July 2016 California Bar Exam Forum

[BuenAbogado]

Hey hope everyone is doing well. I failed July 14 and Feb 15 and then passed July 15.

You guys can do this.

Start trying to write all sample essays nearly verbatim. Don't move on until you know it close to verbatim.

These issues keep repeating. The fringe issues are helpful to know but the majority of the points awarded are on the major issues that repeat.

Think of it this way - in crim, knowing search and seizure is the ice cream, knowing the rules about cruel and unusual punishment and bail amounts is the sprinkles. You're good with just ice cream, but not with just sprinkles.

[a male human]

Just to clarify, we should be shooting to get roughly 125/190 or roughly 65% correct for the MBE? This means we should be getting close to 70% of all the mbe practice questions we do?

I would shoot for at least 130-135 in practice. That's 65-67.5%. At least the same percentage on the real thing, which would be 124-129. That's about your "passing" mark.

Why did you change the % for practice questions? Do give yourself a buffer?

[Fivethumbs]

Does anyone know if keyboard is permitted? Since I am a slow typist, I am thinking using keyboard may help me a bit.

If so, does anyone have any recommendations? I am using Macbook Air.

Thanks!!

You can bring a wired or wireless keyboard and/or mouse. I brought a wired keyboard (I did not want battery issues while typing) and a wireless mouse. I am a slow typist especially on a laptop. The external keyboard made the difference for me.

[flippy]

Does anyone know if keyboard is permitted? Since I am a slow typist, I am thinking using keyboard may help me a bit.

If so, does anyone have any recommendations? I am using Macbook Air.

Thanks!!

You can bring a wired or wireless keyboard and/or mouse. I brought a wired keyboard (I did not want battery issues while typing) and a wireless mouse. I am a slow typist especially on a laptop. The external keyboard made the difference for me.

Definitely agree about bringing an external mouse. While working on essays and performance tests, it is SO much easier to quickly scroll through, and cut and paste when you need to move things around. Also, I would recommend bringing a laptop fan to avoid overheating, or even just something to prop up the back a little. My friend's laptop overheated and needed to be restarted multiple times during the last exam. Prepare for everything!

[flippy]

How far along is everybody in bar prep? How many topics done? Are you guys sticking to 1 topic a day?

Woah! How is 1 topic a day even possible? What exactly does a day entail? I'm spending about 3-4 days per topic and even that doesn't feel like enough.

I'm doing self-study this round and I don't feel that I'm as far along as should be. I'm using my tutor from Feb 2016's plan but since I'm working, I have to adjust it so much. I have completed Torts, Crim Law, Crim Pro, Property, Con Law, Evidence (and some of K) - but I have not been able to complete as many essays per topic as I know I should.

I did 2-3 days per topic (more for Property and Evidence). I'm on Civ Pro now and will need to spend more days on it.

I'm at 350 MBEs with Adaptibar (trying to do a few before work and after work). I have attempted 4 PTs but have yet to finish one in the allotted time.

Argh...I have a long way to go! I hope everyone is having a great study period!

WOW! You are way ahead of the game I feel like... I'm only finishing up my third topic and starting the 4th (out of the 7 MBE topics). I haven't done any practice essays really, just MBE (approx. 500 of them thus far) since thats where my score was weak first time around.... I know I shouldn't neglect the essays/PT's, so I'm gonna have to change my approach for the upcoming 6 weeks... at least outline 1-3 essays a day. I just don't know how to speed up everything... i'm much slower this time around especially with wanting to review EVERYTHING. My study schedule needs to be replaced with ACTIVE PRACTICING. I feel very behind and almost considering postponing to Feb 17' :/

I started a few weeks before results came out because knew I messed the PTs up. I don't feel ahead. I'm just trying not to get stuck on one subject. I'll have to go back to some before the overall review. I 100% agree with ACTIVE PRACTICING. Don't postpone. You will feel more comfortable once you jump into writing or at least outlining to start; but you have to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and keep moving each day. You can do it!

That's right. You don't get better at the bar without actually practicing what you do on the bar -- identifying issues and reciting rules.

