Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam Forum

[Tanicius]

Wait you guys are already doing the Milestone #1? I looked at the PDF version of the schedule that they sent when the course started, and it looks like it's not scheduled until June 16...

Depends on when they started the course. My milestone isn't scheduled until next week. So I have 7 days to stop sucking.

Oh trust me. You obviously don't have to stop sucking before taking it or I would have been struck dead by a bolt of lightning.

How long does the milestone exam take?

It's only 50 MBE questions.

[071816]

It's only 50 MBE questions.

gotcha lol for some reason I thought it was an actual exam. Is it a mixture of all the topics covered so far?

[puttycake]

Wait you guys are already doing the Milestone #1? I looked at the PDF version of the schedule that they sent when the course started, and it looks like it's not scheduled until June 16...

Depends on when they started the course. My milestone isn't scheduled until next week. So I have 7 days to stop sucking.

Oh trust me. You obviously don't have to stop sucking before taking it or I would have been struck dead by a bolt of lightning.

How long does the milestone exam take?

They schedule 90 minutes. It's 50 questions.

It's on ConLaw, Rea Property, and Torts.

[071816]

They schedule 90 minutes. It's 50 questions.

It's on ConLaw, Rea Property, and Torts.

Arite cool. Thanks.

[nowinGA]

Does anyone else not have the MBE Criminal Law and Procedure Outlines assigned? And no MBE lectures available? I only have my state (NY) distinctions outlines assigned, and those are the only lectures provided. Not sure what's up with that.

Anyone else?

[lawyerwannabe]

Does anyone else not have the MBE Criminal Law and Procedure Outlines assigned? And no MBE lectures available? I only have my state (NY) distinctions outlines assigned, and those are the only lectures provided. Not sure what's up with that.

Anyone else?

Same thing.

- I have no MBE Criminal Law or Criminal Procedures lectures or outlines.
- I also do not have a lecture for NY Equity (it just says to read the outline).
- And I also thought we were told at the beginning that Civil Procedure was not a part of the bar until 2015? I have lectures and outlines for Civil Procedure as part of my schedule.

[nowinGA]

Does anyone else not have the MBE Criminal Law and Procedure Outlines assigned? And no MBE lectures available? I only have my state (NY) distinctions outlines assigned, and those are the only lectures provided. Not sure what's up with that.

Anyone else?

Same thing.

- I have no MBE Criminal Law or Criminal Procedures lectures or outlines.
- I also do not have a lecture for NY Equity (it just says to read the outline).
- And I also thought we were told at the beginning that Civil Procedure was not a part of the bar until 2015? I have lectures and outlines for Civil Procedure as part of my schedule.

Civ Pro isn't part of the MBE until 2015. But NY has it on its bar. Meh.

[klbisho4]

I know a few others are using Adaptibar like myself. I was just curious what everyone's Adaptibar percentages are to the their Themis PQ percentages? Mine are kinda disproportionate to one another.

AB = Torts 60%, Contracts 50%, Con Law 55% ... Themis = Torts 52%, Contracts 35%, Con Law 49% (those are the only subjects I've done PQ's in so far).

No sure which one to put more stock into?

[swan87]

I just did my first graded essay and I feel like I completely bombed it. I did somewhat decently on law recall. I spotted what the issues were, but I just couldn't really put it into words. I also didn't provide the same amount of detail that the sample answer did. I'm just extremely discouraged right now.

[JoeFish]

I just did my first graded essay and I feel like I completely bombed it. I did somewhat decently on law recall. I spotted what the issues were, but I just couldn't really put it into words. I also didn't provide the same amount of detail that the sample answer did. I'm just extremely discouraged right now.

I feel disgusting after trying to stumble through an exam. But we'll be fine. We have time.

Also I am godawful at evidence. I hope recognition of that fact will spur me on to mastery of the subject perhaps?

[Tanicius]

Also I am godawful at evidence. I hope recognition of that fact will spur me on to mastery of the subject perhaps?

Happy to help by PM if you want, if you just want a more human-sounding explanation of an evidence rule.

[puttycake]

I just did my first graded essay and I feel like I completely bombed it. I did somewhat decently on law recall. I spotted what the issues were, but I just couldn't really put it into words. I also didn't provide the same amount of detail that the sample answer did. I'm just extremely discouraged right now.

A couple of things.

