Barbri paced program question? Forum

[plath]

Where can I download the NY simulated exam packet from? Barbri said it will be available online on Friday but cannot seem to find it anywhere.

[ph14]

I'm not sure if I really like or really hate the way the workshops are set up. I mean, it makes sense that they lump everything together by topic, and sometimes the workshop videos are good about how to attack certain questions, but I feel like it makes you feel as if everything is artificially easier. If you know the next X questions are hearsay questions, and then none of the other ones are, of COURSE it would be easier to figure out.

All of the workshops are the same. They go over whatever the barbri lecturers said are the major points in every subject and then throw in one or two specific laws (Congress having authority to police D.C., for example).

I watched evidence and crim law, and con law, but I have yet to touch the other ones, should I?

I've done the workshop questions, but haven't bothered watching the videos, since the explanations are in the book anyways. I do agree that the workshops seem easier than the MBE question sets. I've scored a bit higher on the workshop sets than I have on the MBE question sets. I still think they're worth doing though just for practice. It doesn't take too long.

[ph14]

Had no idea the videos reviewing the MBE workshops would be so helpful. Definitely going to dig into these

Im the exact opposite. I spend a lot of time reviewing the right answer/wrong answer explanations in the back, and then watch the videos at 2.0 speed. Sometimes the lecturers give different break downs of the law and I just can't make myself incorporate yet another source of the same law into my outlines.

Same... I even skipped one of them because he was talking about shit in a weird way that was way different than the system I already had in my head for that subject (evidence).

And FUCK CON LAW. It's supposed to be the easiest subject and I am getting destroyed by the practice questions, by far my worst subject.

Yeah, con law has been my worst too, so far. Maybe that's because it's the equivalent of 3 law school classes (at my law school). I'm not sure how much "easiest subject" matters though. They can ratchet up the difficulty in the questions to compensate for the fact that there are perhaps less rules to remember in con law than in other courses.

[At the Drive-In]

Had no idea the videos reviewing the MBE workshops would be so helpful. Definitely going to dig into these

Im the exact opposite. I spend a lot of time reviewing the right answer/wrong answer explanations in the back, and then watch the videos at 2.0 speed. Sometimes the lecturers give different break downs of the law and I just can't make myself incorporate yet another source of the same law into my outlines.

Same... I even skipped one of them because he was talking about shit in a weird way that was way different than the system I already had in my head for that subject (evidence).

And FUCK CON LAW. It's supposed to be the easiest subject and I am getting destroyed by the practice questions, by far my worst subject.

Yeah, con law has been my worst too, so far. Maybe that's because it's the equivalent of 3 law school classes (at my law school). I'm not sure how much "easiest subject" matters though. They can ratchet up the difficulty in the questions to compensate for the fact that there are perhaps less rules to remember in con law than in other courses.

I think the thing with con law compared to other subjects (maybe other than real property) is that it's hard to common sense if you don't know it. It's supposed to be easiest because there's only a certain number of rules which are pretty rigid and only apply in relatively-specific fact situations. But it's really really hard to fill gaps in knowledge by guessing because you mostly can't look at the question and figure it out like you could with torts or criminal law or something of the sort. It's like, Congress can or can't do that, and the State can or can't do that. And if you don't know what they can and can't do, you can't figure it out based on the answers.

In the con law workshop they gave a list of answers that are usually wrong if they are listed, and I've more or less memorized that and have gone up about 3 or so points when practicing, which is huge.

[nygrrrl]

Where can I download the NY simulated exam packet from? Barbri said it will be available online on Friday but cannot seem to find it anywhere.

When you log in to the Paced Program, I have a link to the packet in the list on the right: under "Quick Links," right under the hateful calendar counting down the days. (hth!)

[ph14]

I've been checking off everything as I go, regardless of whether I do it or not, and i'm still behind the green triangle "pace to finish the program." It's literally impossible to keep up with the triangle.

[nygrrrl]

I've been checking off everything as I go, regardless of whether I do it or not, and i'm still behind the green triangle "pace to finish the program." It's literally impossible to keep up with the triangle.

I was actually wondering if this was the case. Awesome.

[LAWYER2]

I've been checking off everything as I go, regardless of whether I do it or not, and i'm still behind the green triangle "pace to finish the program." It's literally impossible to keep up with the triangle.

