BarBri Bar Review Hangout - July 2015 Exam Forum

[LawGuy321]

Does doing homework affect your percentage complete at all?

[LawGuy321]

Is anyone using Chromecast for their lectures? I just got one and wondering the best way to use it to our advantage --- you guys just casting the tab to the TV and then opening up Word Doc?

I have been using HDMI cord and then doing screen extend, which is nice...Is there anyway to use Chromecast essentially as a screen extension (as opposed to screen mirror)-- so then my mouse can go back and forth between TV and laptop?

Thanks, folks!

I tried tab casting the videos but it didn't work out. The audio and video didn't match up in any streaming quality. I didn't try very hard to fix it because I didn't really need to see a barbri lecturer at like 10' tall on my projector wall anyway, lol

Baha! I hear ya. I switched back to HDMI screen split on a reasonable sized TV. No wall projector here. The cast was annoying because sometimes I like to fiddle with the windows, and if I cast it I have to bring up the window on the laptop, obscuring what I was workting on. With screen extend, I just move by mouse to the other screen. I had to buy a 12 foot HDMI cord, so I could comfortably sit on my couch Very worth it.

[LawGuy321]

So, apparently I did the Full Day MBE instead of the simulated MBE. Freaked me out when I inputted the wrong answers into the PSP and it said I got 26% right. In actuality, I got 74% right (148/200). It would still be nice to know what my real ranking would be... (mean for the full day exam is 123/200).

edit: Does anyone know how they compute the scaled score? I heard they add 20 points?

I thought they were both the same thing...?? Isn't the Simulated 200 questions??

[LawGuy321]

edit: Does anyone know how they compute the scaled score? I heard they add 20 points?

http://one-timers.com/wp-content/upload ... -Chart.pdf

I cant verify the accuracy of that thing but it looks pretty close. I dont believe there is an "automatic addition of points." Instead, the points they add to your score is based on what your raw score is. This is how one of our essay lecturers in PA explained it. Lower raw scores get more points added, while higher raw scores get less points added.

Thanks for that chart. I was going to respond, "it's more complicated than that (not linear), but adding 15 is a good average," but I'm glad to finally see it laid out for an exam. Of course, like the LSAT each exam will have its own scale based on overall student performance on that particular exam... but they should all be pretty close to this.

So, I get that this is MBE's cale, but then how would say NY scale this...the scaled score they use for each portion is 0 to 1000, (with a weighted 665 as a passing score). It looks like for New York, the MBE's scale doesn't matter at all; New York scales from the RAW:

http://www.nybarexam.org/thebar/thebar.htm#passing

"Through psychometrically approved scaling procedures, the raw scores attained by the applicants on each portion of the examination are converted to scaled scores on a common scale of 0 to 1000, and the three scaled scores are then weighted and combined to yield total weighted scaled scores on the same 0 to 1000 scale. The relative weights assigned are 50% to the written portion (40% essays and 10% MPT), 10% to the New York multiple choice, and 40% to the MBE portion."

[musicfor18]

Does doing homework affect your percentage complete at all?

No

[Good Guy Gaud]

Today is not a good day for bar prep.

[mushybrain]

How much are you guys following the PSP at this point v. doing your own self-study thing?

[Good Guy Gaud]

How much are you guys following the PSP at this point v. doing your own self-study thing?

In my dream world, I'm hoping to get about a week or so ahead of the PSP so that I can self-study with actual exams. Whether that's likely or not is another story.

[victortsoi]

I have about 40 overdue assignments right now. I think that's because, as I mentioned before, I've put off essays and mpt, and make sure to do all the assigned "personal homework", and amps for subjects I just dont know too well, + adaptibar. Still at 46% complete but hopefully that will increase as I do the essays etc in spurts.

