July 2016 Texas Bar Exam Forum

[BigZuck]

Tagging in here, Themis 4 lyfe

[mada]

So if I do ALL of my barbri assignments over the next couple months, does that mean I will definitely pass? (I realize this could turn out to be quite a bit of work especially if it does ramp up more, but I am just trying to make sure that I pass first go around).

[tealeaf23]

Tagging. Taking BarBri; kicking it off today with the intro lecture.

Anyone planning on getting Adaptibar in addition to Barbri?

FWIW, I suck at multiple choice and Adaptibar saved my score. I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you think the MBE won't be your strong point.

[Yardbird]

Checking in - already behind because the review schedule started the day after graduation and parents were still in town and friends were leaving town...it's gonna be a long summer...

[Federalist]

Checking in - already behind because the review schedule started the day after graduation and parents were still in town and friends were leaving town...it's gonna be a long summer...

Good luck!

[umstah]

i took (and passed) the July 2014 california bar exam. lateraled to a firm in texas so i now have to take the july 2016 bar exam. i'm taking 5 weeks off to study. im starting my prep this weekend, but i probably wont be able to get in much time until my 5 weeks off. is that enough time, given that texas is slightly easier than california and that my last time taking it wasn't that long ago, so hopefully at least a bit is still in my brain? anyone else take it while working/general thoughts?

[DueProcessDoWheelies]

i took (and passed) the July 2014 california bar exam. lateraled to a firm in texas so i now have to take the july 2016 bar exam. i'm taking 5 weeks off to study. im starting my prep this weekend, but i probably wont be able to get in much time until my 5 weeks off. is that enough time, given that texas is slightly easier than california and that my last time taking it wasn't that long ago, so hopefully at least a bit is still in my brain? anyone else take it while working/general thoughts?

Texas may be "slightly easier" than California but it's different, so don't underestimate it. There's lots of state-specific stuff that you need to study hard. If you're good on the MBE portion, do a bunch of practice essays and P&E tests.

[The Mixed Tape]

did 150 mbe questions (25 of each except evidence)

around 50% across the board. not bad i guess

seems super doable to get to 70%+ once i actually, like, learn the stuff

[The Mixed Tape]

mostly worried abt tx essays cause thats way too much new info for me to learn

[The Mixed Tape]

strong fear of spending a ridic amnt of time learning irrelevant shit for tx essays and still blowing several essays

[gadfish333]

strong fear of spending a ridic amnt of time learning irrelevant shit for tx essays and still blowing several essays

I highly suggest doing every single past essay in your Texas Testing book because it helps you avoid this as much as possible. You start picking up on which topics within the subjects come up frequently. For example, for Wills - due execution, pretermitted child, intestacy, etc.

[thewaterlanding]

strong fear of spending a ridic amnt of time learning irrelevant shit for tx essays and still blowing several essays

I highly suggest doing every single past essay in your Texas Testing book because it helps you avoid this as much as possible. You start picking up on which topics within the subjects come up frequently. For example, for Wills - due execution, pretermitted child, intestacy, etc.

Also, the lecturers do a fairly decent job at pointing out which topics are most frequently tested. As gadfish pointed out, generally, the topics are recycled with a few odd ball questions thrown out there every year.

[The Mixed Tape]

COMMERCIAL PAPERS!!!

WOOOO

[Yardbird]

COMMERCIAL PAPERS!!!

WOOOO

Did anyone else have trouble deciphering what the wills prof was saying at times? I feel like sometimes he started 5 different sentences in the middle of each other...

[BVest]

COMMERCIAL PAPERS!!!

WOOOO

UCC-3 is obnoxious and was one of the subjects that I learned in the last two weeks of studying (two and a half if you count the week of the bar, when I'd study about 3 hours a night as well). (Others of those were Fam Law, Wills/Estates, Trusts/Guardianship, and DTPA; so basically half the essays).

