California Bar Exam (July 2014) thread Forum

[s1m4]

Have you guys done barbri's contracts yet? I'm on day two and find the amount of information really overwhelming. I've been going over lecture handout w the cmr but they aren't exactly aligned the same way logically. I'm understanding the concepts and everything but i'm just really confused as to what my source for memorization should be when it comes down to it. Should I rewrite my lecture notes omitting the hypos/make that my outline for memorization? I thought that was considered a waste of time.

After you do 2-3 sets of barbri's MBE problems, ull see that you have most of the material down. You learn actively by doing the problems. Then youre going to go over it again on the essay, and (even though you may not be able to recall it) the practice will help you get it down again.

[adonai]

Have you guys done barbri's contracts yet? I'm on day two and find the amount of information really overwhelming. I've been going over lecture handout w the cmr but they aren't exactly aligned the same way logically. I'm understanding the concepts and everything but i'm just really confused as to what my source for memorization should be when it comes down to it. Should I rewrite my lecture notes omitting the hypos/make that my outline for memorization? I thought that was considered a waste of time.

Contracts is freakin horrible. I really don't like Epstein's approach. That being said, what I've been doing is using the Essay Approach book as my outline template and filling it in with CMR and some lecture tidbits. I've all but abandoned the lecture and notes though. It's really hard to see a point when all you're doing during his lecture is writing "Yes" or "No" during the lecture without understanding wtf is going on and where he's going. No one is going to remember 256 hypos!

[K's Logic]

Now I see what everyone has been talking about re: poorly written Barbri questions. Some of them are so borderline that the suggested answers could be/are wrong. I sure as hell hope the actual MBE is a little more clear-cut with its fact patterns/answers.

[LSATNightmares]

Have you guys done barbri's contracts yet? I'm on day two and find the amount of information really overwhelming. I've been going over lecture handout w the cmr but they aren't exactly aligned the same way logically. I'm understanding the concepts and everything but i'm just really confused as to what my source for memorization should be when it comes down to it. Should I rewrite my lecture notes omitting the hypos/make that my outline for memorization? I thought that was considered a waste of time.

I have, and at first it was bad. But it gets better once you do the active learning part and do some problems. I never had the UCC, so it was a lot of work, but in the end I did well in the problems. Just keep up at it.

[a male human]

I see some of you guys are concerned about the MBE.

This is #2 of 5 things I did differently the second time to pass (LinkRemoved): Devote most, if not all, of your MBE practice with real questions. Use fake questions only for drilling specific weak subjects. More on that below.

Do you remember getting those $8 PrepTest booklets to study for the LSAT? Would you have used a collection of questions made by commercial prep courses? It would have felt wrong, like you were buying bootleg DVDs that you know weren’t the real thing. It’s like telling everyone you love law school~ but you know deep down you hate your school and yourself. It’s like telling yourself you can always look for a new girl, but you’re still obsessed with the one you let go.

Anyway, you don’t know whether the impostors are an accurate reflection of the format or the law actually tested.

“So where can I get MBE questions?”
- Emanuel’s Strategies & Tactics for the MBE Vols. 1 and 2 ($15-20 per used, about 800 questions total, highly recommended, 2009 version is fine)
- BarMax MBE app (2k+ questions, $99)

Did you review all the answers (i.e., explanations for choices A, B, C, and D for questions you got right and wrong) and still ran out? With the caveat that you’re aware that the MBE is worth only one-third of the CBX, do them again if you’re feeling weak. If you feel like you can only do them because you memorized the answers, that's also good because the real thing will look similar enough. I only did all of Vol. 1 and part of Vol. 2., and I think they do a good job of curating the most commonly tested areas.

“Should I practice filling in the bubbles?”
I just wrote down the answers on a piece of scratch paper because I figured the time it took was about the same. If you want to simulate the real thing, I suppose you could always print out or photocopy the answer sheets. I remember one thing my SAT book told me: The most efficient way to circle a bubble is to start from the center and spiral outward—clockwise if you are right handed. It’s supposed to be the fastest way to bubble them in. It definitely beats the scribbling and filling in empty spots.

As you practice your MBE questions, keep track of what you got right and wrong in each subject. You should aim to get a minimum of 65% right on each set of practice questions. Here are some of my analytics (ghetto at first).









