February 2015 Bar Exam Forum

[redblueyellow]

Are you guys going over flash cards everyday?

Is there a better option? Cause if so, someone please tell me right the fuck now.

[underthirty]

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[fslexcduck]

Hey, does anyone have any good tips for the MPT? I can't seem to write efficiently enough - I get too bogged down and then end up way behind. My issue is when I realize I only have 45 minutes left and haven't even finished reading the stuff, I don't know what to do to get back on pace other than panic and cry.

Themis recommends reading the law cases and stuff first and facts after, but I don't seem to work well that way. Any other strategies people have employed?

On a side note, do you think it's a viable strategy to say F it to the MPT and accept that I'll completely bomb it in order to make sure to keep memorizing MBE stuff if my MBE's have been/I can keep them around 145? I'm worried bc now focusing on NY topics and MPT, I'm getting questions on MBE wrong that used to be easy!

[fslexcduck]

Is anyone reading the rules of civil procedure or the rules of evidence? That'll be me on tomorrow.

I wasn't going to for the sake of time but ... civil procedure is trying to slay me. I really hope the MBE isn't like Themis, answers literally verbatim from the rules that no one has time to memorize. Or really nuanced areas of the rules that I don't even think civil procedure professors have memorized.

& I figure reading the evidence hearsay rules out might provide me with some clarification because I keep getting tripped up on the smallest of things.

I'm with you, also plan to read FRE and FRCP (well at least skim FRCP). The Themis Civ Pro materials suck - I did all the lectures and skimmed the outline and half of the MBE questions test stuff that is nowhere to be found, or is just a really remote rule. I guess it technically isn't their fault, but I'm just gonna make myself feel better with "we're all in the same boat here."

[jarofsoup]

Hey, does anyone have any good tips for the MPT? I can't seem to write efficiently enough - I get too bogged down and then end up way behind. My issue is when I realize I only have 45 minutes left and haven't even finished reading the stuff, I don't know what to do to get back on pace other than panic and cry.

Themis recommends reading the law cases and stuff first and facts after, but I don't seem to work well that way. Any other strategies people have employed?

On a side note, do you think it's a viable strategy to say F it to the MPT and accept that I'll completely bomb it in order to make sure to keep memorizing MBE stuff if my MBE's have been/I can keep them around 145? I'm worried bc now focusing on NY topics and MPT, I'm getting questions on MBE wrong that used to be easy!

Ive had an MBE drop a bit too. It might just be fatigue. For the MPT I start with the library first and try to understand the rules and then go over the facts and apply it.

I have always found for the MPT the key is to slow down. That sounds silly, I know. But you should try to read the materially slowly so you understand it and then you write as quickly as you can in 45 minutes.

[numbertwo88]

For those of you doing MBE questions, roughly how many are you doing a day? I've been doing 50.

Thinking of bumping it up to 100 but then I realized I'd be reviewing 100 questions which takes away from my essay preparation. The fact that Themis question sets are online has contributed too - 3 hours of multiple choice at my computer isn't the most exciting in the world.

It's so hard to allocate time now that it's running out. Funny to think I started studying early and feel like I'm running out of time now.

[numbertwo88]

For those of you doing MBE questions, roughly how many are you doing a day? I've been doing 50.

Thinking of bumping it up to 100 but then I realized I'd be reviewing 100 questions which takes away from my essay preparation. The fact that Themis question sets are online has contributed too - 3 hours of multiple choice at my computer isn't the most exciting in the world or easy for that matter.

It's so hard to allocate time now that it's running out. Funny to think I started studying early and feel like I'm running out of time now.

[minnbills]

How early did you start?

I'm doing 50 MBE questions a day. Bringing my averages up nicely. Right now I'm at 60% - 70% on barbri Qs. I figure intense MBE study pays off in that you're learning relevant law for the essays.

I have yet to do an essay though, which is not good. So my full plan is the MBE qs every day, plus 1 essay or MPT per day, plus reviewing the outlines.

[numbertwo88]

How early did you start?

I'm doing 50 MBE questions a day. Bringing my averages up nicely. Right now I'm at 60% - 70% on barbri Qs. I figure intense MBE study pays off in that you're learning relevant law for the essays.

I have yet to do an essay though, which is not good. So my full plan is the MBE qs every day, plus 1 essay or MPT per day, plus reviewing the outlines.

Don't know why I posted that 2x accidentally.

I started about a week before Thanksgiving

[minnbills]

Holy shit! That is wicked early

[Holly Golightly]

I pretty much started studying a few weeks ago, and just started doing practice questions. So so fucked.

