Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam Forum

Discussions related to the bar exam are found in this forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting

Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about bar exam prep. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.

Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
j1987

Bronze
Posts: 103
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:37 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by j1987 » Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:42 pm

Tanicius wrote:SilverE2 wrote:
My MBE scores are still all over the place. I'll get 75% on a 50 question mixed set one day, and then get 52% on a mixed set the next day. Wut. I tell myself that some sets must be harder than others...but I know that it's probably my fault.


Seriously though, some sets are harder for different people than others. And that will happen on the real thing too. You'll go 20 questions straight in one quarter of the test without getting a single question wrong, and then in another quarter you'll get 8 questions wrong in a row.
This happened to me today. I've been doing really well on the MBE PQs, and then today, both sets I've done, I've had a ton wrong in a row. I'm glad I'm not the only one having this issue.

094320

Gold
Posts: 4086
Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 5:27 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by 094320 » Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:45 pm

..

j1987

Bronze
Posts: 103
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:37 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by j1987 » Sat Jul 19, 2014 9:49 pm

numbertwo88 wrote:
iLoveFruits&Veggies wrote:It's a super duper stressful study day. So difficult to stay focused. Feels like panic is setting in and I'm all over the place. Too many subjects, not enough memorization, a big mess, notes everywhere... bouncing back and forth between big outlines, little outlines, issue lists, and a bagillion study-aid books and model answers... and now that I've been studying for the essays, I feel like I'm going to lose ground on the MBEs, which adds more stress. I fear it will be like this each day till the exam. I don't like this feeling :cry: and I feel like I don't know anything or at least not enough. One of those days where you think the several hundred bucks you're about to spend on the hotel would be better spent on the Feb 2015 Bar Exam fee lol.
I couldn't focus much today either so I just took it off after making my condensed contracts attack outline (which took so much longer than I thought it would but I'm happy it's just 2 pages now) & 2 contracts practice essays. I try to keep my weekends lighter.

I'm feeling the same way about the MBEs but if I don't get ALL essay topics down, via mini-essay attack outlines, by Wednesday I believe I am fucked. I also feel like I don't know enough either. Hopefully come exam day, we'll all know just enough to pass for this alleged "minimum competency" test.

& I've cried so much studying for the bar exam it has made me question my sanity for wanting to become an attorney. I don't know why it's made me overly emotional and easily annoyed.
I cried today when a sappy ad came on a youtube video, so don't worry, I'm right there with you.

071816

Platinum
Posts: 5507
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:06 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by 071816 » Sat Jul 19, 2014 10:08 pm

Out of curiosity, what percentage of the course have you guys completed as of now? I'm at 85%.

User avatar
whirledpeas86

Silver
Posts: 1390
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2010 2:07 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by whirledpeas86 » Sat Jul 19, 2014 11:21 pm

j1987 wrote:
numbertwo88 wrote:
iLoveFruits&Veggies wrote:It's a super duper stressful study day. So difficult to stay focused. Feels like panic is setting in and I'm all over the place. Too many subjects, not enough memorization, a big mess, notes everywhere... bouncing back and forth between big outlines, little outlines, issue lists, and a bagillion study-aid books and model answers... and now that I've been studying for the essays, I feel like I'm going to lose ground on the MBEs, which adds more stress. I fear it will be like this each day till the exam. I don't like this feeling :cry: and I feel like I don't know anything or at least not enough. One of those days where you think the several hundred bucks you're about to spend on the hotel would be better spent on the Feb 2015 Bar Exam fee lol.
I couldn't focus much today either so I just took it off after making my condensed contracts attack outline (which took so much longer than I thought it would but I'm happy it's just 2 pages now) & 2 contracts practice essays. I try to keep my weekends lighter.

I'm feeling the same way about the MBEs but if I don't get ALL essay topics down, via mini-essay attack outlines, by Wednesday I believe I am fucked. I also feel like I don't know enough either. Hopefully come exam day, we'll all know just enough to pass for this alleged "minimum competency" test.

& I've cried so much studying for the bar exam it has made me question my sanity for wanting to become an attorney. I don't know why it's made me overly emotional and easily annoyed.
I cried today when a sappy ad came on a youtube video, so don't worry, I'm right there with you.

Image

Seriously, I constantly feel like I'm on the verge of throwing up out of anxiety. FML.