Notice I arranged them in order of strength so I know where to study more. For me, property, torts, and contracts tended to be worse. Crim in general was good, but crim pro was horrible. This is useful data to surgically treat your weaknesses! Commercial prep material could be helpful in drilling weak areas since they separate questions by subject and are generally harder.

[sundance95]

Checking in. The level of angst/gunning in this thread is significantly higher than my own thus far; I've just been following the big stuff (i.e., no AMP) on the BarBri schedule. Not sure how to feel about that, but I think I'm okay with it. Two months is long enough that I'd burn out otherwise.

[LSATNightmares]

Is it just me, or is drafting an essay for Contracts extremely difficult? I find it hard to focus on the key issues. Sometimes I go off on a tangent. And there's so much ground to cover. I signed up for Bar Essays to get other samples of good essays and bad essays, but I still find it very difficult.

[puttycake]

Is it just me, or is drafting an essay for Contracts extremely difficult? I find it hard to focus on the key issues. Sometimes I go off on a tangent. And there's so much ground to cover. I signed up for Bar Essays to get other samples of good essays and bad essays, but I still find it very difficult.

Over the past two days, I've done four of them and I think I'm finally in the ballpark. Contracts is a weak subject for me generally, so I assumed it was just my lack of comprehension.

[Determination3]

Have you guys done barbri's contracts yet? I'm on day two and find the amount of information really overwhelming. I've been going over lecture handout w the cmr but they aren't exactly aligned the same way logically. I'm understanding the concepts and everything but i'm just really confused as to what my source for memorization should be when it comes down to it. Should I rewrite my lecture notes omitting the hypos/make that my outline for memorization? I thought that was considered a waste of time.

I've found that the best way to approach K is to follow this outline:

Applicable Law: UCC, Com Law or Mixed
Contract Formation-->offer(firm offer etc), acceptance, consideration
Defenses to K Formation (Staute of Fraud, Incapacity, Fraud Duress, etc)
Terms of K( Parol Evidence)
Performance
Excuse for Non-Performance(imposibility, impracticality, fraustration of purpose, anticipatory repudiation etc)
Breach
Damages
Third Paty

Obviously, depending on the question, some of these main headings will not be applicable. But generally K is pretty much set up like this.

[target]

checking in. Have been listening to the lectures without doing any practice. I think I would start doing questions this weekend or so.

ETA: I just received a letter from calbar saying an initial process for C&F determination has completed. Does anyone know what this mean?

[Evaly]

checking in. Have been listening to the lectures without doing any practice. I think I would start doing questions this weekend or so.

ETA: I just received a letter from calbar saying an initial process for C&F determination has completed. Does anyone know what this mean?

When did you submit your C&F? I submitted mine really late, just wondering how long is the process going to take.

[charcop]

It just means they're going to start the C&F investigation, i.e. send letters to your references. Mine took 6 months to complete.

[Jay Heizenburg]

Guess this is home for the next several weeks.

<Sigh>

The struggle is real . . .

[duskfall]

how long does the C&F app take to complete if you're applying as out-of-state attorney rather than a law grad? Do you think it'll be faster if I already passed the bar? Just took the Feb 2014 Cal Bar and passed.

[Carryon]

how long does the C&F app take to complete if you're applying as out-of-state attorney rather than a law grad? Do you think it'll be faster if I already passed the bar? Just took the Feb 2014 Cal Bar and passed.

I am interested in this question as well. I did see a post on another thread that said it took him about 4 months.

[jarofsoup]

I am trying to take 1 day off a week in order to have a bit of fun and to rejuvenate. Is this a good idea?

I usually end up working a little ahead in the paced program in order to free the day up.

Also are you guys consuming alcohol at all during bar prep. I have been drinking about 1 night a week.

[Evaly]

I am trying to take 1 day off a week in order to have a bit of fun and to rejuvenate. Is this a good idea?

I usually end up working a little ahead in the paced program in order to free the day up.

Also are you guys consuming alcohol at all during bar prep. I have been drinking about 1 night a week.

I am taking one day a week off even though I am not ahead in the paced program. I just concentrate better the rest of the week when I have one day to clear my head and do fun things.

