Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam Forum

[jigglypuffdreams]

Damn you guys are hardcore. Gonna help keep me motivated...maybe. I usually hate lectures so I'm gonna spend more time on the outlines. I hate the idea of filling out worksheets.

Yeah I'm the same way, I've definitely been focusing on the outlines more than the handout/lecture method. I like the lectures, but sometimes trying to follow around filling in the handout and catching the buzzwords gets me into robot mode trying to guess what's next instead of absorbing the content of the lecture. Plus the added convenience of having the outlines in both book form and ebook form (have them all downloaded on my ipad and read them with the kindle app) is hard to pass up.

[Genuine4ps]

My state director (MI) suggested using the outlines as a supplement rather than a primary resource, because she said they're just too dense to be of much use. I'm hoping that's true because it jibes with the way I like to study.

Are you guys using the flex study at this point? I've just read the crim law outline and done today's con law part 1 video assignment, so I really have no idea how the practice questions/essays work out.

Somebody earlier said that there were two outlines, so doesn't it make sense to read the comprehensive outline, watch the lectures while doing the handout, and then review the second condensed outline?

Do you know where to find the secondary, condensed outline? I've only seen the long outline and the handout.

I think your method makes a lot of sense in theory, but I'm concerned I won't have the time to get through all of that. If I was trying to study for a single class, this is definitely the method I'd use. Given the broad spectrum of things we have to know, I'm not sure which way will work better for me.

I don't know where to find the secondary outlines. Haven't started yet.

I think my initial plan will be to read the long outline, and then put the video on 1.5 or 2x speed. If I didn't read the outline at all, I think I would feel compelled to run the lectures at normal speed to absorb everything. So while it does take time to read the outline beforehand, I feel like I'll make that time up by increasing the lecture speed.

I'm not certain this is the best method--it's just my initial plan. I think I'm going to call up my director to determine what Themis actually recommends.

[Tanicius]

PSA: The condensed outlines are found by checking your myCommunications. There is an unread message there about how to access summary outlines. Click on it. The message has URLs to PDF documents for the condensed outlines. It explains that you have to copy paste the links in your URL box to access them.

[Genuine4ps]

I'm curious how all of you came to the decision to use Themis over Barbri. I simply couldn't justify the cost of Barbri after looking at the passage rates of Themis. Really hoping our insistence on saving cash doesn't put us at a disadvantage.

[lsutiger1987]

PSA: The condensed outlines are found by checking your myCommunications. There is an unread message there about how to access summary outlines. Click on it. The message has URLs to PDF documents for the condensed outlines. It explains that you have to copy paste the links in your URL box to access them.

I could not find the message for the summary outlines. When did Themis send it?

[JoeFish]

I'm curious how all of you came to the decision to use Themis over Barbri. I simply couldn't justify the cost of Barbri after looking at the passage rates of Themis. Really hoping our insistence on saving cash doesn't put us at a disadvantage.

I can't imagine it will.

The main concern for me was to find a program that I could do primarily between 8 PM and 4 AM. I just graduated from law school; I am not going to any more lectures, dammit!

But yeah also money.

[Lasers]

I'm curious how all of you came to the decision to use Themis over Barbri. I simply couldn't justify the cost of Barbri after looking at the passage rates of Themis. Really hoping our insistence on saving cash doesn't put us at a disadvantage.

I can't imagine it will.

The main concern for me was to find a program that I could do primarily between 8 PM and 4 AM. I just graduated from law school; I am not going to any more lectures, dammit!

But yeah also money.

So much this. Fuck lectures.

[Kincade12]

Subject: Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2014 Exam

I'm curious how all of you came to the decision to use Themis over Barbri. I simply couldn't justify the cost of Barbri after looking at the passage rates of Themis. Really hoping our insistence on saving cash doesn't put us at a disadvantage.

Money was huge but I also watched a lot of people take Themis, like the program, and pass. Theres also something about the fact that the other bar programs don't publish their pass rates. If I'm going to pay a lot of money for something, I need some assurance it can work.

I think Themis provides all we need in terms of materials and info. Its just a matter of putting in time

[Tanicius]

PSA: The condensed outlines are found by checking your myCommunications. There is an unread message there about how to access summary outlines. Click on it. The message has URLs to PDF documents for the condensed outlines. It explains that you have to copy paste the links in your URL box to access them.

I could not find the message for the summary outlines. When did Themis send it?

[Kincade12]

PSA: The condensed outlines are found by checking your myCommunications. There is an unread message there about how to access summary outlines. Click on it. The message has URLs to PDF documents for the condensed outlines. It explains that you have to copy paste the links in your URL box to access them.

I could not find the message for the summary outlines. When did Themis send it?

They don't show up in my messages either. I think they are the same outlines that show up when you hit the "review constitutional law" on the directed study. That takes me to a summarized outline of the subject. If that doesn't work for you, I'd just contact them.

[fordprefect]

Just spoke with Themis. Some states (including CA) have gotten the summary outline links already, but all states will receive the link at some point.

From speaking to the rep, it was recommended that you do the outlines first, then video/handout, then short outline. By repeatedly condensing the topic hopefully things get cemented in the brain. I'll give that method at shot at the start and see whether I can put the requisite time towards it. I suspect I will still end up skimming the long outlines, though.

