Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2015 Exam Forum

[paulshortys10]

Because I decided to enjoy the latter half of my Fourth with burgers, booze, explosions, and Xbox, I had to knock out the Graded Essay and Milestone #2 today. It is now after 3:00 and I'm at 0.7% done for the day, and Themis now wants me to do another 34-question PQ set.

LOL, no.

Maybe I'll just bite the bullet and knock out the Secured Transactions shit. Then I'll be done with everything substantive and can just spend the next 3 weeks outlining, memorizing, drilling, and practicing.

Re. 80%ers, um, I've never gotten above 75% on a practice MBE set, and am typical closer to 65%, and just got 85%+ on milestone #2 (though I think that's more because the subjects I'm better at are in that set...I'm terrible at half of the subjects in milestone 1).

Property and COntracts are a real bitch. the fact patterns are way too long too.

[sd5289]

Because I decided to enjoy the latter half of my Fourth with burgers, booze, explosions, and Xbox, I had to knock out the Graded Essay and Milestone #2 today. It is now after 3:00 and I'm at 0.7% done for the day, and Themis now wants me to do another 34-question PQ set.

LOL, no.

Maybe I'll just bite the bullet and knock out the Secured Transactions shit. Then I'll be done with everything substantive and can just spend the next 3 weeks outlining, memorizing, drilling, and practicing.

Re. 80%ers, um, I've never gotten above 75% on a practice MBE set, and am typical closer to 65%, and just got 85%+ on milestone #2 (though I think that's more because the subjects I'm better at are in that set...I'm terrible at half of the subjects in milestone 1).

Property and COntracts are a real bitch. the fact patterns are way too long too.

K's kills me, always.

Property wouldn't suck as much except the fact patterns tend to be 12 pages long, and for chrissake no lender is granting a 5th mortgage on anything these days...

[kjartan]

Because I decided to enjoy the latter half of my Fourth with burgers, booze, explosions, and Xbox, I had to knock out the Graded Essay and Milestone #2 today. It is now after 3:00 and I'm at 0.7% done for the day, and Themis now wants me to do another 34-question PQ set.

LOL, no.

Maybe I'll just bite the bullet and knock out the Secured Transactions shit. Then I'll be done with everything substantive and can just spend the next 3 weeks outlining, memorizing, drilling, and practicing.

Re. 80%ers, um, I've never gotten above 75% on a practice MBE set, and am typical closer to 65%, and just got 85%+ on milestone #2 (though I think that's more because the subjects I'm better at are in that set...I'm terrible at half of the subjects in milestone 1).

Property and COntracts are a real bitch. the fact patterns are way too long too.

Property and Ks are (or were at least) my two best subjects.

[dunneab]

Just as a good sense impression:

I am averaging between 65-70% per individual MBE set.
The answer index would indicate that others are picking the correct answers 80% and upwards of the time.
Some people confirm that in their posts here.

Is it too low an average at this stage of the game? Is it a correct impression that people usu get higher?

you're assuming that the same 80% are consistently answering correctly.

No, I've factored that in for the most part - and there are questions which seem to be pitfalls for everyone.
Also, I have noted that sometimes Themis is not adding up the % correctly.

However, I will say that I was firmly on 50-60% in the last weeks and I pulled myself up to 65%, so it is possible.
I just wonder if it's enough, I don't seem to be missing the point when I get it down to two last answers.

[dunneab]

Just as a good sense impression:

I am averaging between 65-70% per individual MBE set.
The answer index would indicate that others are picking the correct answers 80% and upwards of the time.
Some people confirm that in their posts here.

Is it too low an average at this stage of the game? Is it a correct impression that people usu get higher?

This is around where I am at. got 73% on the Milestone 2, but just got 65 on a 34mbe mixed set (probably because I forgot K's and prop?). I'm going to try to do 50 questions a day from now on (i have Emmanuel's book and a lot of questions left on Themis).

