Themis Bar Review Hangout - July 2016 Forum

[BarPreppin'12]

I got a 65 on the milestone test. Not happy about it. I was hoping to be up in the 70's at least. Weird thing is I was so confident about many of the questions that I got wrong.

[Sheeit]

Just finished the partnerships lecture. I have an irrational anger towards Birdthistle. Not looking forward to corporations.

[Nebby]

Literally just fucking laughed at this fucking Rules Enabling Act question I just got

[Vantwins]

Not even done with the MBE lectures to take the milestone #2, hopefully on Wednesday. You all make it sound so fun.

[ultimolugar]

Question strictly to those using both Themis and Adaptibar: Do you all find that the Adaptibar questions are actually easier than Themis questions? I find some solice in the fact that Themis uses "bar-like" questions whereas Adaptibar uses actual licensed questions. To me, it stands to reason that Themis questions are intentionally more difficult.

Thoughts, gang?

[Nebby]

Question strictly to those using both Themis and Adaptibar: Do you all find that the Adaptibar questions are actually easier than Themis questions? I find some solice in the fact that Themis uses "bar-like" questions whereas Adaptibar uses actual licensed questions. To me, it stands to reason that Themis questions are intentionally more difficult.

Thoughts, gang?

Wait. I thought Themis used licensed questions. Do they not? I wish adaptibar wasn't so expensive. I just can't justify spending another $300 out of pocket

[NaeDeen]

Just finished the partnerships lecture. I have an irrational anger towards Birdthistle. Not looking forward to corporations.

@ irrational anger.

[Fivedham]

Question strictly to those using both Themis and Adaptibar: Do you all find that the Adaptibar questions are actually easier than Themis questions? I find some solice in the fact that Themis uses "bar-like" questions whereas Adaptibar uses actual licensed questions. To me, it stands to reason that Themis questions are intentionally more difficult.

Thoughts, gang?

I'm about 200 questions into AdaptiBar. I don't see any real difference between them and Themis questions.

[NaeDeen]

Not even done with the MBE lectures to take the milestone #2, hopefully on Wednesday. You all make it sound so fun.

Same here. I laughed-cried a little when I saw the range of topics for #2. That can wait until Wed/Thurs if I'm lucky enough to get through all of this. If the bar exam tested half the amount of subjects they do now, there would be a 95% passage rate instead of 72% but I guess that's blind/ignorant optimism...if there's such a thing!

[NaeDeen]

Question strictly to those using both Themis and Adaptibar: Do you all find that the Adaptibar questions are actually easier than Themis questions? I find some solice in the fact that Themis uses "bar-like" questions whereas Adaptibar uses actual licensed questions. To me, it stands to reason that Themis questions are intentionally more difficult.

Thoughts, gang?

Wait. I thought Themis used licensed questions. Do they not? I wish adaptibar wasn't so expensive. I just can't justify spending another $300 out of pocket

They do. When you do the practice essays you'll notice the text at the bottom that states that they are published with permission. Depending on the grades that I get, that can be a good or bad thing.

[NaeDeen]

Wait. I thought Themis used licensed questions. Do they not? I wish adaptibar wasn't so expensive. I just can't justify spending another $300 out of pocket

I agree. I got Silverman's MBE Essentials (which is very helpful) and Emanuel's MBE 2016 book (real questions from past exams). That was about 115 total. Can't afford it...I'm sure ramen noodles is in my future...but at this point, I need all the practice I can get.

[ultimolugar]

Question strictly to those using both Themis and Adaptibar: Do you all find that the Adaptibar questions are actually easier than Themis questions? I find some solice in the fact that Themis uses "bar-like" questions whereas Adaptibar uses actual licensed questions. To me, it stands to reason that Themis questions are intentionally more difficult.

Thoughts, gang?

Wait. I thought Themis used licensed questions. Do they not? I wish adaptibar wasn't so expensive. I just can't justify spending another $300 out of pocket

They do. When you do the practice essays you'll notice the text at the bottom that states that they are published with permission. Depending on the grades that I get, that can be a good or bad thing.

The essays are mirror images. The MBE are close equivalents. I even posted a while back what the FL director said about their MBE questions that they are vouched through several rounds of vetting to make them as close to bar difficultly as possible. My understanding is that means not actual bar questions. Adaptibar uses actual questions. I definitely see a difference in difficulty.

[ultimolugar]

Question strictly to those using both Themis and Adaptibar: Do you all find that the Adaptibar questions are actually easier than Themis questions? I find some solice in the fact that Themis uses "bar-like" questions whereas Adaptibar uses actual licensed questions. To me, it stands to reason that Themis questions are intentionally more difficult.

Thoughts, gang?

Wait. I thought Themis used licensed questions. Do they not? I wish adaptibar wasn't so expensive. I just can't justify spending another $300 out of pocket

They do. When you do the practice essays you'll notice the text at the bottom that states that they are published with permission. Depending on the grades that I get, that can be a good or bad thing.

The essays are mirror images. The MBE are close equivalents. I even posted a while back what the FL director said about their MBE questions that they are vouched through several rounds of vetting to make them as close to bar difficultly as possible. My understanding is that means not actual bar questions. Adaptibar uses actual questions. I definitely see a difference in difficulty.

Furthermore, as someone earlier pointed out. It would make sense for Themis to use questions more difficult than actual bar questions because anything less would be a shitty business model.