I broke down the UCC-3 into lists of the jargon/elements necessary on two pages, often with lines showing how each list related to the other lists. I don't remember enough to remember what lists I had, but stuff like Holder, HIDC, Real Defenses, whatever the other Defenses are, etc. Those two pages were enough for me to write a passable essay on basically any UCC-3 question, as long as it wasn't the BLE's annual left-field question (that was reserved for Property last July). That and I just did as many old exam questions on those topics as I had time for. I took a similar approach to the other subjects that I learned in those last two weeks.

(I also took the same approach for other subjects that I'd taken in LS like UCC-9, but I was able to do that earlier in the studying process because I already had a foundation for them).

[The Mixed Tape]

48 DAYS, PEOPLE

[The Mixed Tape]

COMMERCIAL PAPERS!!!

WOOOO

UCC-3 is obnoxious and was one of the subjects that I learned in the last two weeks of studying (two and a half if you count the week of the bar, when I'd study about 3 hours a night as well). (Others of those were Fam Law, Wills/Estates, Trusts/Guardianship, and DTPA; so basically half the essays).

I broke down the UCC-3 into lists of the jargon/elements necessary on two pages, often with lines showing how each list related to the other lists. I don't remember enough to remember what lists I had, but stuff like Holder, HIDC, Real Defenses, whatever the other Defenses are, etc. Those two pages were enough for me to write a passable essay on basically any UCC-3 question, as long as it wasn't the BLE's annual left-field question (that was reserved for Property last July). That and I just did as many old exam questions on those topics as I had time for. I took a similar approach to the other subjects that I learned in those last two weeks.

(I also took the same approach for other subjects that I'd taken in LS like UCC-9, but I was able to do that earlier in the studying process because I already had a foundation for them).

good plan

[KeepitKind]

48 DAYS, PEOPLE

wow u had to go there..

[The Mixed Tape]

[mada]

Today is the last day to register for examsoft! make sure you do that by tonight or youll be handwriting next month for the test.

[Yardbird]

Don't fall behind, you guys...it's an endless cycle of trying to catch up and realizing you're still the same amount of days behind.

Today is the last day to register for examsoft! make sure you do that by tonight or youll be handwriting next month for the test.

+1 on this, you need to register and take the mock exam by 11:59PM CST. If you didn't receive the confirmation after uploading the mock exam answer, you aren't done registering. You'll eventually get an email with the subject line "TX Bar: You are registered with ExamSoft", but mine came a day after finishing the process.

Also a note, I believe whatever computer you register now is the computer you are locked into for the exam. While you can redownload the software for a fee, I believe that is still only to the registered computer (in the case that you need to reinstall your OS or had to restore or something).

[NolanRyan]

Barbri checking in. Is anyone doing extra practice problems yet?

[longhornlaw]

i took (and passed) the July 2014 california bar exam. lateraled to a firm in texas so i now have to take the july 2016 bar exam. i'm taking 5 weeks off to study. im starting my prep this weekend, but i probably wont be able to get in much time until my 5 weeks off. is that enough time, given that texas is slightly easier than california and that my last time taking it wasn't that long ago, so hopefully at least a bit is still in my brain? anyone else take it while working/general thoughts?

I was in your exact boat - took July 2014 in CA, then moved back to Texas and took the Feb 2016 exam.

Texas is easier in that they don't hide the ball on the essay questions, but don't underestimate it. The only crossover essay and MBE subject is property. Most of he essay topics in Texas aren't on the CA bar. You have significantly less time to do the PT than in CA. There are definite differences between the community property and wills rules. And there's definitely way less of an emphasis on the style of writing the essays - CA you underline and headline everything, but in Texas you just need one headline answer then irac from there.

Look at the sample answers on the Texas Bar's site. Those will help.

[AllDangle]

Barbri checking in. Is anyone doing extra practice problems yet?

Define practice problems

[NolanRyan]

Barbri checking in. Is anyone doing extra practice problems yet?

Define practice problems

Sorry I meant problems outside of what Barbri assigns!