I still do not feel good about some of the essay topics though.

What's Emmanuel's book? (i'm a foreign applicant... don't have a clue about resources)
As per the essay topics, in the interests of cherrypicking points, I have started underlying words/terms of art in the facts which I explain as a way to get more points and buy myself time to figure it out. It makes me take it step by step.

Also, it think it can also be good to explain the difference between CL and NY if there's time, that way I make sure I don't confuse it when I write.

[adevine39]

Because I decided to enjoy the latter half of my Fourth with burgers, booze, explosions, and Xbox, I had to knock out the Graded Essay and Milestone #2 today. It is now after 3:00 and I'm at 0.7% done for the day, and Themis now wants me to do another 34-question PQ set.

LOL, no.

Maybe I'll just bite the bullet and knock out the Secured Transactions shit. Then I'll be done with everything substantive and can just spend the next 3 weeks outlining, memorizing, drilling, and practicing.

Re. 80%ers, um, I've never gotten above 75% on a practice MBE set, and am typical closer to 65%, and just got 85%+ on milestone #2 (though I think that's more because the subjects I'm better at are in that set...I'm terrible at half of the subjects in milestone 1).

Property and COntracts are a real bitch. the fact patterns are way too long too.

Property and Ks are (or were at least) my two best subjects.

I've been shocked at what my "best" subjects have turned out to be. I stank at ConLaw, Crim, and Evidence in LS, and rocked out Ks and Civ Pro. On the MBE, I've been getting killed by K's and Civ Pro, but doing pretty well in the other three. The two exception are Torts, which I did ok in and am doing ok on now, and Property, which made me its bitch in LS and continues to have its way with me now.

[Velours]

Just as a good sense impression:

I am averaging between 65-70% per individual MBE set.
The answer index would indicate that others are picking the correct answers 80% and upwards of the time.
Some people confirm that in their posts here.

Is it too low an average at this stage of the game? Is it a correct impression that people usu get higher?

you're assuming that the same 80% are consistently answering correctly.

No, I've factored that in for the most part - and there are questions which seem to be pitfalls for everyone.
Also, I have noted that sometimes Themis is not adding up the % correctly.

However, I will say that I was firmly on 50-60% in the last weeks and I pulled myself up to 65%, so it is possible.
I just wonder if it's enough, I don't seem to be missing the point when I get it down to two last answers.

My overall percentage has fluctuated between 68 and 64%. I have only gotten over 75% on a few sets. I feel pretty decent about where I'm sitting currently. I'm aiming for 70-75% by the end of July.

[sd5289]

Secured transactions in a nutshell:

[jadasistgoodja]

This Secured Transactions guy is putting me to sleep . . .

I felt myself getting angry at him so I had to go outside and calm myself down

He also doesn't quite follow the lecture handout, so I have quite a few blank lines...

I think that was that was the major source of the anger

Also that he couldn't be understood at 2x speed

[somuchbooty]

Someone mentioned some website proving 10 sample MBE questions for each subject. How do I find those? I'm kind of frustrated with Themis' civ pro questions and wanted to know else was out there?

[sd5289]

Someone mentioned some website proving 10 sample MBE questions for each subject. How do I find those? I'm kind of frustrated with Themis' civ pro questions and wanted to know else was out there?

Here you go for Civ Pro.

Here's the larger sample for everything.

Source: NY Bar Exam site redirection to the NCBE site.

[zot1]

Secured transactions in a nutshell:

Lol pretty much

[sd5289]

Secured transactions in a nutshell:

Lol pretty much

I'm getting to the point where I'm hoping the bar examiners will let me communicate my thoughts in gif form.

[somuchbooty]

Someone mentioned some website proving 10 sample MBE questions for each subject. How do I find those? I'm kind of frustrated with Themis' civ pro questions and wanted to know else was out there?

Here you go for Civ Pro.

Here's the larger sample for everything.