[victortsoi]

edit: Does anyone know how they compute the scaled score? I heard they add 20 points?

http://one-timers.com/wp-content/upload ... -Chart.pdf

I cant verify the accuracy of that thing but it looks pretty close. I dont believe there is an "automatic addition of points." Instead, the points they add to your score is based on what your raw score is. This is how one of our essay lecturers in PA explained it. Lower raw scores get more points added, while higher raw scores get less points added.

Thanks for that chart. I was going to respond, "it's more complicated than that (not linear), but adding 15 is a good average," but I'm glad to finally see it laid out for an exam. Of course, like the LSAT each exam will have its own scale based on overall student performance on that particular exam... but they should all be pretty close to this.

So, I get that this is MBE's cale, but then how would say NY scale this...the scaled score they use for each portion is 0 to 1000, (with a weighted 665 as a passing score). It looks like for New York, the MBE's scale doesn't matter at all; New York scales from the RAW:

http://www.nybarexam.org/thebar/thebar.htm#passing

"Through psychometrically approved scaling procedures, the raw scores attained by the applicants on each portion of the examination are converted to scaled scores on a common scale of 0 to 1000, and the three scaled scores are then weighted and combined to yield total weighted scaled scores on the same 0 to 1000 scale. The relative weights assigned are 50% to the written portion (40% essays and 10% MPT), 10% to the New York multiple choice, and 40% to the MBE portion."

So what % correct is safe in NY?

[3LOL717]

How are you guys studying the state specific lectures? I went ahead and got the critical pass flashcards and they have been a godsend for learning the MBE stuff and are a huge mental safety net of feeling like they will prepare me but I'm not sure if at this point its wise to condense the state lectures into outlines, or make note cards, or just spend that time creating a new tool just reviewing the lectures. Wondering if anyone had any strategies that have been working for them

[murray18]

Today is not a good day for bar prep.

Could not agree more. Having a really hard time getting back to work after taking the 4th off.

[mushybrain]

How are you guys studying the state specific lectures? I went ahead and got the critical pass flashcards and they have been a godsend for learning the MBE stuff and are a huge mental safety net of feeling like they will prepare me but I'm not sure if at this point its wise to condense the state lectures into outlines, or make note cards, or just spend that time creating a new tool just reviewing the lectures. Wondering if anyone had any strategies that have been working for them

I've been using Quizlet to make flashcards, mostly because I was having trouble staying focused when passively reviewing the lecture handouts and I was missing my Critical Pass cards. I had been using the Critical Pass ones to review MBE topics when my eyes glazed over staring at longer outlines. I didn't even really care about producing the cards themselves, but figured making myself type would make me get through the outlines. Now I have flashcards that I can get to on my phone and computer and can review whenever. I actually absorbed a lot by making myself get through the handouts this way.

FWIW, there are lots of card sets already available on Quizlet if you just want to work with/modify some that someone else already went to the trouble of making. I'm not normally a flashcard maker but I needed the busywork to force myself to power through review and figured I might as well produce something useful for myself.

[BVest]

So, I get that this is MBE's cale, but then how would say NY scale this...the scaled score they use for each portion is 0 to 1000, (with a weighted 665 as a passing score). It looks like for New York, the MBE's scale doesn't matter at all; New York scales from the RAW:

http://www.nybarexam.org/thebar/thebar.htm#passing

"Through psychometrically approved scaling procedures, the raw scores attained by the applicants on each portion of the examination are converted to scaled scores on a common scale of 0 to 1000, and the three scaled scores are then weighted and combined to yield total weighted scaled scores on the same 0 to 1000 scale. The relative weights assigned are 50% to the written portion (40% essays and 10% MPT), 10% to the New York multiple choice, and 40% to the MBE portion."

So what % correct is safe in NY?

According to this calculator, a 133 scaled MBE = 665 before it's weighted at 0.4 (for its 40% value). According to the previous chart that's somewhere around 114 (57%) raw score.

