my 2 cents though.

[nvbar2015]

Anybody else bombing barbri's civ pro questions (on studysmart)?

[Neve]

The trick here is to work smarter, not harder. Last go I put in the time, but focused too much on "the program" as Kaplan had it. I came within a few points of passing, but it was a mistake getting away from what worked for me in law school. Writing outlines and flash cards have always been my best tools. We are all different, but if you know an area well don't waste time reviewing it. Focus on your weak points and above all learn what is most tested on your respective exam. NCBE literally spells out what the value of certain topics are within the MBE for instance.

Play to your strengths, not your weaknesses.

There simply isn't time to crush the MBE in a few weeks if multiple choice tests aren't your forte. Critical Pass flashcards helped me a lot since I'm the kind of person who learns well from flashcards. However, I came to a point when I realized that studying for the MBE had a diminishing return for me, and basically stopped studying for it for 2-3 weeks during the month of July and gave my heart and soul to the essay topics (and my high essay scores compensated for my below average MBE score for the Texas Bar Exam). Barbri/Kaplan/Themis are cookie cutter programs, they're designed for everybody - they're not designed for you. They don't truly take into account your strengths and weaknesses and how to study to remedy this on the actual bar exam except for showing you X percentile or spend extra time reviewing X subject and do extra practice questions. The actual MBE was significantly more difficult than any Barbri MBE questions that I did and I was so glad that I invested major time into the Texas essays rather than waste my time on extra Barbri MBE questions, which probably wouldn't have helped me on game day. Ultimately, improving on a weakness takes more time than playing to a strength - particularly when you're in a time crunch.