Source: NY Bar Exam site redirection to the NCBE site.

Thanks! Have you tried those $50 practice exams they offer by chance? I'm guessing they aren't worth it, and I think I'm going to do AdaptiBar anyway to hopefully kill the MBE to make up for my inability to write a competent essay.

[sd5289]

Someone mentioned some website proving 10 sample MBE questions for each subject. How do I find those? I'm kind of frustrated with Themis' civ pro questions and wanted to know else was out there?

Here you go for Civ Pro.

Here's the larger sample for everything.

Source: NY Bar Exam site redirection to the NCBE site.

Thanks! Have you tried those $50 practice exams they offer by chance? I'm guessing they aren't worth it, and I think I'm going to do AdaptiBar anyway to hopefully kill the MBE to make up for my inability to write a competent essay.

I think I'm gonna do these after the MBE simulation this week. I haven't tried the ones they have to buy, but I've actually heard good things about the Emmanuel's MBE book, so might invest in that.

[smalogna]

NY takers, I highly recommend (yes it's more money spent on bar studying but only $30) lean sheets. They are very comprehensive and accurate with state distinctions and blends them well with MBE stuff. I just did a corps practice essay and crushed it thanks to reviewing the lean sheets after one read through the Themis lecture outline.

[sd5289]

If the Secured Transactions guy says "this is an incredibly bar testable area" ONE MORE TIME...

It doesn't help when you're saying it on *everything* you're covering.

[NonJuris]

.

[kgus22]

NY takers, I highly recommend (yes it's more money spent on bar studying but only $30) lean sheets. They are very comprehensive and accurate with state distinctions and blends them well with MBE stuff. I just did a corps practice essay and crushed it thanks to reviewing the lean sheets after one read through the Themis lecture outline.

oo they have NY specific ones?! i've been dreading making my own power outlines, especially for NY topics. are they just for the MBE topics or for local topics as well?

[smalogna]

NY takers, I highly recommend (yes it's more money spent on bar studying but only $30) lean sheets. They are very comprehensive and accurate with state distinctions and blends them well with MBE stuff. I just did a corps practice essay and crushed it thanks to reviewing the lean sheets after one read through the Themis lecture outline.

oo they have NY specific ones?! i've been dreading making my own power outlines, especially for NY topics. are they just for the MBE topics or for local topics as well?

It's only state specific so they cover all MBE topics and state specific topics. When the rule is a distinction in NY they will only include the NY distinction. Essentially, it blends the MBE law that is unchanged by NY with the NY distinctions and points of law to give you one comprehensive outline. All that is left out is MBE law that has been changed by NY but we have that more than well covered by themis. If you like their page on FBook they give you a coupon code for 20% off too. www.leansheets.com

[zot1]

Secured transactions in a nutshell:

Lol pretty much

I'm getting to the point where I'm hoping the bar examiners will let me communicate my thoughts in gif form.

If only one could...

[zor]

I am obviously way behind but oh my GOD I do not know if I can watch this NY Practice/CPLR guy. He repeats everything twice, he repeats everything twice. I AM LOSING IT, I AM LOSING IT.

[misterjames]

I am obviously way behind but oh my GOD I do not know if I can watch this NY Practice/CPLR guy. He repeats everything twice, he repeats everything twice. I AM LOSING IT, I AM LOSING IT.

yes holy shit, at first i wasn't sure but by the 4th chapter i realized he was literally saying every point twice

[zot1]

Alright, after review the lecture handout slowly and reading the final review outline, SecTrans is not so bad (that's a good name for it, right?). Which confirms that the professor was just over-the-top bad.

[smalogna]

Alright, after review the lecture handout slowly and reading the final review outline, SecTrans is not so bad (that's a good name for it, right?). Which confirms that the professor was just over-the-top bad.

My sec trans lectures aren't scheduled until a week from today...

I'm taking NY and MA but still looks like I fell very far behind