Have the courage to make mistakes. Your ego won't like that you keep fucking up, but would you rather fail now or when it actually counts?

My ego has certainly been taking a beating lately I thought my brain was more capable than this. But you are absolutely right. It's better to make mistakes now and try to work through them rather than on test day.

The last couple weeks, I have been limiting myself to 2 subjects per day for practice essays, but I am not writing out full answers. Just issue spotting and outlining. I feel like issue spotting is the most important, and that you can get through a lot more essay questions that way. I also like keeping my notes handy, so I can refer to them if I really need it. That way I feel like I'm practicing and also reviewing at the same time.

Also, I like switching subjects each day so that I don't end up with too long a gap after reviewing a particular subject.

[rcharter1978]

Does anyone know if keyboard is permitted? Since I am a slow typist, I am thinking using keyboard may help me a bit.

If so, does anyone have any recommendations? I am using Macbook Air.

Thanks!!

You can bring a wired or wireless keyboard and/or mouse. I brought a wired keyboard (I did not want battery issues while typing) and a wireless mouse. I am a slow typist especially on a laptop. The external keyboard made the difference for me.

Definitely agree about bringing an external mouse. While working on essays and performance tests, it is SO much easier to quickly scroll through, and cut and paste when you need to move things around. Also, I would recommend bringing a laptop fan to avoid overheating, or even just something to prop up the back a little. My friend's laptop overheated and needed to be restarted multiple times during the last exam. Prepare for everything!

sweet baby jebus...yes to an external mouse!

I think I bought one for like $15 at target and it was an absolute lifesaver during the bar exam.

[MsAvocadoPit]

Maybe this has been posted elsewhere, but I wanted to share anyway: My friend sent me this link to a bar score calculator, it has really been helpful to put my individual scores into perspective, with the "big picture" in mind. https://one-timers.com/one-timers-bar-exam-calculator/

Enjoy!

[naenae2745]

Thanks for this. Is that 128/200 or 128/190?

[a male human]

Thanks for this. Is that 128/200 or 128/190?

Should be 190 assuming they're using the table that converts raw (out of 190) to scaled to calculate the comp score

[alicen]

For essays, what are you guys thinking about spotting and writing about issues that aren't intended or listed in sample answers? I'm finding in my bar prep program (Themis) that I've often written about a bunch of issues that weren't in the sample answers (in addition to the issues that are in the sample answers). Is that frowned upon by the essay graders? Or does it have no effect on your score?

[alicen]

Hey hope everyone is doing well. I failed July 14 and Feb 15 and then passed July 15.

You guys can do this.

Start trying to write all sample essays nearly verbatim. Don't move on until you know it close to verbatim.

These issues keep repeating. The fringe issues are helpful to know but the majority of the points awarded are on the major issues that repeat.

Think of it this way - in crim, knowing search and seizure is the ice cream, knowing the rules about cruel and unusual punishment and bail amounts is the sprinkles. You're good with just ice cream, but not with just sprinkles.

Thank you for your encouragement! Congrats on passing in July 15--that must've been an awesome feeling.

[a male human]

For essays, what are you guys thinking about spotting and writing about issues that aren't intended or listed in sample answers? I'm finding in my bar prep program (Themis) that I've often written about a bunch of issues that weren't in the sample answers (in addition to the issues that are in the sample answers). Is that frowned upon by the essay graders? Or does it have no effect on your score?

I would try to stick to as many relevant issues as possible.

If you just throw the kitchen sink: At best, you'll waste precious time. At worst, you'll annoy graders or make them think you don't know what's important. Every 5 points count.

See the essay instructions:
“Your answer should be complete, but you should not volunteer information or discuss legal doctrines that are not pertinent to the solution of the problem.”

[Raiden]

For essays, what are you guys thinking about spotting and writing about issues that aren't intended or listed in sample answers? I'm finding in my bar prep program (Themis) that I've often written about a bunch of issues that weren't in the sample answers (in addition to the issues that are in the sample answers). Is that frowned upon by the essay graders? Or does it have no effect on your score?

I would try to stick to as many relevant issues as possible.

If you just throw the kitchen sink: At best, you'll waste precious time. At worst, you'll annoy graders or make them think you don't know what's important. Every 5 points count.