[TooManyLoans]

I couldn't find the link for the summary outlines in my communications (PA/NJ course). But I just finished going through all the lectures and I'm at the point where I should "Review Notes, lectures, etc." and if you click on that you will find the summary outline for that topic.

Edit: Just realized this was posted already

[Burgstaller04]

Just watched the Con Law MBE Workshop. Can someone teach Rick that nutritionous is not the right word he was looking for (or an actual word at all)?

[BrendanD]

Is anyone having trouble with Directed Study not keeping track of your schedule? I picked an early start date, but didn't do any tasks for a few days. It kind of assumed that I did the schedule tasks anyway, and the assignments for each day kept moving forward. It won't let me click on the tasks from previous days, so I'm basically forced into Flex Mode.

[Tanicius]

Is anyone having trouble with Directed Study not keeping track of your schedule? I picked an early start date, but didn't do any tasks for a few days. It kind of assumed that I did the schedule tasks anyway, and the assignments for each day kept moving forward. It won't let me click on the tasks from previous days, so I'm basically forced into Flex Mode.

Yikes. That's definitely an error.

My problem is the opposite. I'll do something but forget to click on the "complete" option, so it automatically drags a task over to the next day that I've already finished.

[puttycake]

Kramer, my Real Property lecturer, is really funny. I will probably hate him by the time this is done, but for now he amuses me.

He reminds me very strongly of my law school Property professor. Maybe property professors in general are just goofy.

[Burgstaller04]

Maybe property professors in general are just goofy.

Mine was totally nuts. In a hilarious way.

[jigglypuffdreams]

Kramer, my Real Property lecturer, is really funny. I will probably hate him by the time this is done, but for now he amuses me.

He reminds me very strongly of my law school Property professor. Maybe property professors in general are just goofy.

Yes! I just want to be his friend, the way he acts all sad that people aren't laughing at his jokes is kind of adorable. When he gets to talking about licensees, he tells a story about how he had a plumber finish his job at his house and just sit on his couch after it was done. And how he felt too awkward to tell him to leave so he just offered him a beer. Hearing more details about this weird little man made learning about real property 10 times more interesting.

[klbisho4]

Just stumbled across this forum while Googling some Themis stuff so forgive my newborn child like posts please. Just started Themis yesterday for FL and finished up MBE Con Law lectures. Totally bombed the Con Law PQ's too, which has me pissed off. It felt like they wrote their own questions for the PQ's and weren't using actual MBE questions. I've taken 3 practice MBE's this past semester and done well, and am scoring around 70% in Con Law on Adaptibar. Some of the questions they are asking on their PQ's just seem ridiculous and I've never seen them asked on any of the practice MBE's I've taken. Anyone else feel that way too?

[Tanicius]

Just stumbled across this forum while Googling some Themis stuff so forgive my newborn child like posts please. Just started Themis yesterday for FL and finished up MBE Con Law lectures. Totally bombed the Con Law PQ's too, which has me pissed off. It felt like they wrote their own questions for the PQ's and weren't using actual MBE questions. I've taken 3 practice MBE's this past semester and done well, and am scoring around 70% in Con Law on Adaptibar. Some of the questions they are asking on their PQ's just seem ridiculous and I've never seen them asked on any of the practice MBE's I've taken. Anyone else feel that way too?

I felt the exact same way taking the Themis practice MPRE questions. I always thought during the prep process that the real MPRE questions would be easier and have less bullshit assumptions and non-answers for your multiple choice options, but I was surprised and terrified to find out that many of the real MPRE questions had just as much bullshit. Honestly the only thing separating real MBE questions from the Themis-written questions is going to be the fact that Themis sometimes has typos.

[puttycake]

When you do an MBE set and do it in "test mode," do you then look at the answers/reasons for the ones you got right?

Sometimes, I feel like I'm just guessing, but if I'm getting the right answer is that a hint that I'm not guessing as much as I thought? I feel like I can make a case for looking at them (because a lot of the time I'm not sure of the answer) and for not looking at them (because it's just confusing to try to read it when you aren't reading it to correct your wrong idea).

Opinions?

[Tanicius]

When I review MBE I'm less interested in why the answer I chose is correct and more interested in why all the other options are not correct. It's how I learned a significant amount of the material for the MPRE and it's helpful for the MBE so far as well.

[puttycake]

When I review MBE I'm less interested in why the answer I chose is correct and more interested in why all the other options are not correct. It's how I learned a significant amount of the material for the MPRE and it's helpful for the MBE so far as well.

So, do you choose test mode, or interactive mode? I've been using test mode so that I don't get clues in the interactive mode that influence me with a later question, but I'm sure it changes the way I review the answers.

[Tanicius]

When I review MBE I'm less interested in why the answer I chose is correct and more interested in why all the other options are not correct. It's how I learned a significant amount of the material for the MPRE and it's helpful for the MBE so far as well.

So, do you choose test mode, or interactive mode? I've been using test mode so that I don't get clues in the interactive mode that influence me with a later question, but I'm sure it changes the way I review the answers.

I've been doing interactive with the first few question sets because I'm still learning material rather than perfecting test strategy.

[klbisho4]

I also did interactive mode. The only thing that I hate is that I didn't write down which answers I picked so when it came time to review it told me if I was right or wrong, and what everyone else picked, but it won't tell me what my answer was, so that sucks.