July 2016 Virginia Bar Thread Forum

[crookiz]

Checking in. If there are any self studies here who would like to share strategies please let me know.

[ironbmike]

Does anyone know of something like lean sheets for the VA topics?

[mimi2255]

I had to create an account to say I'm DYING....DYINGGGGGG.

I am so burned out. Anyone have any tips on how to get a second wind?

I also feel like I learned nothing so far...so that's good. FREAKING OUT.

[vthokies88]

I had to create an account to say I'm DYING....DYINGGGGGG.

I am so burned out. Anyone have any tips on how to get a second wind?

I also feel like I learned nothing so far...so that's good. FREAKING OUT.

We're all dying. Are you doing BARBRI?

[ellewannabe]

I had to create an account to say I'm DYING....DYINGGGGGG.

I am so burned out. Anyone have any tips on how to get a second wind?

I also feel like I learned nothing so far...so that's good. FREAKING OUT.

Right there with you. Also, I feel so behind. I have so many question sets I need to catch up on and practice essays to do before the practice MBE tomorrow. I feel like I'm just treading water and barely able to keep my head above water.....

My only tip: Take a nice break and *try* to relax.

[ironbmike]

I had to create an account to say I'm DYING....DYINGGGGGG.

I am so burned out. Anyone have any tips on how to get a second wind?

I also feel like I learned nothing so far...so that's good. FREAKING OUT.

Right there with you brother/sister. I feel like I've absorbed so, so little and yet there is so much material. A few areas I have down pat, but most are just spotty vague blobs of black letter law. I know it's all up in my head somewhere...I hope.

[bsktbll28082]

I had to create an account to say I'm DYING....DYINGGGGGG.

I am so burned out. Anyone have any tips on how to get a second wind?

I also feel like I learned nothing so far...so that's good. FREAKING OUT.

I agree with taking a break. Maybe July 4? I know themis has nothing scheduled for that day.

[mimi2255]

Glad I have so many people in the same boat as me! July panic mode is very much here for me.

I am definitely playing catch up with some of the sets. I was delaying them because I was attempting to get a better understanding of the law since I was averaging like a 45%-50% on MBE questions. I know I have to go on overdrive this month, but it's so hard to stay in the right head space when I feel like I'm SO behind where I should be.

I think my plan is to try to abandon the Barbri PSP and just start focusing on memorizing the law and doing as many MBE questions and essays as I possibly can in the next 25 days. I'm so bad at multiple choice tests (failed the MPRE TWICE). I always have been. So I picked up the Emmanuel MBE book off amazon and I'm just going to try working out of that this weekend to see how I like it and if it helps. Might even try Adaptibar. I don't mind spending more money now on more supplements and pass the bar rather than have to take it again.

July 4th will be my much needed break! Good luck everyone!!

[doctoroflaw91]

Glad I have so many people in the same boat as me! July panic mode is very much here for me.

I am definitely playing catch up with some of the sets. I was delaying them because I was attempting to get a better understanding of the law since I was averaging like a 45%-50% on MBE questions. I know I have to go on overdrive this month, but it's so hard to stay in the right head space when I feel like I'm SO behind where I should be.

I think my plan is to try to abandon the Barbri PSP and just start focusing on memorizing the law and doing as many MBE questions and essays as I possibly can in the next 25 days. I'm so bad at multiple choice tests (failed the MPRE TWICE). I always have been. So I picked up the Emmanuel MBE book off amazon and I'm just going to try working out of that this weekend to see how I like it and if it helps. Might even try Adaptibar. I don't mind spending more money now on more supplements and pass the bar rather than have to take it again.

July 4th will be my much needed break! Good luck everyone!!

I'm a big fan of both Adaptibar and the S&T book. I feel like both have helped me to vastly improve my MBE progress (I was also struggling immensely with Barbri). In talking with a few VA bar tutors, all have assured me that Barbri's MBE questions are far more difficult (and longer) than the actual MBE. Keep your head up, and yes, do take rest. Having an easy day here and there helps your progress just as much as studying, especially if you're feeling burned out.

[ironbmike]

Actually did better on the simulated MBE than I expected. Nice little boost of confidence. I guess I can relax a bit tonight. Back to the grind tomorrow.

[mimi2255]

Actually did better on the simulated MBE than I expected. Nice little boost of confidence. I guess I can relax a bit tonight. Back to the grind tomorrow.

That's awesome!

I still haven't checked my score hahaha. I'm just going to put it off until tomorrow morning. I don't want to stress about it. Right now, mama needs some wine

[ironbmike]

Actually did better on the simulated MBE than I expected. Nice little boost of confidence. I guess I can relax a bit tonight. Back to the grind tomorrow.

That's awesome!

I still haven't checked my score hahaha. I'm just going to put it off until tomorrow morning. I don't want to stress about it. Right now, mama needs some wine

I don't blame you! Tonight is definitely a time to decompress after that monstrosity and then get back in the saddle.

I'm thinking about picking up Emmanuel, but all the options look like it'll take a week to ship, which seems like an eternity to me.