I was actually wondering if this was the case. Awesome.

LoL, me too!! Glad I'm not the only one.

[MoneyMay]

I AM GOING TO FAIL THE BAR EXAM. I WENT FROM 15/18 on an MPQ to 9/18. IN THE SAME SUBJECT AND DID THEM BOTH TODAY. WTF.

Seriously cannot handle the stress, but I take some comfort in the fact that I consistently OWN Adaptibar questions, but the BarBri questions are hit and miss for me. There are some questions where I just draw a blank and I can't even figure out what they are getting at.

[ph14]

I AM GOING TO FAIL THE BAR EXAM. I WENT FROM 15/18 on an MPQ to 9/18. IN THE SAME SUBJECT. RIGHT ONE AFTER THE OTHER. WTF.

Seriously cannot handle the stress, but I take some comfort in the fact that I consistently OWN Adaptibar questions, but the BarBri questions are hit and miss for me. There are some questions where I just draw a blank and I can't even figure out what they are getting at.

It's only June...

[MoneyMay]

I AM GOING TO FAIL THE BAR EXAM. I WENT FROM 15/18 on an MPQ to 9/18. IN THE SAME SUBJECT. RIGHT ONE AFTER THE OTHER. WTF.

Seriously cannot handle the stress, but I take some comfort in the fact that I consistently OWN Adaptibar questions, but the BarBri questions are hit and miss for me. There are some questions where I just draw a blank and I can't even figure out what they are getting at.

It's only June...

I know I was exaggerating. But it is frustrating to say the least and I just needed to vent a little.

[ph14]

I AM GOING TO FAIL THE BAR EXAM. I WENT FROM 15/18 on an MPQ to 9/18. IN THE SAME SUBJECT. RIGHT ONE AFTER THE OTHER. WTF.

Seriously cannot handle the stress, but I take some comfort in the fact that I consistently OWN Adaptibar questions, but the BarBri questions are hit and miss for me. There are some questions where I just draw a blank and I can't even figure out what they are getting at.

It's only June...

I know I was exaggerating. But it is frustrating to say the least and I just needed to vent a little.

Fluctuations and mistakes are part of the learning process. You're not going to be 18/18 right away. Just keep studying and you will be fine.

[lmr]

I AM GOING TO FAIL THE BAR EXAM. I WENT FROM 15/18 on an MPQ to 9/18. IN THE SAME SUBJECT AND DID THEM BOTH TODAY. WTF.

Seriously cannot handle the stress, but I take some comfort in the fact that I consistently OWN Adaptibar questions, but the BarBri questions are hit and miss for me. There are some questions where I just draw a blank and I can't even figure out what they are getting at.

Who cares about barbri questions as long as you score consistently well on the real ones you should be fine. Barbri's questions can be way easier than the real ones or I find that some of them are way too obscure and test whether you read the cmr or watched lecture. I also think some sets are easier than others.

[LAWYER2]

I was told to keep writing down the rule statements from the ones you missed and consistently go over them.

[jd20132013]

Do ya'll think there's any value to tossing in case names if they're obvious?

Clearly it's a complete waste of time to memorize them, but if you're dealing with the sufficiency of a complaint, why not throw in Twombly/Iqbal? surely the readers would like that? or no?

I haven't done any essays yet so maybe the model answers are replete with case cites, I don't know.

on a sidenote, I have no idea how people learn the state specific stuff well enough to write essays on it. i'm definitely feeling like i'm going to have to rely on that other topic that guaranteed a pass if you do well on hte MBE

[ph14]

Do ya'll think there's any value to tossing in case names if they're obvious?

Clearly it's a complete waste of time to memorize them, but if you're dealing with the sufficiency of a complaint, why not throw in Twombly/Iqbal? surely the readers would like that? or no?

I haven't done any essays yet so maybe the model answers are replete with case cites, I don't know.

on a sidenote, I have no idea how people learn the state specific stuff well enough to write essays on it. i'm definitely feeling like i'm going to have to rely on that other topic that guaranteed a pass if you do well on hte MBE

If it's anything like the Barbri essays book, they grade with checkboxes. Did you give the hearsay rule statement? 1 point. Did you say that this is hearsay because it is an out of court statement being offered for the truth of the matter asserted? 2 points. Did you give the excited utterance rule statement? 1 point. Did you say it qualifies as an excited utterance because it meets the elements for excited utterance? 2 points. Etc. Etc.