First, if this was your first graded essay, you can't do worse than I did!

Second, remember that at first, you aren't required to do things by memory. Try to get close, then consult your notes. You won't learn by using the wrong law.

Third, I find that if I drill the wording from the essay workshops, I'm usually somewhat prepared to rattle off a lot of the boilerplate. So consider just looking at a heading in the workshop, say "Restitution" or whatever, and just trying to write it down. Compare to the boilerplate. Do it again. Compare. Etc. You don't need to memorize the wording, but just feel like "Hey, I have a starting point. I can start typing on this part."

Fourth, seriously. My first graded essay was trash. Oh, and my second one.

[Kincade12]

I just did my first graded essay and I feel like I completely bombed it. I did somewhat decently on law recall. I spotted what the issues were, but I just couldn't really put it into words. I also didn't provide the same amount of detail that the sample answer did. I'm just extremely discouraged right now.

It helps to think about the essays now as just learning tools. You can't know all of the law yet, and just like the mbe questions help you to learn points you overlooked on the outline or lecture, I think the essays early on do that as well.

And like everyone else is saying, it will get better. Also, remember people have different graders. comparing scores is arbitrary. Your grader will grade differently, more harshly or leniently, than other people.

[Tanicius]

Handout: "All states have anti-lapse statutes protecting the issue of predeceased beneficiaries."

MBE answer: "Your answer is wrong because the facts don't show this state has an anti-lapse statute."

Seriously, so sick of this crap.

[puttycake]

The Model Answer for a Remedies question talks a bit about Barb and Stan. The problem? The question was about Paula and Sally. Barb and Stan were in another question entirely (the one I did before the Paula/Sally question).

[071816]

I got OWNED by that milestone exam. I'm gonna have to sit down and thoroughly review this thing.

[j1987]

Currently doing property MBE questions, and I've gotten a whopping 1 correct.

[Tanicius]

Currently doing property MBE questions, and I've gotten a whopping 1 correct.

My lowest Property MBE practice session happened today. It got a point where I wanted to toss my computer. Tons of questions about wills and trusts, some of which really wasn't covered by the lecture series at all. The words "exoneration" and "abatement" aren't in the entire handout. Learning this stuff by a process of trial and error on the practice questions is frustrating. This was kind of how it was like on the MPRE for me.

[Xifeng]

Currently doing property MBE questions, and I've gotten a whopping 1 correct.

My lowest Property MBE practice session happened today. It got a point where I wanted to toss my computer. Tons of questions about wills and trusts, some of which really wasn't covered by the lecture series at all. The words "exoneration" and "abatement" aren't in the entire handout. Learning this stuff by a process of trial and error on the practice questions is frustrating. This was kind of how it was like on the MPRE for me.

They get me with the questions about mortgages. They are the worst.

[puttycake]

I just finished the evidence essay lecture (in CA) and now I know I'm doomed. Basically she said that if there are 8 issues and you get to 7.5 you won't pass. You know, that's a stupid way to run an exam.

[kapital98]

I just finished the evidence essay lecture (in CA) and now I know I'm doomed. Basically she said that if there are 8 issues and you get to 7.5 you won't pass. You know, that's a stupid way to run an exam.

That's ridiculous. I'd be scared as hell if I were taking the CA exam.

[kapital98]

I'm on the MBE Torts lecture with Sherman Clark. Now I get what everyone was saying about him looking to the left. Like every 30 seconds!

[puttycake]

I'm on the MBE Torts lecture with Sherman Clark. Now I get what everyone was saying about him looking to the left. Like every 30 seconds!

I like to think he's in the witness protection program but he's just compelled to talk about torts, man. He's risking his life! FOR US!

[kapital98]

Clark: "So in this lecture, which will be brief..."

[I glance down and notice the lecture is 20 minutes long ]

[Gotti]

People taking NY+NJ -

I have 3 big books (& 2 little ones i'm ignoring for now), NY Vol 1 and 2, and NJ + Multistate. It says on the Themis site that for the NJ bar, we have to know "All MBE distinctions plus New Jersey Civil Procedure"

NJ Civil Procedure is distinguished in the NJ + Multistate book. NY Vol 2 has MBE Distinctions, but only NY's distinctions are pointed out for each topic, not NJ's. Are we supposed to assume that the NJ ones are the same as NY?