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


User avatar
Tanicius

Gold
Posts: 2984
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:54 am

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by Tanicius » Sat Jul 19, 2014 11:53 pm

acrossthelake wrote:
SilverE2 wrote:
acrossthelake wrote:Went through and reviewed every MBE PQ I got wrong...and I do mean every...including all the subject-organized ones. Then shot up from avg 70% right to 85% today. It's worth doing.
How long did this take you? I've been spending a few hours a day doing MBE questions, then the rest of the day doing state specific stuff. Might do this tomorrow instead of doing MBE questions. Also, did you try to re-answer them? Or just straight up review them?
I intersperse with breaks so it's hard to say, but 2-3 days. I tried to re-answer all of them (only ones I got wrong).
Gotta love the crappy interface that forces you to have to look through every individual set of questions you ever took instead of allowing you to look at all the wrong questions you got in a topic or sub-topic, like Contract Formation. Nope. Gotta keep our 1999 website software, hell or highwater.

Apple Tree

Bronze
Posts: 421
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 2:19 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by Apple Tree » Sun Jul 20, 2014 12:20 am

I know like I should be more positive, but I just couldn't help feeling like I'm gonna fail. Looking at these essays just makes me want to cry. I almost just want to stop studying.

Lilly76

New
Posts: 60
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2013 1:28 am

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by Lilly76 » Sun Jul 20, 2014 12:34 am

Apple Tree wrote:I know like I should be more positive, but I just couldn't help feeling like I'm gonna fail. Looking at these essays just makes me want to cry. I almost just want to stop studying.
You are not alone. The essays terrify me right now. I do one practice essay and it's incredibly easy and I feel like I got this, then the next one is incredibly hard and I feel like I'm going to fail. I just keep telling myself to write whatever I know even if it's imperfect because it will get points.

User avatar
iLoveFruits&Veggies

Bronze
Posts: 215
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by iLoveFruits&Veggies » Sun Jul 20, 2014 12:50 am

Lilly76 wrote:
Apple Tree wrote:I know like I should be more positive, but I just couldn't help feeling like I'm gonna fail. Looking at these essays just makes me want to cry. I almost just want to stop studying.
You are not alone. The essays terrify me right now. I do one practice essay and it's incredibly easy and I feel like I got this, then the next one is incredibly hard and I feel like I'm going to fail. I just keep telling myself to write whatever I know even if it's imperfect because it will get points.
I'm in the same boat :oops: Doom and gloom here. But I just remembered something. I know someone who's really smart and she failed the bar 3 times. And I know someone who didn't seem to know anything and she passed it the first time. And I was just reading about an essay that the Bar graders gave an 80 and the author of the book pointed out how it was SUPER undeserved (received way too high of a score - total fluke! it happens!). So who knows! Maybe we'll get lucky too! Just give it your all, and hope for the best!

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


numbertwo88

Bronze
Posts: 271
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:00 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by numbertwo88 » Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:01 am

chimp wrote:Out of curiosity, what percentage of the course have you guys completed as of now? I'm at 85%.
I'm at 73%. I refuse to watch the simulated MBE videos so I won't be reaching 100% so I'm aiming for 90%

I figure I'll keep studying until the 28th, take the 29th off to meditate and pray, and then it's here :cry:

It's hard balancing MBE review while doing essay preparation. 12 hour days every day this week :(

numbertwo88

Bronze
Posts: 271
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:00 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by numbertwo88 » Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:04 am

iLoveFruits&Veggies wrote:
Lilly76 wrote:
Apple Tree wrote:I know like I should be more positive, but I just couldn't help feeling like I'm gonna fail. Looking at these essays just makes me want to cry. I almost just want to stop studying.
You are not alone. The essays terrify me right now. I do one practice essay and it's incredibly easy and I feel like I got this, then the next one is incredibly hard and I feel like I'm going to fail. I just keep telling myself to write whatever I know even if it's imperfect because it will get points.
I'm in the same boat :oops: Doom and gloom here. But I just remembered something. I know someone who's really smart and she failed the bar 3 times. And I know someone who didn't seem to know anything and she passed it the first time. And I was just reading about an essay that the Bar graders gave an 80 and the author of the book pointed out how it was SUPER undeserved (received way too high of a score - total fluke! it happens!). So who knows! Maybe we'll get lucky too! Just give it your all, and hope for the best!
Totally horrible, but I think of people in law school who were not exactly the "brightest" who passed. Or I'll remember an attorney I observed in court and think, if he/she can do it, I'll be damned if I cannot.

legalmindedfella

Bronze
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 2:46 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by legalmindedfella » Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:22 am

I'm at 28% complete. This is not going to go well.

Lilly76

New
Posts: 60
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2013 1:28 am

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by Lilly76 » Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:29 am

legalmindedfella wrote:I'm at 28% complete. This is not going to go well.
You're joking, right?

Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


legalmindedfella

Bronze
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 2:46 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by legalmindedfella » Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:34 am

Lilly76 wrote:
legalmindedfella wrote:I'm at 28% complete. This is not going to go well.
You're joking, right?
Not in the slightest. Ah well.

User avatar
iLoveFruits&Veggies

Bronze
Posts: 215
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by iLoveFruits&Veggies » Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:40 am

legalmindedfella wrote:
Lilly76 wrote:
legalmindedfella wrote:I'm at 28% complete. This is not going to go well.
You're joking, right?
Not in the slightest. Ah well.
Many folks don't take any bar review course and pass, so have hope! I just always remember the phrase, "it's a marathon, not a sprint" so whatever your study plan is/was, that's good advice to keep in mind... however you go about learning ALL of this $%#@!. :roll:

User avatar
kapital98

Silver
Posts: 1188
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:58 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by kapital98 » Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:56 am

legalmindedfella wrote:I'm at 28% complete. This is not going to go well.
Are you studying part time? What state? You could probably skip all the videos (~20% of the program) and still be fine as long as you are good at memorizing outlines. You could also skip many of the minor subjects and still do decent. Really, as long as you are doing well on the MBE you'll have a 50/50 shot no matter what. Most of the MBE material is taught in 1L courses. So that helps also.

dtl

Bronze
Posts: 305
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:08 am

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by dtl » Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:57 am

Anyone know if we should be talking about mutuality at all as a factor in specific performance? The Themis outline seems to be a bit different than most other ones I can find.

Themis gives us:
  • Valid Contract
  • The contract terms must be sufficiently certain
  • Conditions Satisfied by P
  • Inadequacy of Legal Remedies
  • Relief must be equitable and
  • Feasibility of Enforcement.
but this seems to be more the norm:
  • Valid Contract
  • Conditions Satisfied by P
  • Inadequacy of Legal Remedies
  • Feasibility of Enforcement
  • Mutuality

Get unlimited access to all forums and topics

Register now!

I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...


legalmindedfella

Bronze
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 2:46 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by legalmindedfella » Sun Jul 20, 2014 2:03 am

kapital98 wrote:
legalmindedfella wrote:I'm at 28% complete. This is not going to go well.
Are you studying part time? What state? You could probably skip all the videos (~20% of the program) and still be fine as long as you are good at memorizing outlines. You could also skip many of the minor subjects and still do decent. Really, as long as you are doing well on the MBE you'll have a 50/50 shot no matter what. Most of the MBE material is taught in 1L courses. So that helps also.
No excuse on the studying just poor planning and lack of responsibility. I made the call to go with lectures over outlines since I figured the videos playing would give me a steadier clip of completion than reading (slow reader) but not sure if that really wound up helping me out. Pretty much committed on that though, and I guess outlines on the really core NY material (corps, wills, family).

Thanks for the encouragement though (and to iLoveFruits&Veggies as well). It'll be a rough week but I feel like I still have a shot. Not a great one, but a shot.

User avatar
kapital98

Silver
Posts: 1188
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:58 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by kapital98 » Sun Jul 20, 2014 2:35 am

legalmindedfella wrote:
kapital98 wrote:
legalmindedfella wrote:I'm at 28% complete. This is not going to go well.
Are you studying part time? What state? You could probably skip all the videos (~20% of the program) and still be fine as long as you are good at memorizing outlines. You could also skip many of the minor subjects and still do decent. Really, as long as you are doing well on the MBE you'll have a 50/50 shot no matter what. Most of the MBE material is taught in 1L courses. So that helps also.
No excuse on the studying just poor planning and lack of responsibility. I made the call to go with lectures over outlines since I figured the videos playing would give me a steadier clip of completion than reading (slow reader) but not sure if that really wound up helping me out. Pretty much committed on that though, and I guess outlines on the really core NY material (corps, wills, family).

Thanks for the encouragement though (and to iLoveFruits&Veggies as well). It'll be a rough week but I feel like I still have a shot. Not a great one, but a shot.
I think your focus on the core subjects and corps, wills, and family makes sense. I'm doing something similar.

Putting time into the MPT and NY MC is largely a waste. With the MPT you are either good at it or you are not. If you did well at writing memos in writing courses or on a job then you should do fine. The NY MC is brutal and takes way too much time to get good grades on. Review them but don't put too much time into it.

Spend the entire week on the MBE subjects, a couple additional essay topics, and you'll have a fighting chance. There's no loss in taking the test at this point.

The best of luck! :)

User avatar
JoeFish

Bronze
Posts: 353
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:43 am

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by JoeFish » Sun Jul 20, 2014 3:28 am

chimp wrote:Out of curiosity, what percentage of the course have you guys completed as of now? I'm at 85%.
Just hit 75% as of, like, 2 minutes ago.

