July 2016 UBE for Full-Time Workers Forum

[udonisandtrinity]

Here's to a separate thread for those who will be working full-time and studying for the July 2016 UBE. I failed the NY Bar Exam in Feb. 2016. Scored 138 on my MBE and 657 overall (665 is the cut off for passing). I had average essay scores, but had an awful MPT score. I did about 700 Kaplan MBE questions and 400 questions on Adapitbar, but did not draft or complete any practice essay questions. I will be using critical flash cards this time as I find it very difficult to do rote memorization. Will do more MBE practice questions, and lastly, will do several essay questions.

This is going to be tough given my work schedule, but for the first 6 weeks, I plan to use the weekends exclusively for learning new MEE subject matter. During the week, I hope to squeeze in 3-4 hours per day doing practice MBE and essay questions. Lastly, I will use flash cards for half my commute. For February 2016, I put in about 225 hours of study time (roughly 4 hours of quality study time per day for 8 consecutive weeks including all simulated exams and quizzes). If I start tomorrow, it will give me 85 days to prepare (5 days off in intermittent fashion for my sanity). 3 hours each day will bring me to 255 hours. I hope to be more efficient and less reliant on lecture and outline materials this time around.

For those who will work full-time, I hope we can experience this journey together and come out victorious.

[texasbar]

Here's to a separate thread for those who will be working full-time and studying for the July 2016 UBE. I failed the NY Bar Exam in Feb. 2016. Scored 138.1 on my MBE and 657 overall (665 is the cut off for passing). I had average essay scores, but had an awful MPT score. I did about 700 Kaplan MBE questions and 400 questions on Adapitbar, but did not draft or complete any practice essay questions. I will be using critical flash cards this time as I find it very difficult to do rote memorization. Will do more practice questions, and lastly, will do several essay questions.

This is going to be tough given my work schedule, but for the first 6 weeks, I plan to use the weekends exclusively for learning new MEE subject matter. During the week, I hope to squeeze in 3-4 hours per day doing practice MBE and essay questions. Lastly, I will use flash cards for half my commute. For February 2016, I put in about 225 hours of study time (roughly 4 hours of quality study time per day for 8 consecutive weeks including all simulated exams and quizzes). If I start tomorrow, it will give me 85 days to prepare (5 days off in intermittent fashion for my sanity). 3 hours each day will bring me to 255 hours. I hope to be more efficient and less reliant on lecture and outline materials this time around.

For those who will work full-time, I hope we can experience this journey together and come out victorious.

Sorry that you did not pass. You were so close!! I have not received my results yet but based on my experience from July and again in Feb, burn out is a real thing (and I think the reason I failed in July). I did not work or do anything non-bar related for July. By the time the exam rolled around, my body and brain were physically exhausted. In Feb, I took a very different approach. I studied half the time but was productive when I did. If I wasn't into it one day, I wouldn't force myself and do something else. I felt much better this time around going into the exam even though I spent way less time studying. I also abandoned the lectures and bar review course schedule. I focused on what worked for me. I liked the critical pass app for quick review during a commute etc. All that being said, I think it's a good thing that you will be working - sometimes having too much time is a terrible thing! Best of luck in July!

[worldsclide]

Wow, my situation is eerily similar. I failed in July 2013 because I got destroyed on the MPT, still not sure exactly what happened there. My MBE was similar to yours, I think 135? I had like a 4.9 essay average, and a 23/100 on the MPT. Failed with a 657/665. I'll never forget that MPT score, but it is what it is.

I don't practice law, work in compliance, but I'm registered for July. There's no reason not to be admitted given the amount of debt I have, plus it may open up some interesting opportunities in my field to get out from behind a desk all day.

Are you taking a course? I bought the Critical Pass flashcards and I'm going through them with my outlines from 2013 to fill in the gaps. I'm leaning towards Adaptibar for MBE questions and maybe some lectures, but I may just go with an unused version of the PMBR Red Book.

I feel the essays should be easier on the UBE (MEE), but for a topic like Wills, I'm not sure what I need to know . I guess the EPTL doesn't matter at all now? I definitely need some input on the MEE and how those essays compare/contrast to the NY essays.

I feel more confident this time around because my life doesn't depend on this exam, plus the UBE just seems easier to prep for because you don't have to know any NY law whatsoever (Fuck off evidence distinctions). Last time, I was an anxious mess filled with self-doubt. This time, IDGAF what happens.

Cheers.

[udonisandtrinity]

My belated apologies. May I ask how you did on the NYMC? My Writing Average which included a really bad MPT was around 51 or 5.1 I guess. NYMC destroyed me. By default our exams were reread, reread followed with unfavorable results of course.

I am going to use Adapitbar and Kaplan for MBE and use Kaplan's outlines or materials to prepare for the MEE.

How will you schedule your studies?

Wow, my situation is eerily similar. I failed in July 2013 because I got destroyed on the MPT, still not sure exactly what happened there. My MBE was similar to yours, I think 135? I had like a 4.9 essay average, and a 23/100 on the MPT. Failed with a 657/665. I'll never forget that MPT score, but it is what it is.