See the essay instructions:
“Your answer should be complete, but you should not volunteer information or discuss legal doctrines that are not pertinent to the solution of the problem.”

Couldn't agree anymore. Remember you want to be a precise on the essays. You want to be like a lazer, not a shotgun. There is a reason you are told to be a sheep: the sheep are only hitting the relevant issues, the over achievers are trying to make novel, tangential arguements with issues, which ultimately hurts them.

[Ibis305]

3 weeks left. Good luck everyone!

I came across this... https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bar-exam ... ublished=u

Who cares what the stats are. Let's all kill this thing.

[a male human]

For essays, what are you guys thinking about spotting and writing about issues that aren't intended or listed in sample answers? I'm finding in my bar prep program (Themis) that I've often written about a bunch of issues that weren't in the sample answers (in addition to the issues that are in the sample answers). Is that frowned upon by the essay graders? Or does it have no effect on your score?

I would try to stick to as many relevant issues as possible.

If you just throw the kitchen sink: At best, you'll waste precious time. At worst, you'll annoy graders or make them think you don't know what's important. Every 5 points count.

See the essay instructions:
“Your answer should be complete, but you should not volunteer information or discuss legal doctrines that are not pertinent to the solution of the problem.”

Couldn't agree anymore. Remember you want to be a precise on the essays. You want to be like a lazer, not a shotgun. There is a reason you are told to be a sheep: the sheep are only hitting the relevant issues, the over achievers are trying to make novel, tangential arguements with issues, which ultimately hurts them.

Hmm, I like the analogy. I want people to blend in, yet be overachievers and pass (by overachieving in the right areas). I guess I would say, don't be a tryhard doing unnecessary things.

[Rap Genius]

Memorization.

Hello everyone, what are you guys using to memorize the law in these final weeks? I have Critical Pass cards with hundreds of cards to memorize, and Kaplan's Bar Points book. Do you know if the Bar Points is Kaplan's equivalent of Barbri's Conviser? Have others attempted to memorize the Critical Pass cards?

Also, anyone care to share their memorization techniques or schedules?

[a male human]

Memorization.

Hello everyone, what are you guys using to memorize the law in these final weeks? I have Critical Pass cards with hundreds of cards to memorize, and Kaplan's Bar Points book. Do you know if the Bar Points is Kaplan's equivalent of Barbri's Conviser? Have others attempted to memorize the Critical Pass cards?

Also, anyone care to share their memorization techniques or schedules?

Yup, Bar Points (the half-inch thick one?) is the summarized version of the big outlines. However, I didn't like it as much as the Conviser. Conviser is pretty much a full outline, and you can look into the big outline if you need extra information. Bar Points should be more condensed because for the information inside, you don't really understand or see much.

I used my own outlines to memorize since I'm not much of a flashcard guy. Law in a Flash was good for learning by solving and for really tough ones to memorize (some Evidence rules for me). Memorization approaches I used are described here in detail:

http://www.makethisyourlasttime.com/201 ... -bar-exam/

I recommend that, by the end of the month, you spend at most 1/3 of your time memorizing/learning and spend the rest of your time practicing and improving. Practicing will do multi-duty of actually doing what you do on the bar, implementing what you know, and remembering things in the process (by repeated recall).

[KD35]

Memorization.

Hello everyone, what are you guys using to memorize the law in these final weeks? I have Critical Pass cards with hundreds of cards to memorize, and Kaplan's Bar Points book. Do you know if the Bar Points is Kaplan's equivalent of Barbri's Conviser? Have others attempted to memorize the Critical Pass cards?

Also, anyone care to share their memorization techniques or schedules?

Others do outlines, I do flash cards. So I made my own flash cards for each subject. I have been doing 1 topic of flash cards each day for the past week, and now starting to do that at the end of each night based on what I have to do the next day and where I feel like I'm struggling. The flash cards have the bare bone basics, and then every time I have done an essay or MBE testing a more anal/nuanced topic, I've made a new flash card for it.
For the sub-topics I struggle more in, I'm reviewing the big outline to clarify and solidify.
Going forward, I'm planning on doing flash cards of a topic in the morning and a separate topic in the evening, with the morning one being the topic I need to focus most on that day.