Don't think case names will help you at all when it comes to grading. This isn't like a law school exam. Of course, this is all just my speculation.

[At the Drive-In]

Do ya'll think there's any value to tossing in case names if they're obvious?

Clearly it's a complete waste of time to memorize them, but if you're dealing with the sufficiency of a complaint, why not throw in Twombly/Iqbal? surely the readers would like that? or no?

I haven't done any essays yet so maybe the model answers are replete with case cites, I don't know.

on a sidenote, I have no idea how people learn the state specific stuff well enough to write essays on it. i'm definitely feeling like i'm going to have to rely on that other topic that guaranteed a pass if you do well on hte MBE

Doubt the readers care unless it's the name of a case that something is named for - Terry stops, Miranda, Blockburger, etc. And probably only to the extent that you call it what the standard or test is called, not by saying "This state uses the Blockburger test, as established in Blockburger v. U.S."

[jd20132013]

Makes sense. So much for easy points

[jarofsoup]

Maybe I am retarded, but has anyone found that Crim Law/Crim Pro MPQ 2 exists in a world outside of the CMR or the lecture. It is horrible. Who writes this crap?

[LAWYER2]

Maybe I am retarded, but has anyone found that Crim Law/Crim Pro MPQ 2 exists in a world outside of the CMR or the lecture. It is horrible. Who writes this crap?

Yea, I was like WTF??

[Helpful]

I'm not sure if I really like or really hate the way the workshops are set up. I mean, it makes sense that they lump everything together by topic, and sometimes the workshop videos are good about how to attack certain questions, but I feel like it makes you feel as if everything is artificially easier. If you know the next X questions are hearsay questions, and then none of the other ones are, of COURSE it would be easier to figure out.

All of the workshops are the same. They go over whatever the barbri lecturers said are the major points in every subject and then throw in one or two specific laws (Congress having authority to police D.C., for example).

I watched evidence and crim law, and con law, but I have yet to touch the other ones, should I?

Personally, I haven't found the workshops useful. I find that that they just repeat what was said in the lecture and waste time, and if you have been "actively reviewing" those in whichever way you can, then you should be memorizing that anyway. I've been finding it much more useful to make flash cards, and then review the written explanations for the questions I got wrong. 99% of the time I got it wrong because it was simply some obscure point of law I didn't know that I just had to throw into my flash card deck to remember, or because it was a trickily worded question. With the lectures already spanning beyond 3 hours I don't know that it's worth the time.

I'm at ~40% on the Paced Program. I've been skipping the AMPs and just doing in depth flash card review instead. I don't check off what I don't do because I might want to go back to it later on if it turns out I have more time, but right now I'm just going to do what worked in law school, which was to focus on memorization and practice material.

[jd20132013]

The flashcard thing seemed interesting but I've never made flash cards in my life and can't imagine that starting a little over a month out would be good...

on a related note, is there anything that can be done for "active review of notes" besides making flashcards? Just reading those notes i took from the lecture over doesn't seem to be the best practice for the return you get but I don't know what else to do

[jd20132013]

Well, modification: just found this interesting site called flashcardmachine.com. Looks like You can make flashcards online there and have them quiz you as well as upload them to mobile devices.

I guess I'll try, but do you guys think it's worth the 2-2.5 hrs it'll take to put everything "flashcardable" from a day into flashcard form?

[Helpful]

I didn't mean that I put "everything" into flash cards. Just the difficult points and stuff I got wrong on the MBE. And yeah if you are a fast typer you can find a digital version and doesn't take nearly that much time. But I was just explaining something that I found more useful than sitting through the MBE workshops, since so far I feel that unlike the LSAT, you can't necessarily learn the "tricks" of the examiners, and it's more about just knowing as many points of substance as you can. All the workshops I listened included like 20 minutes of stuff they already covered in a lecture and I felt that that wasn't useful.

[Helpful]

On a separate note, I don't know if this is the best thread to ask this, but can people who have passed the bar talk about what percentage of the paced program they completed? I've spoken to people who said they only completed 60-70% and passed and am just curious what TLSers would have to say. (NY bar in my case, but other bars too if you wish.)