PSA: Do not pay full price for a bar course - Negotiate w/Barbri, Themis, etc. Instead Forum

[Pleasye]

Around this time all the bar prep companies are going to start (lol let's be real they started during 1L) hounding all you unsuspecting 3Ls offering you "discounts" on their courses.

Do not get locked into the 3k or even 2k prices that they are offering right now. Hold out until the last minute and negotiate a lower price. Talk to various reps and get their prices and then play them off each other. Bar prep does NOT need to cost 4k.

Themis will go as low as $1200. I know people who got Barbri for $1400. Kaplan doesn't seem to have a floor because people were getting that course for like $900.

hth.

[TLSModBot]

Thank you for this. Def haven't started looking into prep courses yet

[Fed_Atty]

While there is room for debate on this, I think most bar companies give you enough to pass and there is no need to pay the premium on Bar-Bri (although it seems like they are losing that now anyway). Back in 2010 when I took the bar Themis was just coming out and I was a bit reluctant to take a chance but wanted to save the ~$2k and it went fine.

[rcharter1978]

$1400 for Barbri? Wow, props to whoever got that price, I've heard of a discount, but never that low, that is awesome.

[El Pollito]

Around this time all the bar prep companies are going to start (lol let's be real they started during 1L) hounding all you unsuspecting 3Ls offering you "discounts" on their courses.

Do not get locked into the 3k or even 2k prices that they are offering right now. Hold out until the last minute and negotiate a lower price. Talk to various reps and get their prices and then play them off each other. Bar prep does NOT need to cost 4k.

Themis will go as low as $1200. I know people who got Barbri for $1400. Kaplan doesn't seem to have a floor because people were getting that course for like $900.

hth.

i pass your advice along whenever i can (from when you mentioned it in chat)

great thread

[crumpetsandtea]

Totally agree with this. Also if for some crazy reason you're a 1L reading this, SIGN UP TO BE A BARBRI REP. I got my first bar course for free, then negotiated my second bar course from the $3500 alumni price to $1300. So basically I got each bar course for $650 in exchange for standing at a table during my lunch hour 5 times a semester.

[Pleasye]

Totally agree with this. Also if for some crazy reason you're a 1L reading this, SIGN UP TO BE A BARBRI REP. I got my first bar course for free, then negotiated my second bar course from the $3500 alumni price to $1300. So basically I got each bar course for $650 in exchange for standing at a table during my lunch hour 5 times a semester.

Or a rep for any other company.

Even if you're a 2L you can sign up to be a rep and get a course for half price (I at least know this is the case for Themis because it's what I did).

[Johann]

baroutlines.com

everything is under 100. could probably get away with the MBE $30 outlines for everywhere other than Cali.

[thsmthcrmnl]

baroutlines.com

everything is under 100. could probably get away with the MBE $30 outlines for everywhere other than Cali.

Seconded. Use practice MBEs from baroutlines and buy some BarBri books off eBay.

[acronyx]

I paid $1500 for Barbri for CA (and still feel like it was exorbitant). That said, I think any of the prep companies will do, just do the work and get lucky.

[Pleasye]

BUMP

[mak_]

Thanks for the thread. Would you say it's about time for 3L's to get started on negotiations? Or too early/late?

[Pleasye]

Thanks for the thread. Would you say it's about time for 3L's to get started on negotiations? Or too early/late?

It's about time and definitely not too late. I have friends who waited till the week before graduation and got great prices.

[mak_]

Thanks for the thread. Would you say it's about time for 3L's to get started on negotiations? Or too early/late?

It's about time and definitely not too late. I have friends who waited till the week before graduation and got great prices.

Perfect. Thanks!

[jdmonkey]

I got Barbri for $1,250. I didn't deal with the student reps. I figured the more people involved in the sale the more expensive it will be

[soamazin55]

I got Barbri for $1,250. I didn't deal with the student reps. I figured the more people involved in the sale the more expensive it will be

How were you able to get it for so cheap? If you don't mind sharing.

[Nybar2015]

That's true guys unless you feel worried. Used barbri is sufficient. But don't buy more than a year old because many new subjects were introduced.