[Outis Onoma]

So, apparently I did the Full Day MBE instead of the simulated MBE. Freaked me out when I inputted the wrong answers into the PSP and it said I got 26% right. In actuality, I got 74% right (148/200). It would still be nice to know what my real ranking would be... (mean for the full day exam is 123/200).

edit: Does anyone know how they compute the scaled score? I heard they add 20 points?

I thought they were both the same thing...?? Isn't the Simulated 200 questions??

The Simulated MBE is in its own book, and you can you can enter the answers online to tell your rank. The full day MBE is a separate 200 question test in the big MBE practice question book (with all the other MPQ sets). They only give the mean for the full day MBE.

[LawGuy321]

So, I get that this is MBE's cale, but then how would say NY scale this...the scaled score they use for each portion is 0 to 1000, (with a weighted 665 as a passing score). It looks like for New York, the MBE's scale doesn't matter at all; New York scales from the RAW:

http://www.nybarexam.org/thebar/thebar.htm#passing

"Through psychometrically approved scaling procedures, the raw scores attained by the applicants on each portion of the examination are converted to scaled scores on a common scale of 0 to 1000, and the three scaled scores are then weighted and combined to yield total weighted scaled scores on the same 0 to 1000 scale. The relative weights assigned are 50% to the written portion (40% essays and 10% MPT), 10% to the New York multiple choice, and 40% to the MBE portion."

So what % correct is safe in NY?

According to this calculator, a 133 scaled MBE = 665 before it's weighted at 0.4 (for its 40% value). According to the previous chart that's somewhere around 114 (57%) raw score.

GOLD

[LawGuy321]

The Simulated MBE is in its own book, and you can you can enter the answers online to tell your rank. The full day MBE is a separate 200 question test in the big MBE practice question book (with all the other MPQ sets). They only give the mean for the full day MBE.

Thanks! I guess I'll be doing Simulated Tuesday, and then save Full Day for next week or week prior to Game Day. Have most of you been doing Full Day before Simulated?

[rhs100]

Is anyone having difficulty with timing for the MBE? I didn't finish the mix sets on time and just kept going until I finished, and with that hit exactly the target average on both sets. Any advice?

[mushybrain]

Have you tried real MBE questions? They're often a lot shorter. You might be fine.

Other than that, my advice would be to make sure you're skimming the question prompt first (and answers if necessary) so you're reading for the right info as you go through the question. That shaves off time because I pick up the info I need on the first pass through.

[Outis Onoma]

The Simulated MBE is in its own book, and you can you can enter the answers online to tell your rank. The full day MBE is a separate 200 question test in the big MBE practice question book (with all the other MPQ sets). They only give the mean for the full day MBE.

Thanks! I guess I'll be doing Simulated Tuesday, and then save Full Day for next week or week prior to Game Day. Have most of you been doing Full Day before Simulated?

I'm thinking about doing the other test, but I'm already behind and only one test was ever assigned on my PSP.

[charlesxavier]

Maybe I've gone brain-dead but my PSP for tomorrow lists a "Simulated Half-Day Written Exam." It states that it can be completed at home or in class. Does anybody know where the materials are? I can't seem to find it in my books.

[victortsoi]

Maybe I've gone brain-dead but my PSP for tomorrow lists a "Simulated Half-Day Written Exam." It states that it can be completed at home or in class. Does anybody know where the materials are? I can't seem to find it in my books.

Same.

[scaliaantics]

Maybe I've gone brain-dead but my PSP for tomorrow lists a "Simulated Half-Day Written Exam." It states that it can be completed at home or in class. Does anybody know where the materials are? I can't seem to find it in my books.

Yeah I can't find them either... nor am I ready to do anything NY Law related.
Edit: Found it. Its in your enrolled student center. Why? Beats me.

[mamalova]

Go to information center then to "Simulated Half-day NY local exam questions packet"

[Good Guy Gaud]

This has probably been gone over numerous times but I'm too lazy to search:

What is the difference between these BarBri MBE questions and the real deal MBE questions?