[Rap Genius]

Thank you Male Human and KD.

[Rap Genius]

Memorization.

Hello everyone, what are you guys using to memorize the law in these final weeks? I have Critical Pass cards with hundreds of cards to memorize, and Kaplan's Bar Points book. Do you know if the Bar Points is Kaplan's equivalent of Barbri's Conviser? Have others attempted to memorize the Critical Pass cards?

Also, anyone care to share their memorization techniques or schedules?

Yup, Bar Points (the half-inch thick one?) is the summarized version of the big outlines. However, I didn't like it as much as the Conviser. Conviser is pretty much a full outline, and you can look into the big outline if you need extra information. Bar Points should be more condensed because for the information inside, you don't really understand or see much.

I used my own outlines to memorize since I'm not much of a flashcard guy. Law in a Flash was good for learning by solving and for really tough ones to memorize (some Evidence rules for me). Memorization approaches I used are described here in detail:

http://www.makethisyourlasttime.com/201 ... -bar-exam/

I recommend that, by the end of the month, you spend at most 1/3 of your time memorizing/learning and spend the rest of your time practicing and improving. Practicing will do multi-duty of actually doing what you do on the bar, implementing what you know, and remembering things in the process (by repeated recall).

Good post although I am building mnemonics of mnemonics. So far it is helping. I guess at some point I will realize when enough is enough.

[a male human]

Memorization.

Hello everyone, what are you guys using to memorize the law in these final weeks? I have Critical Pass cards with hundreds of cards to memorize, and Kaplan's Bar Points book. Do you know if the Bar Points is Kaplan's equivalent of Barbri's Conviser? Have others attempted to memorize the Critical Pass cards?

Also, anyone care to share their memorization techniques or schedules?

Yup, Bar Points (the half-inch thick one?) is the summarized version of the big outlines. However, I didn't like it as much as the Conviser. Conviser is pretty much a full outline, and you can look into the big outline if you need extra information. Bar Points should be more condensed because for the information inside, you don't really understand or see much.

I used my own outlines to memorize since I'm not much of a flashcard guy. Law in a Flash was good for learning by solving and for really tough ones to memorize (some Evidence rules for me). Memorization approaches I used are described here in detail:

http://www.makethisyourlasttime.com/201 ... -bar-exam/

I recommend that, by the end of the month, you spend at most 1/3 of your time memorizing/learning and spend the rest of your time practicing and improving. Practicing will do multi-duty of actually doing what you do on the bar, implementing what you know, and remembering things in the process (by repeated recall).

Good post although I am building mnemonics of mnemonics. So far it is helping. I guess at some point I will realize when enough is enough.

Thanks, I won't judge if it's helpful to you!

[naenae2745]

if you're hitting just the avg. on the barbri MPQ, is this cause for concern at this stage in the game? shouldn't i be hitting higher to have a buffer? seem to be doing better on adapitbar, but there's no consensus as to which questions are a more accurate predictor

[a male human]

Given that AdaptiBar uses real, licensed questions, I would use that as an indicator.

Barbri questions are "harder" in that they are not in the same style as actual MBE questions, the questions tend to be longer and more convoluted, and the answer choices less distinguishable. Of course you'll get more of them wrong. They are not hard for the right reasons. Part of the "big box" fearmongering. Supposedly, doing "harder" questions will make actual questions easier to do, but I disagree because you want to use in practice what you'll see on the exam. Moreover, when you're in panic mode, everything flies out the window. Even if you think the questions are "easier," you still won't be completely familiar with the "real" style of questions.

If you want to make it harder or give yourself a buffer, try to answer each question in 1.5 minutes or something (instead of 1.8). Or you could completely disregard this since you say there is no consensus.

[phan]

Is it just me or was the Barbri CA trusts lecturer way off point? I just did the assessment multiple choice questions and the "right" choices go completely against what the lecturer's outline

[Stupiddreams]

Since Trust has just been tested in the Feb. exam, and it is not a subject that traditionally will come up consecutively, can I assume it will not appear on this exam?