[minnbills]

I pretty much started studying a few weeks ago, and just started doing practice questions. So so fucked.

Right there with ya. I thought I was doing much better but just snagged a 9/25 on evidence workshop. FML.

[Tomego]

For those of you doing MBE questions, roughly how many are you doing a day? I've been doing 50.

Thinking of bumping it up to 100 but then I realized I'd be reviewing 100 questions which takes away from my essay preparation. The fact that Themis question sets are online has contributed too - 3 hours of multiple choice at my computer isn't the most exciting in the world or easy for that matter.

It's so hard to allocate time now that it's running out. Funny to think I started studying early and feel like I'm running out of time now.

I'm doing 33 a day and have been since mid-late January. I started studying in December with the Kaplan foundation courses, but then took a two week break during the holidays. I'm thinking I'll be upping it to about 100 or maybe a bit more per day starting next week. I've been getting around 70-80% of them correct and feel like now more than anything I am simply doing them to get exposed to little wrinkles I don't know about yet. Between checkpoint quizzes on Kaplan and the MBE questions, I think I've done over 500 questions so far.

As for time allocation, I feel like I am so screwed with essays. I get essays back from the Kaplan graders and just feel depressed. I've done all of them that they asked and then some, probably between 10-15. I focused on my organization/format this past week more than anything and feel like that it improved to the point where it needs to be. Now to just be able to throw up the information and write it all in 30 minutes. I think my last week is going to be a couple of hours to do the 100 MBE questions and everything else is going to be issue spotting essays, outlining an answers, and then reviewing them with the outlines provided by Kaplan. I won't be practicing until later in the week stuff from memory. I'd rather practice getting down correct rule statements early as that will hopefully help them stick in my brain. I don't feel confident about my rule statement and hope this strengthens that weakness.

I've practiced a few MPTs. I think that at worst, they won't hurt me. I'll probably familiarize myself with some of the stranger formats next week just in case that is on the test.

Overall, at this point I feel good about the MBE, bad about the MEE and meh about the MPT.

[redblueyellow]

Ermm.. I'm not using flash cards. I've never found them helpful. Instead, I read the subject outlines (generally once) and spend almost all my time doing practice questions and going over correct/sample answers.

Are you a wizard? How are you remembering everything you read in one pass of the outline? I know you're doing practice problems/answers, but that will give you answers in random chunks and not as one flowing outline (my flash cards for instance, were published to be essentially an abbreviated outline as long as I follow them numerically). I can see that MBE questions would help you learn distinctions, but I don't know how people rely on that to learn the law.

If I fail the test, it's going to be solely because I couldn't remember the black letter correctly enough. Of course I have doubts in my writing ability (who doesn't?) but I know it's not bad enough to hold me back. I've relied on the strength of my writing to pass classes with dubious content within because I could BS my way through it. I can't do that here, unfortunately.

[redblueyellow]

As for time allocation, I feel like I am so screwed with essays. I get essays back from the Kaplan graders and just feel depressed. I've done all of them that they asked and then some, probably between 10-15. I focused on my organization/format this past week more than anything and feel like that it improved to the point where it needs to be. Now to just be able to throw up the information and write it all in 30 minutes. I think my last week is going to be a couple of hours to do the 100 MBE questions and everything else is going to be issue spotting essays, outlining an answers, and then reviewing them with the outlines provided by Kaplan. I won't be practicing until later in the week stuff from memory. I'd rather practice getting down correct rule statements early as that will hopefully help them stick in my brain. I don't feel confident about my rule statement and hope this strengthens that weakness.

I've practiced a few MPTs. I think that at worst, they won't hurt me. I'll probably familiarize myself with some of the stranger formats next week just in case that is on the test.

Overall, at this point I feel good about the MBE, bad about the MEE and meh about the MPT.

I just wanted you to know that Kaplan graders grade notoriously hard and usually criticism as to grammar/writing ability is unfounded. They tend to give lower scores that what one would expect on the actual bar; and I think that their grammar comments are a form inclusion. My first essay I submitted to them had a bunch of typos because I ran out of time to spell check and submitted under true test taking conditions. Each essay I've submitted since has also mentioned grammatical/spelling issues, but I can guarantee no spelling errors and reasonable strong grammar and still get the same comment.

However, you do want to take their comments as to content to heart. They're pretty solid on that end, except where they tend to give loads of advice in the beginning 1-2 pages and last page, but then forget to read actively in the middle.

Kaplan is like Severus Snape; he cares for you, but doesn't show it. He makes your life miserable so when you do end up facing the bar, you're over prepared.

