Stagnant Raw MBE Scores/Getting Worse - Themis Forum

[bettyspaghetti]

I've been studying diligently since May and have had no luck increasing my mixed MBE scores. Whenever I do a mixed test I score somewhere around 50% (typically a little above that). When I concentrate on one subject MBE sets, I show improvement (i.e. Civ Pro - Set 1, 48%; Set 2, 54%; Set 3, 73%). When I think I've finally got a hand on the topic, I will switch to a different topic. Problem: When I go back to the topic I was scoring in the 60-70%s in, I am back down to the 50% range. It's like I've forgotten everything even though I know that's not true. Over the past months, I have been doing questions, flashcards, and basic review tasks. There's no reason I shouldn't be scoring better, in my mind, and I am beginning to worry. I've taken a few days off here and there thinking I was maybe oversaturated. My study habits in law school were very anti-cramming (outline as I go through the semester and in-depth review of one topic at a time on and off for one week each). A good example of how I am getting setbacks is tonight I did three sets of MBE questions. 2 sets of evidence since this is my arch nemesis (didn't take in law school and it confuses me to no end) and 1 set of criminal procedure. I scored 54% on the first set of evidence and then 52% on the second. Criminal procedure I scored an abysmal 47% which is a steep drop from the 65% I was scoring a week or so ago.

Any ideas about what I can do?

[mvp99]

Order critical pass cards. It'll help you learn the basics of the black letter law. It might be missing some things but that's fine because you have to master the basics first.

[bettyspaghetti]

I know the BLL and "the basics." Like my post said, I've been studying since May--not twiddling my thumbs. Looking for thoughts on why I can't increase my scores despite having the knowledge base. I've read through Strategies and Tactics (FYI)

[BigZuck]

How are you going about learning from the questions you got wrong?

[L_William_W]

I've been studying diligently since May and have had no luck increasing my mixed MBE scores. Whenever I do a mixed test I score somewhere around 50% (typically a little above that). When I concentrate on one subject MBE sets, I show improvement (i.e. Civ Pro - Set 1, 48%; Set 2, 54%; Set 3, 73%). When I think I've finally got a hand on the topic, I will switch to a different topic. Problem: When I go back to the topic I was scoring in the 60-70%s in, I am back down to the 50% range. It's like I've forgotten everything even though I know that's not true. Over the past months, I have been doing questions, flashcards, and basic review tasks. There's no reason I shouldn't be scoring better, in my mind, and I am beginning to worry. I've taken a few days off here and there thinking I was maybe oversaturated. My study habits in law school were very anti-cramming (outline as I go through the semester and in-depth review of one topic at a time on and off for one week each). A good example of how I am getting setbacks is tonight I did three sets of MBE questions. 2 sets of evidence since this is my arch nemesis (didn't take in law school and it confuses me to no end) and 1 set of criminal procedure. I scored 54% on the first set of evidence and then 52% on the second. Criminal procedure I scored an abysmal 47% which is a steep drop from the 65% I was scoring a week or so ago.

Any ideas about what I can do?

Get the Kaplan MBE book. It is the holy grail of bar prep. The questions in that book are the same format and level of difficulty as the actual bar exam. Get the new edition. It costs more money, but it's worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Questio ... K1051351FY

I took the NJ bar last July and I got a 130.2 MBE. It's a mediocre score, but it was enough for me to pass. Property, civ pro, and contracts are the bane of my existence. Con law and evidence are hard, but doable. I can do torts and crim half drunk.

My strategy was to study extra, extra, extra hard in my four strongest subjects and just wing it in my three weakest subjects. I don't recommend this strategy unless you're absolutely desperate. On the bar, I basically guessed the answers to the three weakest subjects. I think I got about 1/3 of the questions in those subjects correct.

Torts is straightforward black letter law. If you do a lot of problems, you'll eventually get it.

Crim law is pretty easy. Crim pro is somewhat tricky. You have to know warrant exceptions like the back of your hand

Con law is another black letter law subject. It seems easy, but if you're not careful, you can get a question wrong.

Evidence simply requires knowing the hearsay exceptions hands down