I don't practice law, work in compliance, but I'm registered for July. There's no reason not to be admitted given the amount of debt I have, plus it may open up some interesting opportunities in my field to get out from behind a desk all day.

Are you taking a course? I bought the Critical Pass flashcards and I'm going through them with my outlines from 2013 to fill in the gaps. I'm leaning towards Adaptibar for MBE questions and maybe some lectures, but I may just go with an unused version of the PMBR Red Book.

I feel the essays should be easier on the UBE (MEE), but for a topic like Wills, I'm not sure what I need to know . I guess the EPTL doesn't matter at all now? I definitely need some input on the MEE and how those essays compare/contrast to the NY essays.

I feel more confident this time around because my life doesn't depend on this exam, plus the UBE just seems easier to prep for because you don't have to know any NY law whatsoever (Fuck off evidence distinctions). Last time, I was an anxious mess filled with self-doubt. This time, IDGAF what happens.

Cheers.

[squiggle]

I'm also studying for the UBE while working full time. I previously missed passing NY by one point (664/665--so brutal), but I'm did pass another state and will be taking the UBE in a third state.

I've recently started using Adaptibar, and I really like it (over time it targets subtopics where you are weak at). I previously used Kaplan Redbook (PMBR) and Barbri Sets, and I found Kaplan questions to be more realistic than Barbri (though no one seems to have good Civ Pro questions yet). I do like not having to carry around these books, and I'm getting Adaptibar questions in when I have small amount of free time (like between hearings). I have a $50 discount code for Adapitbar if anyone needs it; just send me a PM with your email address. I found that my MBE score went up the last couple of bar exams after doing a large number of MBE questions, and I'm hoping that trend continues!

Like others in this thread, I haven't done super well on the MPT. Do you guys plan on doing many practice MPTs? If so, where are you finding practice MPT questions? I feel like I might be throwing away easy points but not improving on my MPT skills. Thanks!

My belated apologies. May I ask how you did on the NYMC? My Writing Average which included a really bad MPT was around 51 or 5.1 I guess. NYMC destroyed me. By default our exams were reread, reread followed with unfavorable results of course.

I am going to use Adapitbar and Kaplan for MBE and use Kaplan's outlines or materials to prepare for the MEE.

How will you schedule your studies?

Wow, my situation is eerily similar. I failed in July 2013 because I got destroyed on the MPT, still not sure exactly what happened there. My MBE was similar to yours, I think 135? I had like a 4.9 essay average, and a 23/100 on the MPT. Failed with a 657/665. I'll never forget that MPT score, but it is what it is.

I don't practice law, work in compliance, but I'm registered for July. There's no reason not to be admitted given the amount of debt I have, plus it may open up some interesting opportunities in my field to get out from behind a desk all day.

Are you taking a course? I bought the Critical Pass flashcards and I'm going through them with my outlines from 2013 to fill in the gaps. I'm leaning towards Adaptibar for MBE questions and maybe some lectures, but I may just go with an unused version of the PMBR Red Book.

I feel the essays should be easier on the UBE (MEE), but for a topic like Wills, I'm not sure what I need to know . I guess the EPTL doesn't matter at all now? I definitely need some input on the MEE and how those essays compare/contrast to the NY essays.

I feel more confident this time around because my life doesn't depend on this exam, plus the UBE just seems easier to prep for because you don't have to know any NY law whatsoever (Fuck off evidence distinctions). Last time, I was an anxious mess filled with self-doubt. This time, IDGAF what happens.

Cheers.

[SilvermanBarPrep]

To the above poster who asked about the EPTL, that's correct. All MEE subjects test multistate law, so, for example, Wills tests what is called the Uniform Probate Code ("UPC"). I actually think this makes learning the law easier for the MEE than for state specific essays. As an example, take the Elective Share. In New York, there is a very specific statute to apply, but because this varies quite a bit by state, for the UPC there is generally much less specificity to learn for the bar exam. This is the case for quite a few legal topics throughout quite a few subjects.

And not having to learn those NY distinctions for the MBE subjects is great. The MEE will be difficult because it's graded by the same people who make the MBE and the model answers they've released to the essays strike me as unrealistic under the time constraints. But overall, I think the UBE is a welcome change.

--Sean

[learntolift]

can someone explain these scores to me? i thought a passing score, for NY at least, is 266, and around there for other UBE states. I see people talking about scores in the six hundreds. Am I misunderstanding this or how exactly does it work?

[squiggle]

Under the old NY bar exam format, the minimum to pass was 665. Now that New York has adopted the UBE for the July 16 exam and beyond, the minimum to pass will be 266. The highest state's minimum for the UBE is 280 (which is the min in Alaska and Idaho).

Side note: if you take the NY bar exam and score below 266, you might be able to waive into another state with a lower minimum (depending on the state's own rules).

can someone explain these scores to me? i thought a passing score, for NY at least, is 266, and around there for other UBE states. I see people talking about scores in the six hundreds. Am I misunderstanding this or how exactly does it work?

[RBGFan5258]

Sorry if I am late to the game and this is a silly question, but will a state that uses the UBE accept a passing MBE score from a non-UBE jurisdiction, so that you only have to take the MEE and MPT portion? That would make such a difference to me in terms of study time.