Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2015 Exam Forum

[zot1]

Just did the first MBE practice question set (K's). 59% correct.

UGH. Shit. Pass me a drank please.

I've heard from multiple people that shooting for the 50% suggested rate is really what you want to do at this point. Only after multiple reviews, exposure to other wrong questions, and such will you start to get up to and past 70% in the last few weeks. I'm not trying to stress over that now. And yes, there are areas that aren't covered in the lectures in the MBE questions. I'm wrapping up the property lectures tonight and there is quite a bit that isn't covered in the lectures that is in the long outline.

Is 70% our goal? I feel like I read/heard the target score somewhere, but can't remember.

[MarcZero]

Is 70% our goal? I feel like I read/heard the target score somewhere, but can't remember.

I'm not sure if it's different in every state. I know in California you need roughly 65% for a passing score. I think people say to shoot for 70% to be safe. Anything over that is gravy.

My first 2 K MBE sets were in the 50% range. Then my last 34 question set was higher 60s, so you do get better.

I'm trying to remember that this isn't a law school class and I don't need to book it. I just need to get enough points to pass. I don't need to get 80 or 90% to think I'm awesome. I just need to not fail.

[zot1]

Is 70% our goal? I feel like I read/heard the target score somewhere, but can't remember.

I'm not sure if it's different in every state. I know in California you need roughly 65% for a passing score. I think people say to shoot for 70% to be safe. Anything over that is gravy.

My first 2 K MBE sets were in the 50% range. Then my last 34 question set was higher 60s, so you do get better.

I'm trying to remember that this isn't a law school class and I don't need to book it. I just need to get enough points to pass. I don't need to get 80 or 90% to think I'm awesome. I just need to not fail.

That seems about right then.

Yeah, it's weird to be doing something to pass rather than to ace it. But it takes some of the edge off. I'm trying to keep it cool. The people I know who have failed the bar always had at least one thing in common: they all looked overwhelmed.

[sd5289]

My first 2 K MBE sets were in the 50% range. Then my last 34 question set was higher 60s, so you do get better.

After doing my first set it said my "goal" range was 50%, so I felt "fine," but it's just weird to be aiming for bare minimum after 3 years of not doing so. I'm assuming it'll get better, especially since several of my missed questions were things I'd never even seen before and I just guessed.

All my friends are in the same boat, so really the point is if you're hitting the 50s range right now, all is not lost! Keep plugging away.

[UnamSanctam]

Checking in. Torts is kind of rough to get through even at 1.5x.

[yngblkgifted]

My first 2 K MBE sets were in the 50% range. Then my last 34 question set was higher 60s, so you do get better.

After doing my first set it said my "goal" range was 50%, so I felt "fine," but it's just weird to be aiming for bare minimum after 3 years of not doing so. I'm assuming it'll get better, especially since several of my missed questions were things I'd never even seen before and I just guessed.

All my friends are in the same boat, so really the point is if you're hitting the 50s range right now, all is not lost! Keep plugging away.

47 percent the first time. 44 percent the following two times. I'm feeling really screwed.

[Pleasye]

I only watched the beginning lecture for property but I though Kramer was really good. The fact that he's funny helps too referencing zombies in the first five minutes was classic

Oh thank god, something to look forward to. I've enjoyed Themis so far, but it started with the two subjects I loathe (K's and Torts).

Yeah the property guy is pretty great. He had me cracking up. (Still hate property though).

[sopranorleone]

Just chiming in to say I hate this shit already

[habz]

Does anyone know whether the sample answers that they give after you take a practice essay are actually correct answers (i.e. they correctly apply the law) or are they just very good answers?

[MarcZero]

Does anyone know whether the sample answers that they give after you take a practice essay are actually correct answers (i.e. they correctly apply the law) or are they just very good answers?

At least in California, the essay answers Themis gives you are a basic amalgamation of the sample answers given by the state bar of California. Themis uses the exact same questions that have been used in the past.

[habz]

Does anyone know whether the sample answers that they give after you take a practice essay are actually correct answers (i.e. they correctly apply the law) or are they just very good answers?

At least in California, the essay answers Themis gives you are a basic amalgamation of the sample answers given by the state bar of California. Themis uses the exact same questions that have been used in the past.

so basically i don't need to be concerned that there is no way a normal person can write that much in 45 minutes? for that matter I'm not convinced anyone knows the material that well

[MarcZero]

Does anyone know whether the sample answers that they give after you take a practice essay are actually correct answers (i.e. they correctly apply the law) or are they just very good answers?