[kcdc1]

I'm a lot more stressed about the essays than the MBE. Can you guys cold recite rule statements like Barbri (and the VBBE) seems to want? I'm decent enough at remembering the right part of the rule that applies to the facts and coming out with the right answer, but I often can't spit out the full rule statement verbatim or recall precise vocabulary terms. It seems like Virginia is really into verbatim memorization.

[anon sequitur]

I'm a lot more stressed about the essays than the MBE. Can you guys cold recite rule statements like Barbri (and the VBBE) seems to want? I'm decent enough at remembering the right part of the rule that applies to the facts and coming out with the right answer, but I often can't spit out the full rule statement verbatim or recall precise vocabulary terms. It seems like Virginia is really into verbatim memorization.

I didn't memorize any, and none of my friends talked as though they had memorized much. We all passed. Don't try to be perfect, you'll stress yourself out.

[kcdc1]

Side note -- I can't stand mnemonic devices. This is the first time in my life I've tried to use them (because Paula refuses to explain anything except in the form of a mnemonic device), and I just sit there wondering WTF each letter of MADFIFI4 stands for. If she'd just tell me what the purpose is and how the rule attempts to accomplish that purpose, I wouldn't have to attach a celebrity every concept in order to remember the rule of law. End rant.

[ironbmike]

Side note -- I can't stand mnemonic devices. This is the first time in my life I've tried to use them (because Paula refuses to explain anything except in the form of a mnemonic device), and I just sit there wondering WTF each letter of MADFIFI4 stands for. If she'd just tell me what the purpose is and how the rule attempts to accomplish that purpose, I wouldn't have to attach a celebrity every concept in order to remember the rule of law. End rant.

I hate them too. It's just as easy to remember the actual words as it is to remember made-up words.

[vthokies88]

I'm a lot more stressed about the essays than the MBE. Can you guys cold recite rule statements like Barbri (and the VBBE) seems to want? I'm decent enough at remembering the right part of the rule that applies to the facts and coming out with the right answer, but I often can't spit out the full rule statement verbatim or recall precise vocabulary terms. It seems like Virginia is really into verbatim memorization.

Not always, but who cares? The examiners aren't looking for the types of answers that Barbri people wrote and edited over the course of 2 hours. And the Barbri scores are really dumb - on one essay, the grader didn't identify more than 1 substantive issue but took off 4 points.

[doctoroflaw91]

I'm a lot more stressed about the essays than the MBE. Can you guys cold recite rule statements like Barbri (and the VBBE) seems to want? I'm decent enough at remembering the right part of the rule that applies to the facts and coming out with the right answer, but I often can't spit out the full rule statement verbatim or recall precise vocabulary terms. It seems like Virginia is really into verbatim memorization.

Not always, but who cares? The examiners aren't looking for the types of answers that Barbri people wrote and edited over the course of 2 hours. And the Barbri scores are really dumb - on one essay, the grader didn't identify more than 1 substantive issue but took off 4 points.

Yeah, exactly this. Remember that Barbri's answer are the "perfect answer." I agree; it would be really nice to see what an actual answer looks like. There is no way in hell they can be as detailed as the Barbri ones are.

[justonemoregame]

Essay judge I want.




Okay.

[ironbmike]

I did all the Barbri stuff for today, but other than that, I'm taking the night off - I feel guilty!

[supervik80]

Decided to make today a Virginia Civil Procedure day. My anxiety for the exam is going up every hour I study the "rules." How am I going to remember all this crap? It's so random.

[doctoroflaw91]

Decided to make today a Virginia Civil Procedure day. My anxiety for the exam is going up every hour I study the "rules." How am I going to remember all this crap? It's so random.

Been struggling with the same thing. I just keep reminding myself that we are truly all in the same boat, and learning EVERYTHING is impossible. You can only do the best you can, and there's nothing more than you can ask of yourself.

Also, as a fellow attorney reminded me, a lot of idiots pass the bar. You are certainly not an idiot, so you can too. Chin up!

[mtp525]

Is anyone driving from DC? I'll split gas money if you're going there the day before.

If not, does anyone know anyone driving from DC? I don't have a car and I'd rather not take a 7 hour bus.

[vthokies88]

Decided to make today a Virginia Civil Procedure day. My anxiety for the exam is going up every hour I study the "rules." How am I going to remember all this crap? It's so random.

It's impossible to know everything, and you don't need a 10/10 on the essays. According to Barbri, a 6/10 (a little over half the points) is passing. If you can't remember everything, neither can anyone else.

I'm more concerned about the short answer questions than the essays. If Barbri's short answer questions are anywhere close to VA's actual short answer questions, it's just random legal trivia.

[supervik80]

Decided to make today a Virginia Civil Procedure day. My anxiety for the exam is going up every hour I study the "rules." How am I going to remember all this crap? It's so random.

Been struggling with the same thing. I just keep reminding myself that we are truly all in the same boat, and learning EVERYTHING is impossible. You can only do the best you can, and there's nothing more than you can ask of yourself.

Also, as a fellow attorney reminded me, a lot of idiots pass the bar. You are certainly not an idiot, so you can too. Chin up!

Thanks for the encouragement! I passed the bar in California (moved to Virginia recently). This test is harder, don't let anyone convince you otherwise. California has a lower pass rate than Virginia but that is because California permits non-JDs and graduates from non-ABA schools to sit for the exam. This test has way more material than California!