[jarofsoup]

Have you guys done barbri's contracts yet? I'm on day two and find the amount of information really overwhelming. I've been going over lecture handout w the cmr but they aren't exactly aligned the same way logically. I'm understanding the concepts and everything but i'm just really confused as to what my source for memorization should be when it comes down to it. Should I rewrite my lecture notes omitting the hypos/make that my outline for memorization? I thought that was considered a waste of time.

I've found that the best way to approach K is to follow this outline:

Applicable Law: UCC, Com Law or Mixed
Contract Formation-->offer(firm offer etc), acceptance, consideration
Defenses to K Formation (Staute of Fraud, Incapacity, Fraud Duress, etc)
Terms of K( Parol Evidence)
Performance
Excuse for Non-Performance(imposibility, impracticality, fraustration of purpose, anticipatory repudiation etc)
Breach
Damages
Third Paty

Obviously, depending on the question, some of these main headings will not be applicable. But generally K is pretty much set up like this.

Armadillos From Texas Play Rap, Eat Tacos?

[lmr]

Thanks for all the responses think i like the way the essay book suggested outlining the responses.

Has anyone noticed how the contracts MBE questions for barbri are easier than past real mbe questions? What percentages should we be aiming for at this point? Also, I think amps are AWFUL i don't understand how this is really supposed to help us learn anything-i feel like it's an offensive waste of time but then i feel like i should be doing them bc i hear my classmates complaining about keeping up w them and start to feel like i'll be missing out of it don't keep up with them...

Also where does barbri get off trying to charge students $100+ for a mini review? it's really disgusting-we have no live instructors in our class-no real human being communicating w us at all where we can ask questions about particular study techniques and yet they feel empowered to ask us to just fork over more money for their mini review? I swear i would have been better off w kaplan...

Last point-the K material is A MESS. The lecture handout is not nearly enough information to answer real mbe questions and the cmr is an extremely lengthy mess-are we supposed to create a condensed outline of all the material ourselves? i feel like that's time away from practice essays and problems?

[adonai]

Not doing the AMPs frees up SO much time. You can actually outline and have time to rest at night.

[jarofsoup]

Thanks for all the responses think i like the way the essay book suggested outlining the responses.

Has anyone noticed how the contracts MBE questions for barbri are easier than past real mbe questions? What percentages should we be aiming for at this point? Also, I think amps are AWFUL i don't understand how this is really supposed to help us learn anything-i feel like it's an offensive waste of time but then i feel like i should be doing them bc i hear my classmates complaining about keeping up w them and start to feel like i'll be missing out of it don't keep up with them...

Also where does barbri get off trying to charge students $100+ for a mini review? it's really disgusting-we have no live instructors in our class-no real human being communicating w us at all where we can ask questions about particular study techniques and yet they feel empowered to ask us to just fork over more money for their mini review? I swear i would have been better off w kaplan...

Last point-the K material is A MESS. The lecture handout is not nearly enough information to answer real mbe questions and the cmr is an extremely lengthy mess-are we supposed to create a condensed outline of all the material ourselves? i feel like that's time away from practice essays and problems?

Anyone start bitching at barbri about K yet? It is really absurd.

[boboriley23]

Hi all,

Im taking the CBX this summer and am started to be real worried about the subjects that I never studied in law school (Corps, Wills, Trusts, Partnerships, Remedies, Agency). How are people approaching learning for those courses - since we are going to be learning them from scratch? I am currently following the Kaplan Model, which has only done MBE subjects so far, but I just worry that I won't be able to understand the topics well enough with only the few hours of instruction they give on each subject.

Thanks!

[boozehound]

I'm still hovering around 50% on everything, and BarBri's dumbass countdown calendar ("51 days until Bar Exam") is stressing me out. Jeesh! Come on BarBri . . . Hurry up an make me smart!!! Time's running out!

[zeth006]

Really starting to feel the burnout. Even with the 2 mile runs every other day and the daily meditations, the mental fatigue seems impossible to just work through.

The worse part is a few days behind schedule. Probably going to end my studying a bit earlier than usual today and prepare myself for super gunning it through Property and Con law Tuesday to Saturday.

[ilovesf]

I'm still hovering around 50% on everything, and BarBri's dumbass countdown calendar ("51 days until Bar Exam") is stressing me out. Jeesh! Come on BarBri . . . Hurry up an make me smart!!! Time's running out!

Yeah I feel like I have been doing terribly. I just checked how you rank compared to other students, and for torts I am in the 37th percentile. Lol.