At least in California, the essay answers Themis gives you are a basic amalgamation of the sample answers given by the state bar of California. Themis uses the exact same questions that have been used in the past.

so basically i don't need to be concerned that there is no way a normal person can write that much in 45 minutes? for that matter I'm not convinced anyone knows the material that well

Well, that's the part that scares me as I was told that basically yeah, you do need to know the material and rules that well off to spit them out at will like that. I'm guessing you don't need to do it for every rule, but perhaps 65% of the time in order pass? There really isn't great feedback on Themis on this point(or any other bar prep course I'm told after talking with friends who are both in BarBreeze and Kaplan). I'm not expecting myself to learn all of the rules to that level of clarity right now. Now I'm working on the general rules and material and will start the process of memorizing rules like that starting in July perhaps.

[teeshtee]

Checking in for NY. Agree that GSG was great for Ks and that Torts has been rough with Sherman. He doesn't provide many examples, blatantly reads off of an outline, and, worst of all, is just boring to watch/listen to.

[sd5289]

Checking in for NY. Agree that GSG was great for Ks and that Torts has been rough with Sherman. He doesn't provide many examples, blatantly reads off of an outline, and, worst of all, is just boring to watch/listen to.

I have him (Sherman) on 1.5x. And I'm listening, not watching. Him looking everywhere is really distracting.

[MarcZero]

Checking in for NY. Agree that GSG was great for Ks and that Torts has been rough with Sherman. He doesn't provide many examples, blatantly reads off of an outline, and, worst of all, is just boring to watch/listen to.

I have him (Sherman) on 1.5x. And I'm listening, not watching. Him looking everywhere is really distracting.

I had to go check him out as I start Torts on Friday and wanted to see what you were talking about. OH MY GOD he looks horrible. Who is he looking at? There is no one in that studio! He seems like the type of professor who has been teaching for so many years that he has his whole lecture down to a routine even telling the same jokes at the same points and reflexively looking around the room. He seems like he would teach the class the same if it was 1 person or 100. I don't think I'll get much value from him. Such a shame after doing Geiss and Kramer first.

[habz]

Checking in for NY. Agree that GSG was great for Ks and that Torts has been rough with Sherman. He doesn't provide many examples, blatantly reads off of an outline, and, worst of all, is just boring to watch/listen to.

I have him (Sherman) on 1.5x. And I'm listening, not watching. Him looking everywhere is really distracting.

I had to go check him out as I start Torts on Friday and wanted to see what you were talking about. OH MY GOD he looks horrible. Who is he looking at? There is no one in that studio! He seems like the type of professor who has been teaching for so many years that he has his whole lecture down to a routine even telling the same jokes at the same points and reflexively looking around the room. He seems like he would teach the class the same if it was 1 person or 100. I don't think I'll get much value from him. Such a shame after doing Geiss and Kramer first.

The worst part about him, in my opinion, is how disorganized his lecture is. I as going over my notes last night and he pulls together elements from all over the place that should either be their own topics or should go under different topics

[UnamSanctam]

He is definitely worse for Themis than he is in an actual class.

[teeshtee]

I think my favorite Sherman moment so far occurred in Chapter 7 when, as he was talking mid-lecture, he pulled a napkin out of nowhere and wiped it across his face in the most dramatic/intense way imaginable.

[sd5289]

I think my favorite Sherman moment so far occurred in Chapter 7 when, as he was talking mid-lecture, he pulled a napkin out of nowhere and wiped it across his face in the most dramatic/intense way imaginable.

Lol, that was especially entertaining on 1.5x speed. I looked up from the handout in time to see that happen.

[kjartan]

Just took my second Ks essay. Man, these are brutal. The facts are always ridiculously ambiguous so I never feel confident in my answer.

[MarcZero]

Just took my second Ks essay. Man, these are brutal. The facts are always ridiculously ambiguous so I never feel confident in my answer.

Well, just remember that everyone is in the same boat. If we wanted easy, we should have gone to law school in Wisconsin.

[zot1]

Ugh my last essay was brutal.

[habz]

So Rule Against Perpetuities....we meet at last.... [draws revolver, shoots self]

[GULCPerson]

Second essay in a row where I was really pleased with the form of my answer, only to find out I got a major substantive issue totally wrong. Not happy with myself.

[kjartan]

Even though I'm doing alright on the MBE, I feel like I'm guessing most of the time.