Feel really really good about MBE and really not so good about essays

dtl

Bronze
Posts: 305
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:08 am

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by dtl » Sun Jul 20, 2014 3:33 am

chimp wrote:Out of curiosity, what percentage of the course have you guys completed as of now? I'm at 85%.
I am at 79%, but I have actually been there for a week or more. I am on a memorization sprint on my own, and hope to come back to finish the practice essays.

Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.

Register now, it's still FREE!


User avatar
Lasers

Gold
Posts: 1579
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:46 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by Lasers » Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:16 am

dtl wrote:Anyone know if we should be talking about mutuality at all as a factor in specific performance? The Themis outline seems to be a bit different than most other ones I can find.

Themis gives us:
  • Valid Contract
  • The contract terms must be sufficiently certain
  • Conditions Satisfied by P
  • Inadequacy of Legal Remedies
  • Relief must be equitable and
  • Feasibility of Enforcement.
but this seems to be more the norm:
  • Valid Contract
  • Conditions Satisfied by P
  • Inadequacy of Legal Remedies
  • Feasibility of Enforcement
  • Mutuality
not sure. i noticed this too. in one of themis' model answers for a practice essay, it stated mutuality as an element but said something to the effect that it was no longer important in recent years.

not sure which of the elements i should go with though. i don't even know what mutuality means?
Last edited by Lasers on Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Lasers

Gold
Posts: 1579
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:46 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by Lasers » Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:19 am

JoeFish wrote:
chimp wrote:Out of curiosity, what percentage of the course have you guys completed as of now? I'm at 85%.
Just hit 75% as of, like, 2 minutes ago.

Feel really really good about MBE and really not so good about essays
i'm at 73%.

i'm almost at 80% done reviewing the practice essays, even though i haven't done one yet for real. gonna finish them off in the next 2 days and then focus on memorization and MBE the rest of the way.

dtl

Bronze
Posts: 305
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:08 am

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by dtl » Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:30 am

Lasers wrote:
dtl wrote:Anyone know if we should be talking about mutuality at all as a factor in specific performance? The Themis outline seems to be a bit different than most other ones I can find.

Themis gives us:
  • Valid Contract
  • The contract terms must be sufficiently certain
  • Conditions Satisfied by P
  • Inadequacy of Legal Remedies
  • Relief must be equitable and
  • Feasibility of Enforcement.
but this seems to be more the norm:
  • Valid Contract
  • Conditions Satisfied by P
  • Inadequacy of Legal Remedies
  • Feasibility of Enforcement
  • Mutuality
not sure. i noticed this too. in one of themis' model answers for a practice essay, it stated mutuality as an element but said something to the effect that it was no longer important in recent years.

not sure which of the elements i should go with though. i don't even know what mutuality means?
So I looked into it. BarBri does not put mutuality as an element either, which gave me enough assurance to strike it off the list.

Way way back, a court would not give specific performance unless in the hypothetical situation that the plaintiff breached, the current defendant would be able to get specific performance. Hence, mutuality of enforcement.

I see a few of the samples released by calbar with it in them, so might be worth mentioning. I think it is safe not to, though.

User avatar
Lasers

Gold
Posts: 1579
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:46 pm

Re: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

Post by Lasers » Sun Jul 20, 2014 6:07 am

dtl wrote:
Lasers wrote:
dtl wrote:Anyone know if we should be talking about mutuality at all as a factor in specific performance? The Themis outline seems to be a bit different than most other ones I can find.

Themis gives us:
  • Valid Contract
  • The contract terms must be sufficiently certain
  • Conditions Satisfied by P
  • Inadequacy of Legal Remedies
  • Relief must be equitable and
  • Feasibility of Enforcement.
but this seems to be more the norm:
  • Valid Contract
  • Conditions Satisfied by P
  • Inadequacy of Legal Remedies
  • Feasibility of Enforcement
  • Mutuality
not sure. i noticed this too. in one of themis' model answers for a practice essay, it stated mutuality as an element but said something to the effect that it was no longer important in recent years.

not sure which of the elements i should go with though. i don't even know what mutuality means?
So I looked into it. BarBri does not put mutuality as an element either, which gave me enough assurance to strike it off the list.

Way way back, a court would not give specific performance unless in the hypothetical situation that the plaintiff breached, the current defendant would be able to get specific performance. Hence, mutuality of enforcement.

I see a few of the samples released by calbar with it in them, so might be worth mentioning. I think it is safe not to, though.
ah i see. good to know. i'll just stick to the themis one.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


Post Reply Post Anonymous Reply  

Return to “Bar Exam Prep and Discussion Forum”