[jdmonkey]

I got Barbri for $1,250. I didn't deal with the student reps. I figured the more people involved in the sale the more expensive it will be

How were you able to get it for so cheap? If you don't mind sharing.

I emailed back and forth with the VP from Barbri that solicited me. They had my contact info cause I took the free MPRE course. I used 1195 as my BATNA, as that was what another company was charging...but it would have been a pain to use the other company cause (unlike Barbri) they didn't have any state specific stuff for my jurisdiction.

[squiggle]

[deleted- My previous message was off topic. I apologize.]

When I took Barbri, I was able to work with my school's Barbri rep on multiple discounts throughout the year. I know that some bar prep companies also let you apply for a public interest discount if you intend to do work in the public interest field after graduation.

[Pleasye]

As someone getting ready to take a third state bar exam (long story) using both bar prep course and self-studying, I personally think that bar prep courses are NOT worth it. For the UBE bar exam that I'm taking this summer, I plan on self-studying using Barbri's CMR & practice MPTs, Emmanuel's Strategies, Critical Pass, and Adaptibar. I found that eBay and Amazon are good places to get the books. I also have a $50 Adaptibar discount code if anyone needs it. Just PM me with your email address, and I'll email you the code. Happy studying!

That's not what this thread is about. There's plenty of debate elsewhere about whether to take a course or not. This is for those who have decided a course is the right choice for them and don't want to spend 4k.

[squiggle]

As someone getting ready to take a third state bar exam (long story) using both bar prep course and self-studying, I personally think that bar prep courses are NOT worth it. For the UBE bar exam that I'm taking this summer, I plan on self-studying using Barbri's CMR & practice MPTs, Emmanuel's Strategies, Critical Pass, and Adaptibar. I found that eBay and Amazon are good places to get the books. I also have a $50 Adaptibar discount code if anyone needs it. Just PM me with your email address, and I'll email you the code. Happy studying!

That's not what this thread is about. There's plenty of debate elsewhere about whether to take a course or not. This is for those who have decided a course is the right choice for them and don't want to spend 4k.

I apologize! I've updated my post. It has been a long week, and I should avoid posting late a night!

[bklynattorney]

I paid about $1,500 for Kaplan when it was all said and done. While I hope that the waiting until the last minute thing works for everyone, in my experience people who did that were not getting steep discounts, regardless of how hard they negotiated.

[smin0505]

Hi all! Passed NY July 2017 and I am selling my July 2017/February 2018 Barbri UBE Books - the entire set. They're used - obviously - so there is writing and highlighting in them, but mainly just underlining on the outlines. In the practice MBE/MEE books, there is little scratchwork because I used separate paper to keep track of my answers. Also - there are so many question sets that I did NOT complete that even if you can't stomach the scratchwork you'll have plenty of practice sets/essays. Please private message me and make an offer if interested! Thanks and best of luck!

[L_William_W]

I passed NY on my 3rd attempt. I didn't use any commercial bar courses (I did take a brief MPT class with Mary Campbell Gallagher). During my previous attempts, I used Barbri and pissed away $3,000.

This is what I did this time around:

1) I got FREE bar exam outlines through meticulous google searches

2) Purchased used Emanuel Bootcamp for the MBE books on Amazon. They break down how to approach MBE questions for every MBE subject except Civ Pro. They give you tricks as well as tell you how to avoid deceptive answers

3) Purchased Strategies and Tactics for the MBE, Strategies and Tactics Finz, and Kaplan Practice MBE Questions and Answers (buy this NEW. Don't be pennywise pound foolish. It's frustrating doing a MBE and seeing the correct answer highlighted).

4) Bought some used Barbri materials and made MY OWN outlines and flash cards

5) Printed out every MEE essay that I could get my hands on and looked for patterns in the correct answers

6) I took MCG's MPT class- it was semi-helpful. I totally fucked up on the second MPT. Fortunately, my 149.3 MBE carried me

[Pleasye]

Thread title updated to [hopefully] signal this isn't a thread telling people not to buy the commercial prep courses.