[Tomego]

I just wanted you to know that Kaplan graders grade notoriously hard and usually criticism as to grammar/writing ability is unfounded. They tend to give lower scores that what one would expect on the actual bar; and I think that their grammar comments are a form inclusion. My first essay I submitted to them had a bunch of typos because I ran out of time to spell check and submitted under true test taking conditions. Each essay I've submitted since has also mentioned grammatical/spelling issues, but I can guarantee no spelling errors and reasonable strong grammar and still get the same comment.

However, you do want to take their comments as to content to heart. They're pretty solid on that end, except where they tend to give loads of advice in the beginning 1-2 pages and last page, but then forget to read actively in the middle.

Kaplan is like Severus Snape; he cares for you, but doesn't show it. He makes your life miserable so when you do end up facing the bar, you're over prepared.

Yeah, the grammar and organization comments do seem boilerplate at times. I've also had inconsistent comments. They were complaining about my IRAC so I broke up my essay with each part having its own section that I titled and bolded. 3/4 liked it and the other guy told me it was bad organization... I was just like 3/4 is good enough for me.

I hope that them grading a little harder is the truth. I find my essays grades are so far apart. Its either a 5 or a 2. I've gotten one 3 and one 4. I'm hoping the MBE gives enough of a bit of a cushion to pass because I am honestly concerned about the essays.

[redblueyellow]

Yeah, the grammar and organization comments do seem boilerplate at times. I've also had inconsistent comments. They were complaining about my IRAC so I broke up my essay with each part having its own section that I titled and bolded. 3/4 liked it and the other guy told me it was bad organization... I was just like 3/4 is good enough for me.

I hope that them grading a little harder is the truth. I find my essays grades are so far apart. Its either a 5 or a 2. I've gotten one 3 and one 4. I'm hoping the MBE gives enough of a bit of a cushion to pass because I am honestly concerned about the essays.

Re irac: After my first essay that I got returned, I've literally started to do the following (and have not yet received a negative IRAC comment back)--

1. Peter vs. Donald

Battery

The issue is whether Donald committed a battery against Peter.

A battery requires 1) the harmful or offensive 2) contact 3) with the person of another 4) or something very close to them, 5) intent, and 6) causation.

Here, Donald committed battery against Peter because he intended his fist to make harmful or offensive contact with Peter's face. [explanation of elements 1-6 here]

[Some people will break up the elements as a sub heading individually and answer them that way]

Thus, Donald will be liable for a battery against Peter.

Misrepresentation

The issue is whether Donald misrepresented facts to Peter to have him involved in the gambling scheme.

[Rules]

[Analysis]

[Conc]"

The moment I started explicitly writing it out like that, I've yet to receive any negative IRAC comments from a Kaplan grader. This is with a sample size of approximately 9-10 essays.

[minnbills]

Just pulled 2 more 30%s on MBE sets. I am wondering if I should even take the bar right now.

[Holly Golightly]

Just pulled 2 more 30%s on MBE sets. I am wondering if I should even take the bar right now.

I am doing terribly at contracts and property. Praying it will start to get better in the next few days...

[minnbills]

Just pulled 2 more 30%s on MBE sets. I am wondering if I should even take the bar right now.

I am doing terribly at contracts and property. Praying it will start to get better in the next few days...

Are you using Barbri?

I feel like these questions are both nitpicky and poorly written. I am considering just moving over to past MBE sets instead.

[Holly Golightly]

Just pulled 2 more 30%s on MBE sets. I am wondering if I should even take the bar right now.

I am doing terribly at contracts and property. Praying it will start to get better in the next few days...

Are you using Barbri?

I feel like these questions are both nitpicky and poorly written. I am considering just moving over to past MBE sets instead.

Right now I'm going off a hand me down Kaplan book. I may buy barmax this week.

[underthirty]

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[fslexcduck]

I'm also not in love with Themis questions.

Does anyone know where we can get old MBE questions (do you just have to pay)? What about old NY multiple choice questions (the ones on Themis are INSANELY specific/poorly written/difficult)?

[minnbills]

Okay I've readjusted my study plan a bit. Going to move through all the remaining barbri MBE questions over the next 6 days. Also going to weave in some past MBE questions (need to find a source for this). I'm ditching the barbri outlines except for Conviser, which I just started tonight. It is much better than the other barbri outlines. All that's left is to do some essays and MPTs.

I think I am burned out here. I was watching Archer while eating dinner and could hardly follow along.

I really really want to do some real MBE practice Qs to see if I am actually screwed or if barbri is just that hard.

[underthirty]

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