[rambleon65]

Question strictly to those using both Themis and Adaptibar: Do you all find that the Adaptibar questions are actually easier than Themis questions? I find some solice in the fact that Themis uses "bar-like" questions whereas Adaptibar uses actual licensed questions. To me, it stands to reason that Themis questions are intentionally more difficult.

Thoughts, gang?

Wait. I thought Themis used licensed questions. Do they not? I wish adaptibar wasn't so expensive. I just can't justify spending another $300 out of pocket

They do. When you do the practice essays you'll notice the text at the bottom that states that they are published with permission. Depending on the grades that I get, that can be a good or bad thing.

The essays are mirror images. The MBE are close equivalents. I even posted a while back what the FL director said about their MBE questions that they are vouched through several rounds of vetting to make them as close to bar difficultly as possible. My understanding is that means not actual bar questions. Adaptibar uses actual questions. I definitely see a difference in difficulty.

I recall when I used Themis for the MPREs, I noticed that the actual questions on the exam / given on the official website were way easier than Themis.

[NaeDeen]

Question strictly to those using both Themis and Adaptibar: Do you all find that the Adaptibar questions are actually easier than Themis questions? I find some solice in the fact that Themis uses "bar-like" questions whereas Adaptibar uses actual licensed questions. To me, it stands to reason that Themis questions are intentionally more difficult.

Thoughts, gang?

Wait. I thought Themis used licensed questions. Do they not? I wish adaptibar wasn't so expensive. I just can't justify spending another $300 out of pocket

They do. When you do the practice essays you'll notice the text at the bottom that states that they are published with permission. Depending on the grades that I get, that can be a good or bad thing.

The essays are mirror images. The MBE are close equivalents. I even posted a while back what the FL director said about their MBE questions that they are vouched through several rounds of vetting to make them as close to bar difficultly as possible. My understanding is that means not actual bar questions. Adaptibar uses actual questions. I definitely see a difference in difficulty.

I recall when I used Themis for the MPREs, I noticed that the actual questions on the exam / given on the official website were way easier than Themis.

For the MD exam, there is a copyright symbol at the bottom along with text that states "MD board of law examiners. Reprinted with permission." If they aren't real questions, I am unsure as to what purpose such a statement would serve. Either way, if they are easier on the actual exam, I'll start celebrating NOW!

[ndp1234]

Literally just fucking laughed at this fucking Rules Enabling Act question I just got

I don't even remember reading that specific issue in the full outline. That whole set was just ridiculous.

[a_bowler_hat]

It's fucking frustrating to go from 65 to 70% on PQ sets and then drop 15 to 20% on the Milestone. I honestly just don't understand it. Now I'm mentally fucked and can't even concentrate on the stupid practice mpt or essay I'm supposed to do today

i also don't think it helps that at least half of those questions seemed to come out of left fucking field.

[+] Spoiler

e.g, the only personal jurisdiction question on the civ pro part was about personal jurisdiction over a foreign citizen. GTFO.

[Chardee_MacDennis]

Did Milestone #2, 65% which is an improvement over Milestone #1, so I guess that's something. Changed a few correct answers to incorrect answers, which I feel like I do after thinking too much about how a plausible interpretation can be made for the answer I chose/changed to. I should just follow my first instinct.

[ndp1234]

LOL at Prof. Birdthistle's hair slowly getting crazier as the Corporations lecture goes on.

[Chardee_MacDennis]

So, devoting considerable attention to the MPT (at least in IL) is a poor strategy, right? Like, I've written memos/briefs before, everything is provided and self-contained, and it counts for only like 7% of the total score, so why would I waste any longer than like, 2-3 hours combined focusing on it?

Anyone else feel this way?

[Nebby]

So, devoting considerable attention to the MPT (at least in IL) is a poor strategy, right? Like, I've written memos/briefs before, everything is provided and self-contained, and it counts for only like 7% of the total score, so why would I waste any longer than like, 2-3 hours combined focusing on it?

Anyone else feel this way?

It's 10%, and yeah my strategy is to spend no more than 10 hours combined on it. I've had to write numerous persuasive and objective memos the past three years and don't think it's worth much effort, since it's the easiest to get a passing score on

[mu13ski]

Dropped 5% on milestone 2. Checked in at 53%. Almost a month out from the exam, at what point am I supposed to start seeing results? When do I hit the panic button?

[a_bowler_hat]

oh my god i hate the woman doing CA professional responsibility. every one of her examples features, for every ethical rule she just covered, violations of at least 2 ethical rules that she hasn't covered yet. it makes them almost useless for drilling understanding of the concepts she just went over.

[NaeDeen]

Still having trouble with getting videos to play. Is this still happening to anyone else?
I contacted Themis this morning and they told me that Verizon was doing an update and that is the cause of the lag--which makes no sense because youtube videos play without an issue and I am able to browse the internet with no intermittent/consistent issues. A bit frustrating when I'm trying to get the lectures done.

[Sheeit]

Dropped 5% on milestone 2. Checked in at 53%. Almost a month out from the exam, at what point am I supposed to start seeing results? When do I hit the panic button?

Honestly, it's milestone exam 2, but the subjects are completely different from exam 1. If you dropped 5% on the same set of subjects, then sure, but I wouldn't get discouraged because you didn't see improvement here. You didn't have a baseline to improve from on these subjects. Plus, from what I hear, a lot of the improvement happens in July.

Hang in there, you got this!